Royals Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, 82, Carries Walking Stick in First Appearance Since Back Surgery Queen Margrethe II made an appearance at Fredensborg Castle in Denmark on Wednesday, nearly two months after undergoing "extensive back surgery" By Kirsty Hatcher Kirsty Hatcher Kirsty Hatcher is an Associate Editor on the People.com Morning Team. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2023. Her work previously appeared on ok.co.uk, in OK! Magazine and Reach PLC magazines. People Editorial Guidelines Published on April 13, 2023 08:18AM EDT Close Queen Margrethe II. Photo: Steffi Loos/Getty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark made her first public appearance since undergoing a major operation two months ago. The 82-year-old Queen was filmed carrying a walking stick as she appeared at the doors of Fredensborg Castle in Denmark on Wednesday, nearly two months after she had "extensive back surgery" on Feb. 22. In a video, which was shared on the Danish royal family's official Instagram account, Queen Margrethe walks out of the castle's doors to wave at the gathered crowds, who held flaming torches. She also used a chair placed at the top of the stairs to aid her. "In the glow of hundreds of torches, Her Majesty the Queen was recently welcomed home to Fredensborg Castle by the townspeople," the caption of the video read. "Since 1988, the city of Fredensborg has organized a torchlight procession in connection with the relocation of the residence to the North Zealand castle," it continued. "At the evening's event, Her Majesty thanked her for the welcome and sang along with those present to 'Der er et Yndigt Land' [the Danish National Anthem]." Queen Margrethe of Denmark Is Now Europe's Only Ruling Female Monarch After Queen Elizabeth's Death Queen Margrethe is due to return to her official duties on Apr. 16 — her 83rd birthday — according to Tatler. The Danish Royal House previously announced that Queen Margrethe's surgery had been a success in an update shared on Feb. 22. "Her Majesty the Queen has today undergone extensive back surgery at the Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen. The operation went according to plan, and the Queen's condition is good and stable under the circumstances," the Danish Royal House said in a statement. "In the coming time, the Queen will continue to be hospitalized at the Rigshospitalet, and after that a longer period of convalescence and rehabilitation of the back awaits." Queen Margrethe II. Ole Jensen/Getty Images Queen Margrethe of Denmark Strips Four Grandchildren of Their Royal Titles The palace announced the procedure two weeks before the operation was due to take place, noting that Queen Margrethe had long suffered from back problems. "Her Majesty has been affected by back problems for a long period of time, and recently the situation has worsened," the Danish Royal House said in a Feb. 8 statement. "After consultation with the Rigshospitalet's experts, the Queen has decided to undergo major back surgery." Queen Margrethe's team added that several members of her family would take on a heavier workload in her stead while she remained in the hospital. 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! "This means that a number of official program items in the near future will be postponed, canceled or handled by other members of the royal family," courtiers explained. Queen Margrethe's son, Crown Prince Frederik, and her younger sister, Princess Benedikte, took over as regent for part of her recovery. The royal became the longest-serving European sovereign and the only ruling female monarch in Europe following the death of her third cousin, Queen Elizabeth II, in September at the age of 96.