Margrethe II of Denmark, the 85-year-old former queen who abdicated in January 2024, is back in hospital. Just seven days after her release from treatment for angina on 14 May, doctors readmitted her to Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen - after a CT scan showed „a large clot in the hip area, as a consequence of an earlier fall".

The royal court announced that Margrethe is „well, considering the circumstances" and that she is expected to remain hospitalised „for several days". The brief statement is in the customary Danish style - no dramatisation, no details that need not be known, no plea for sympathy.

Margrethe's last public appearance was on 30 April in Stockholm, at the 80th birthday of Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf. There she wore a tiara, looked vital, and took part in the official ceremonies. A week later - angina. A week after that - a clot. Health at 85 goes like that.

What is particularly striking is that the Scandinavian monarchies have not been on their best form these past months. Norwegian Queen Sonja reported last week that she „needs to rest" after new cardiology examinations. Princess Astrid of Norway had a recent medical incident. Danish, Swedish and Norwegian monarchs - and all going through similar symptoms in the same period.

What comes next? The Danish royal court does not speak of prognoses, and that is right - predictions put both the family and the doctors under pressure. Margrethe has already passed the throne to her son Frederik, so there is no question about line-of-succession stability. The question is simple: will she recover, or not. One thing at a time.