Lego boss and close friend of Danish Queen Mary dies in skiing accident

A Lego executive and close friend of Denmark’s Queen Mary died in a skiing accident over the weekend.

Michael Halbye, 64, was fatally injured after he fell off-piste while skiing in the Verbier region of the Swiss Alps on Saturday.

He was airlifted to a hospital but died from internal bleeding, according to a statement from Kirkbi, Lego’s parent company.

The queen released a statement paying tribute to her friend, who she said was committed to helping others.

“I have received with great sadness the news of Michael Halbye’s sudden death. Michael Halbye was a man who possessed a rare positive energy, extensive knowledge and a strong commitment to making a difference for those outside the community,” the queen said in a statement posted on her foundation’s website.

“He was also my friend, and he will be missed by many. My thoughts go out to his family and close friends,” she added.

Halbye had been a member of Kirkbi’s board of directors since 2020 and was elected vice chairman in 2022, the company said.

He quickly became a trusted partner of chairman Thomas Kirk Kristiansen, whose family owns a majority of the Lego Group.

“Our thoughts and care go to Michael’s family and loved ones, who are now faced with having to process the unexpected loss of a man who in all facets of life has left a great and positive impression on those around him,” Kristiansen said.

“We will miss Michael as Vice Chairman but first and foremost as a person. May his memory be honored.”

He was on the queen’s Mary Foundation’s board of directors since its founding in 2007. The organization, which promotes anti-bullying and mental health, said Halbye played a “central role” in making the Mary Foundation into what it is today.