The royal couple had trouble getting to their seats at the official opening of the Folketing, the Parliament of Denmark

NEED TO KNOW

• King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark faced an unexpected hiccup as they arrived at the official opening of the Danish Parliament
• The couple found that their seats were still roped off as they entered
• Find out how they handled the unscripted moment

King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark’s entrance at the official opening of Parliament didn’t go exactly as planned.

The royal couple arrived at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen on Tuesday, Oct. 6, to attend the official opening of the Folketing, the Danish Parliament. However, when they went to take their seats in the chamber, they found they were still cordoned off with rope.

King Frederik, 58, attempted to remove the rope himself, while Queen Mary, 54, tried to direct her husband to the other side of the seating area, which was also roped off.

Ultimately, staff members helped remove the rope, with the royal couple laughing off the mishap. At one point, the King even shrugged with a smile before making his way to his seat.

The Folketing is a unicameral legislature that shares power with the monarchy, as set out in the Danish Constitution. They pass the laws and send them to King Frederik to sign.

The parliament consists of 179 members, including two from Greenland and two from the Faroe Islands, and is currently representative of 17 different political groups.

The King and Queen were joined at the Folketing by Princess Benedikte, 82, the younger sister of King Frederik’s mother and predecessor, Queen Margrethe.

The former sovereign, 86, who abdicated the throne in 2024, attended the opening of parliament last year. However, Queen Margrethe has faced a myriad of health issues in recent months. In September, she was hospitalized for the third time this year.

Amalienborg Palace issued a press release with the news on Sept. 6, revealing, “Queen Margrethe was admitted to Rigshospitalet on Sunday after feeling unwell. A new blood clot in the hip region & mild dehydration have been detected, both of which are being treated.”

“Queen Margrethe is in good spirits &, given the circumstances, is doing well,” the statement continued.

The hospitalization forced the former monarch to miss the state funeral of King Harald of Norway on Sept. 9. King Frederik and Queen Mary served as Denmark’s representatives at the ceremony, along with Crown Prince Christian and Princess Benedikte.

Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

Previously, on May 25, Queen Margrethe was admitted to Rigshospitalet after a CT scan showed a large blood clot in her hip as a result of a previous fall.

“Her Majesty is doing well under the circumstances,” the Palace’s statement said at the time.

That came just 11 days after the Palace announced the Queen was undergoing treatment at the same hospital after suffering a heart attack.

In 2025, she was also hospitalized twice: once after a fall and once when she contracted a cold.

Queen Margrethe cited her health as a reason for stepping down in the shocking speech announcing her abdication on New Year’s Eve 2023.

“In February this year, I underwent extensive back surgery. Everything went well, thanks to the competent health personnel, who took care of me,” she said at the time. “Inevitably, the operation gave cause to thoughts about the future – whether now would be an appropriate time to pass on the responsibility to the next generation. I have decided that now is the right time.”

She continued, “My thanks go to all the many, many people who, on special occasions as well as in everyday life, have surrounded me and my family with loving words and thoughts. It has made these years a series of pearls.”

#King #Frederik #Queen #Mary #Denmark #Laugh #Potentially #Awkward #Moment #Seats #Roped