Queen Margarethe of Denmark tests positive for Covid-19 after Queen’s funeral

Queen Margrethe of Denmark has tested positive for Covid-19 just 24 hours after attending the Queen’s funeral and mourning events in London.

Vaccinated Margrethe, 82, Europe’s longest-serving current head of state and the only current queen, tested positive for the virus on Tuesday evening, the royal household said.

Earlier this week, she attended Westminster Abbey with her son Crown Prince Frederick, and the two then went to the Queen’s Committal Service in Windsor.

The monarch also paid her respects to the Queen by visiting her coffin at Westminster Hall on Sunday evening, and also attended a reception at Buckingham Palace where she chatted with Prince Charles.

On Monday, Westminster Abbey filled with 2,000 people, including world leaders, foreign royals and several hundred ordinary Britons chosen by the Queen for her funeral.

Representatives of more than 20 royal families attended the service, including the reigning monarchs of the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway.

The Queen is said to have traveled to London ahead of the funeral over the weekend.

On Sunday, she joined other foreign royalty to pay respects to the late Queen as she went to view her coffin at Westminster Hall.

The next day she attended the Queen’s State Funeral at Westminster Abbey.

A statement shared by the palace today read: ‘Her Majesty the Queen tested positive for COVID-19 last night and is now staying at Fredensborg Castle. The Queen’s activities this week have therefore been cancelled.

“Friday evening party at Christiansborg Castle for the Danish members of the Government, the Folketing and the European Parliament will be held with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess as hosts.”

The Queen of Denmark, who received a third dose of the vaccine in November, has previously had Covid-19 after testing positive for the virus in February.

Queen Margrethe had a close relationship with Queen Elizabeth II and was one of the first international monarchs to pay tribute to Her Majesty.

She was also seen shedding a tear for the Queen’s coffin before the funeral on Monday.

Both Queens are great-great-granddaughters of Queen Victoria – making them great-nephews – with Margrethe often looking up to Elizabeth as a big sister.

In May, Margrethe told British ITV news that Elizabeth, 14 years her senior, was a ‘huge inspiration’ to her as the only other queen alive.

‘[Queen Elizabeth] was 26 when she became queen. Growing up, I hoped I wouldn’t be as young as when my father died. It made a huge impression on me. The fact that she was dedicating her life. I understood what that meant. This is for life. That’s the whole point of my life. And I know she sees that too,” she said.

“When I was growing up, my mother and father said to me, ‘Look what they do in England’ and I saw that it was possible and that it was worth it and that you could live a very full life with it, even with a heavy schedule and demanding work.’

The mother of two added that both Queens see their roles as “dedication” and “a job” and the way Elizabeth “facing her duties” “inspired her.”

“The way she’s done her duties, the way she’s dedicated her life, and she does it with a smile. She’s been through a lot,” she added.

‘When you’ve reached my age, you won’t have the void anymore, what am I going to do tomorrow? I know very well what I’m going to do tomorrow, and the next day, and the next year.’

The couple also had sweet nicknames for each other. Margrethe called Elizabeth “Lilibet” by her childhood nickname, while Elizabeth called Margrethe “Daisy.”

The Danish monarch is known to many in her family as “Aunt Daisy,” as she was named after her grandmother, Princess Margareta of Sweden, and her name is similar to the Nordic word for the daisy flower.

“We are definitely affectionate but I don’t want to spit it all over the place,” she told ITV of Elizabeth II.

The couple also have a common love for dogs. While Elizabeth will forever be associated with corgis, Margrethe is known in Denmark for her love of dogs.

While Elizabeth got her first corgi as a child, it was Margrethe’s late husband, Prince Henrik, who introduced her to dachshunds.

Margrethe was also one of the first royals to pay tribute to the Queen after her death last week.

In a statement, she wished new King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla her “deepest thoughts and prayers” after Elizabeth II passed away peacefully in Balmoral.

On behalf of the Danish family, she was ‘deeply moved’ by the sad news of the death of her ‘beloved mother’.

“I send you and Camilla my heartfelt thoughts and prayers,” she said.

‘She was a towering figure among European monarchs and a great inspiration to all of us. We will miss her terribly.

Her 70 years of reign and service to the people of the United Kingdom, the rich and the Commonwealth is an unprecedented and remarkable achievement.

“We will always remember her important contributions to their development and prosperity.”