Queen explores Vikings royal power at ancient graveyard

 Former Queen Margrethe II visited an active Viking-era archaeological excavation north of Aarhus, meeting with researchers from the Moesgaard Museum who are uncovering traces of Denmark's medieval past.

The excavation site, located several kilometers from Lisbjerg where a Viking graveyard was recently discovered, has yielded preliminary findings that archaeologists believe may connect to ancient royal power structures. 

According to an Instagram post shared on the royal family's official account, museum researchers presented their initial results to Margrethe during her visit to the extensive fieldwork operation.

The timing of the visit holds particular significance given the site's proximity to the Lisbjerg Viking burial ground, which experts suggest had ties to historical Danish royalty. 

The archaeological work represents ongoing efforts to understand Viking-era political and social structures in the region.

Margrethe has served as patron of the Moesgaard Museum since 2005, maintaining her connection to Danish archaeological research throughout her reign and beyond.

The former monarch, who ruled Denmark for exactly 52 years from Jan. 14, 1972, abdicated on Jan. 14, 2024, in favor of her son King Frederik X, making her the second-longest-reigning Danish monarch after Christian IV.