Danish queen tests positive for Covid day after Queen Elizabeth II's funeral

The Queen of Denmark has tested positive for Covid-19 for the second time this year, the Danish Royal Court has confirmed.

Queen Margrethe II has cancelled her appointments for this week after the diagnosis on Tuesday evening.

The 82-year-old monarch was one of 2,000 guests who attended Queen Elizabeth II's state funeral on Monday.

She is Europe's longest-serving head of state and last reigning queen following the British monarch's death.

She and Queen Elizabeth were third cousins, both being descended from Queen Victoria.

Queen Margrethe has been vaccinated against Covid and last tested positive in February this year when she presented mild symptoms.

In a statement on the palace website, a spokesperson said she would be recovering at Fredensborg Palace.

Her son and heir, Crown Prince Frederik, and his wife Mary, the Crown Princess, will take her place in hosting members of the government, the Danish Parliament, and Danish members of the European Parliament at a party on Friday in Copenhagen.

In recent days, Queen Margrethe was pictured at several events in London to mark Queen Elizabeth II's death.

At Westminster Hall on Sunday, on the eve of the late Queen's funeral, she joined the Crown Prince to pay her respects at the lying-in-state.

At Westminster Abbey the following day, she sat in the same section as monarchs from other European nations, including King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, Prince Albert II of Monaco and King Philippe of Belgium.

In a letter of condolence to King Charles on the death of his mother, she wrote: "She was a towering figure among European monarchs and a great inspiration to us all."

She became the first female sovereign of Denmark in 1972 at the age of 32 after the death of her father, King Frederick IX.