Queen Silvia: 'No plans to retire'

Sweden's Queen Silvia has confirmed that she has no plans to retire despite reaching the retirement age of 65.

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"I don't think I have time for that," the Queen said in an interview with news agency TT.

But despite the expressed commitment to her work duties, the Queen is anticipating more time for herself, her family and travelling in Sweden after her birthday on Tuesday.

The Queen also looks forward to becoming a grandmother.

Queen Silvia does not consider her 65th birthday to be anything special. There will therefore be no official celebration. But she hopes that the family, as usual, will wake her with singing and presents.

"There won't be any grand birthday party. We are going to meet in the evening with the family and Princess Christina (the sister of Sweden's king Carl XVI Gustaf) and her family.

Despite the fact that the queen is about to reach pension age, she has no plans to slow down her work.

"I don't know that I have time for that. Sometimes I think that I would like to have more time for myself and my family and I would also like more time to travel around Sweden. I have mixed feelings on retirement and sometimes I think it would be nice. But on the other hand I feel that I have so much more to give of my experiences," she said.

The Queen argued that attitudes to senior citizens have changed since her youth.

"When our parents and grandparents were 60, 70 years-old they were already very old. Now we don't see ourselves in this way, at least not if I consider myself and my friends. But maybe our children do."

When asked whether she longed for grandchildren the queen replied:

"Who doesn't? I have no idea how it will turn out. When I look at my friends who have grandchildren it is naturally truly fantastic. One can see that grandchildren are 'life's dessert' which one can just enjoy without having to take care of them all the time. I look forward to that."

In recent years there has been a wealth of media speculation over the prospect of Crown Princess Victoria getting engaged.

"I think that their private business should be respected. It is natural that we as parents would like to see all our children happy and married to those that they truly love and choose, that is of utmost importance," the queen said.

The Queen was also asked for her opinion on modern ideals of beauty and the fact that it is considered beautiful to look as young as possible.

"Since ancient Greece it has been a topic of discussion. There are old fairy-tales about the fountain of youth. I think it has to do with time running out, something over which we have no control. But how one wishes to manage this issue is up to each and every one of us. Many colour their hair, and why should they not?"