On September 15th, King Carl XVI celebrates. Gustaf (77) of Sweden celebrates his 50th anniversary on the throne. To mark the celebratory occasion, the palace released two very special photos on Friday (September 8th).
The entire Swedish royal family can be seen in the first picture. The king and his wife, Queen Silvia (79), are surrounded by their children and grandchildren. The grandchildren Prince Gabriel (6) and Prince Alexander (7) sit to the left of the monarch, the granddaughters Princess Leonore (9) and Princess Adrienne (5) are seated next to the king. Prince Oscar (7) and Prince Nicolas (8) pose standing.
Behind them is the older generation in the second row. On the far left, Princess Estelle (11) beams next to her aunt, Princess Sofia (38), and her uncle, Carl Philip (44), who is holding his son Prince Julian (2) in his arms. This is followed by Crown Princess Victoria (46) and her husband Prince Daniel (49). Princess Madeleine (41) and her husband Chris O’Neill (49) complete the series. The couple lives in the USA with their three children.
In the second picture the king can be seen with his direct heirs to the throne, his eldest daughter Victoria and her daughter Estelle. While the eleven-year-old beams once again into the camera, her grandfather looks a little more serious. Mama Victoria also just gives a subtle smile.
King Carl XVI Gustaf ascended in 1973 after the death of his grandfather Gustav VI. Adolf (1882-1973) the throne. The father of Carl XVI. Gustaf, Gustav Adolf Hereditary Prince of Sweden (1906-1947), died in a plane crash in Denmark in 1947, when the current king was nine months old.
The big anniversary weekend will take place on September 15th and 16th. The anniversary day itself on Friday opens with a thanksgiving service and ends with a large anniversary dinner in the palace. Numerous royal guests from other royal families are expected to attend the celebrations. On Saturday there will be a carriage ride through Stockholm and then an open-air concert at the foot of the palace.
