Swedish Queen not planning to retire at 65

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STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Dec. 22 (UPI) -- Sweden's Queen Silvia says she isn't planning a big official bash to mark her 65th birthday Tuesday, nor is she planning to retire any time soon.

"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," Queen Silvia told the Swedish news agency TT.

Asked if she plans to slow down now that she has reached the traditional age of retirement, the royal replied: "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. ...

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