The Swedish royals are celebrating a big anniversary together with the people this Friday and tomorrow Saturday. King Carl Gustaf (77) took the throne 50 years ago after the death of his grandfather Gustav Adolf (1882-1973). Among other things, the king and his family attended a ceremonial changing of the guard at Stockholm Palace at midday.
The royals gathered on the balcony to greet the people, among other things. In addition to Carl Gustaf and his wife, Queen Silvia (79), their son Carl Philip of Sweden (44) and his wife Sofia (38) also did the honors. Of course, Crown Princess Victoria (46) with Prince Daniel (50) as well as Madeleine of Sweden (41) and her husband Chris O’Neill (49) could not be missing. The offspring were also there with Victoria’s daughter Estelle (11) and son Oscar (7).
Also in attendance were Finland’s President Saul Niinistö (75) with his wife Jenni Haukio (46) and Icelandic President Thorlacius Johannesson (55) with his wife Eliza Reid (47) – as well as Norway’s King Harald (86) and Queen Margrethe II (83) of Denmark, Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark (55) and Crown Princess Mary (51).
The day previously opened with a service in honor of Carl Gustaf in the royal chapel. There will be a festive banquet in the evening. The evening before, the royals had invited the royal families from Denmark and Norway to a private dinner at Drottningholm Palace.
“It will be celebrated over several days, highly official and also a little more private,” royal expert Julia Melchior told the news agency spot on news before the celebrations began. “On the evening before the throne jubilee, on September 14th, Carl Gustaf and Silvia invite you to a private dinner at their residence, Drottningholm Palace. The anniversary day itself is then opened very ceremoniously with a thanksgiving service and ends with a large banquet in the palace. [ …] On Saturday the royal family will celebrate with the Swedes. There will be a carriage ride through Stockholm and then an open-air concert at the foot of the palace. The throne anniversary is already being celebrated very widely as a national festival.”
