Danish queen: Work helps tackling husband’s death

COPENHAGEN – Denmark’s Queen Margrethe says her husband’s death was “a strange experience” but her work helps her tackling the loss of Prince Henrik.

In her first public comments since Henrik died Feb. 13 at age 83, Margrethe says “it’s healthy to be busy,” adding “things go pretty well.”

The 78-year-old popular monarch said Henrik’s decision not to be buried next to Margrethe, as is the tradition, “was his decision. I respect that.”

Henrik, whom Margrethe married in 1967, was diagnosed with dementia last year and was hospitalized in January with a lung infection.

Thursday’s news conference at the couple’s private castle in southwestern France where Margrethe is vacationing, was aired live on Danish television. She met reporters in connection with French President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Denmark Aug. 28-29.