Modern monarchy in Sweden. Silvia (Queen of Sweden) Office in the old town

In the Royal Palace of Sweden in December, they celebrate not only Christmas, but also an important family holiday: December 23 is the birthday of Queen Silvia. This year, the wife of Carl Gustav celebrates her 75th birthday, in honor of which Her Majesty gave an interview to the Swedish media, in which she spoke about her plans for the future.

Sylvia's fans are pleased: Her Majesty is not going to retire and intends to continue her social and public activities for the foreseeable future. As the Queen said, as long as she can work, she will work. Sylvia assures that she does not feel really serious changes in her condition on the eve of her 75th birthday, but admits that she has become wiser with age. Now the lady just wants to continue the work that brings her satisfaction.

Her Majesty also spoke of a joint decision with her husband: Crown Princess Victoria should spend as much time as possible with her children before she takes the throne ( read also: "Crown Princess Victoria: Queen of Swedish Hearts"). Sylvia herself adores her grandchildren and calls them "the dessert of her life" (according to Her Majesty, she borrowed this definition from her mother).

However, the queen is not only interested in her grandchildren. Sylvia is very concerned about the drug use of young people in Sweden and the problem of violence. Supporting young people has been one of the most important parts of Her Majesty's work since she married Carl XVI Gustaf on June 19, 1976. Sylvia has collaborated with many organizations that provide assistance and support to children and adolescents, and in 1999 founded the World Childhood Foundation (World Childhood Foundation), the main goal of which is to protect children from sexual abuse and help those who have already been victims of sexual abuse.

In a new interview, the queen spoke about how important such problems were and still are for her, and stressed that she strives to help as many people as possible (

Flikr/ Bengt Nyman / King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and Queen Silvia at Skansen

The celebrations were held modestly, in a narrow family circle in the Solliden Palace on the island of Öland

The Swedish tabloid Expressen reported that Princess Madeleine, the youngest daughter of Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, was absent from the celebrations.

In the fall of 2015, the job of her husband, banker Christopher O'Neill, demanded a change of residence. The princess did not appear at her parents' "ruby wedding" due to the abundance of anniversaries, anniversaries and significant events that happened in the Swedish royal family in 2016.

In March and April, Princess Madeleine's nephews, Princes Oscar, were born. Naturally, christenings followed the replenishment of the royal family. On April 30, Madeleine's father turned 70 years old. The king's birthday was widely celebrated in the country. The 40th wedding anniversary of Carl Gustav and Silvia was much more modest. The only official event dedicated to the anniversary is an exhibition of the wedding dresses of Queen Silvia, her daughters, Crown Princess Victoria and Princess Madeleine, sister-in-law, and Carl Gustaf's late aunt, Princess Lillian.

The exposition will open on October 22 at the Royal Palace in Stockholm and will last until March 5, 2017. On the eve of the wedding anniversary, Their Royal Majesties went on an official visit to Bhutan. This was the first state visit by Swedish officials to an Asian monarchy.

The future Carl XVI Gustaf met Sylvia Sommerlath at the 1972 Munich Olympics. A year later, he ascended the Swedish throne. Their relationship was kept secret for several more years. Carl Gustav and Silvia were married on June 19, 1976 in Stockholm at the St. Nicholas Church (Storkyrken), located next to the royal palace in the old city center. The marriage ceremony was the first royal wedding in Sweden since 1797. The newlyweds left the church in a carriage. On the streets of the city they were greeted by 180,000 people.

A few days before their 40th wedding anniversary, the Swedish royal couple helped start a water pump in a remote village in the Kingdom of Bhutan. In an interview with the newspaper Expressen, the king took the opportunity to explain with an example what is the basis of his long marriage with Sylvia: “Take a situation like today. Now we're standing here in a small village in Bhutan - it's kind of amazing, I think. Over the years we have traveled together representing Sweden, both at home and abroad. After all, we work together – not everyone can do it.”

“My mother wanted to find couples for me and my sister who would correspond to our position, that is, who would be crown princes, best of all, with castles surrounded by a moat ... ... However, she could not fashion princes for us out of dough . Would you like a little more history from my family life? Shortly after my parents' wedding, my mother slipped on the slippery floor of the castle. When she told my father about this, he remarked dryly: Everyone notices that you did not grow up in a castle, otherwise you could run on the parquet. "It was clear to me that only great love can become an occasion to talk about marriage, whether either a man with or without a castle. Naturally, the person I choose must understand me and my family, and also accept all the conditions of my upbringing. "From my mother, I learned that the princess must remain calm in every situation. For example , not to squeal hysterically if a spider runs along her arm. In addition, you need to be responsible for traditions and history. Therefore, it is quite difficult to find a permanent partner with such conditions. "That's how she told about her love story, about the traditions of her family the day before crown princess Victoria of Sweden. Even from this short interview, it becomes clear how close the princess is to her parents. Who is he, King Carl XVI Gustaf? Who is she, who grew up for through the palaces, charming companion of the King of Sweden? Their story began not so rosy and so far apart that it seemed unlikely that they would meet. A descendant of the Napoleonic general from the Bernadotte dynasty, Prince Carl Gustav Folke Hubertus was born on April 30, 1946 in the Haga Palace in Solna and 9 months later lost his father, Prince Gustav Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten. He tragically died in a plane crash near Copenhagen on January 26, 1947. The only son of his father, Carl Gustav, along with his four sisters, was brought up by his mother, Princess Dowager Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, great-grandfather Gustav V, grandfather Gustav Adolf (future King Gustav VI Adolf). At the age of 4, Karl Gustav lost his great-grandfather and became the heir of his grandfather (See photo) Four generations of the family: great-grandfather King Gustav V, grandfather Gustav Adolf (future King Gustav VI Adolf), father Prince Gustav Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten, newborn Prince Carl Gustav (current King Carl XVI Gustaf). The current King Carl XVI Gustaf (aged 1) with his mother, Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and great-grandfather King Gustav V The wedding of the parents of the current King Carl XVI Gustaf Crown Prince Carl Gustaf graduated from a boarding school in Sigtuna, near Stockholm, in 1966 year. After that, he served for two and a half years in various branches of the military - the army, navy and air force. His main focus was on the Navy, and since then he has retained a particular interest in the sea. After military service, the crown prince studied for a year in a special educational program at Uppsala University. This program included a series of courses in history, sociology, political science, tax law, and economics. After that, the prince continued to study national economics at the university in Stockholm. Carl Gustav received a deep and varied knowledge of how Sweden is governed and how it functions, so that he could get an idea of ​​the daily life of the Swedes, a special program was drawn up for the future head of state. He visited state and regional governments, enterprises, laboratories and schools. He studied the work of the judiciary, social security, the work of trade unions and employers' unions. Particular attention was paid to the work of the government, the Riksdag and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He also gained international experience by studying the work of the Swedish Permanent Mission to the UN in New York, the Swedish International Cooperation Development Agency (SIDA) in Africa, he spent time at Hambro Bank, the Swedish Embassy and the Chamber of Commerce in London. The young Prince Carl Gustav, the future King Carl XVI Gustav Silvia Renata Sommerlath was born three years earlier than her future husband - December 23, 1943 in Heidelberg (Germany) in the family of German businessman Walter Sommerlath and his wife, Brazilian aristocrat Alicia Sommerlath, nee Soares de Toledo. In the Sommerlat family, 3 more sons were growing up. At the height of the war, the family was forced to leave Germany and settle in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo, where Herr Walter ran his business (he supplied weapons for the German army), being also a representative of the Swedish company Uddeholm. 1943-1957 Sao Paulo, Brazil. In 1957 the family returned to Germany, where Sylvia continued her education. She entered the Munich Institute of Translators and graduated in 1969 as a Spanish translator. In 1971, she was appointed senior guide interpreter for the organizing committee for the 1972 Munich Olympics. During these Olympic Games, Sylvia Sommerlath met Carl Gustav, at that time the heir to the Swedish throne. In 1972, during the Summer Olympics in Munich, she worked as a translator. Sylvia also managed to be a flight attendant, though not for long. In the middle of a romance. However, a possible marriage between the heir to the Swedish throne and the translator was out of the question! Grandfather - the Swedish king Gustav VI Adolf was categorically not satisfied with the non-royal origin of the grandson's chosen one. But in 1973, the Dowager Princess, the mother of Crown Prince Sibylla, left this world, followed by the late old (almost 90 years old) King. King Carl XVI Gustaf became the master of his own destiny. Having endured mourning for relatives, the young monarch made an offer to his beloved to become the queen of his country and his heart. King Carl Gustaf with Silvia and her parents, Walter and Alicia Sommerlath. June 7, 1976, solemn service in honor of the upcoming marriage in the Chapel of the Royal Palace in Stockholm. June 19, 1976 Sweden rejoiced: Newlyweds. A touching wedding moment. Thanks to the new member of the royal family, the prestige of the monarchy skyrocketed. The Swedes fell in love with their young, charming queen. And 13 months later, Sweden again celebrated a pleasant event - the birth of Princess Victoria Ingrid Alicia Desiree. One of the godparents of the newborn was her own grandmother Alicia (the third name was given to the baby in her honor): Young with their first child. 27 September 1977, christening of Princess Victoria. In the background is Queen Silvia's mother. In 1979 and 1982, two more children were born in the family. The joys and worries of the young have increased. The young queen happily plunged into motherhood, while simultaneously performing the functions of a queen. June 14, 1982, King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia with their children - the newborn Princess Madeleine, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Carl Philip. December 30, 1999, New Year's photo session. Happiness was always read on the faces of this wonderful family. It is not surprising that Crown Princess Victoria so wanted to repeat the happy family fate of her parents that she chose the same wedding date (June 19), the same church and even the crown. On June 19, 2010, Sweden rejoiced at the creation of a new royal family. And the king and queen remembered their happy day 34 years ago and rejoiced for the young. June 19, 2010

Queen Silvia, a German by birth, managed to become the favorite of all Sweden and revive the popularity of the monarchy in the country. The foreigner managed to do the impossible: she not only won the hearts of the heir to the throne and his subjects, but also changed the traditions of the royal family.

Silvia Renata Sommerlath was born in Heidelberg to German businessman Walter Sommerlath and Brazilian mother Alice de Toledo. The girl became the fourth child in the family. Shortly after the birth of their daughter, the Sommerlats moved to São Paulo, where they lived for several years. Sylvia was a very assiduous child, she studied well at school. It was especially easy for her to learn foreign languages. In addition to her native German, she easily learned Portuguese and English. When the family returned to Germany, Silvia entered the University of Munich in the department of translation from Spanish. After training, she got a job at the Argentine Embassy, ​​worked as an interpreter at the Olympic Games more than once. By the way, it was sport that played a decisive role in the fate of the German woman. In 1972, at the Olympic Games in Munich, Silvia was appointed a member of the executive committee. At one of the celebrations, she met Crown Prince Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. “It was as if something clicked between us at once,” the Swedish king later told about the first meeting. The German won the prince's heart at first sight. And although the feelings of Carl Gustav were mutual, the happiness of the lovers seemed impossible. The traditions of the Swedish crown allowed only marriages with representatives of royal families, and a simple German woman was clearly an unsuitable party. But despite the prohibitions, young people continued to communicate.

Soon the serene life of the prince changed. In 1973, Carl Gustav's father, King Gustav Adolf, died, and the throne passed to the young prince. This period turned out to be the most difficult for the couple - it seemed that there would be no end to separation. However, it soon became clear that what is not allowed to the entire royal family, the king himself can afford. For the sake of happiness with his beloved woman, Karl Gustav decided to change the age-old foundations and allowed the current kings to marry representatives of ordinary families. Democratic-minded Swedes approved this decision. Nevertheless, the future queen was treated with all severity.

An impeccable biography, good education, knowledge of five foreign languages ​​made a good impression on the Swedes. And yet, her every step, every word was closely watched by photo and video cameras. A few days after the wedding, Sylvia's first joint interview with King Carl Gustav took place. At that time, Sylvia practically did not know the Swedish language - she communicated with her husband mainly in English. As befits a queen, she was not at all embarrassed when the journalist, aware of her weakness, began a conversation in Swedish. Sylvia politely greeted the interlocutor, uttering a couple of simple Swedish phrases. But the reporter did not give in: he asked one question after another, addressing them to the newly-made queen. "Help me!" - in desperation, Sylvia turned to her husband when the vocabulary was exhausted. "He asked you," the king replied jokingly, "and you should answer."

But even such hitches could not overshadow the happiness of lovers. "I love you," the direct Sylvia whispered in the king's ear after the interview. "Shhh! There are journalists everywhere," her husband continued to admonish. Of course, the reporters did not miss this moment and did not hide the footage. But the sincerity and charm of the German woman conquered even the most callous hearts. Having failed the first test of the ability to communicate with journalists, she brilliantly won the first battle for the hearts of her subjects.

“Someone falls in love with directors, someone falls in love with presidents. And I love the king,” Sylvia said in the first days of her marriage. She could not even imagine what it was like to be the wife of the Swedish King. However, in more than 40 years on the throne, Queen Silvia has proven time and time again that she deserves to be queen like no one else. She quickly learned Swedish and was soon able to speak fluently on any topic. She is actively involved in charitable activities, and always respectfully and adequately responds to even the most caustic criticism of journalists. Sylvia gave birth to three heirs - Princess Victoria, Prince Philip and Princess Madeleine, in which most Swedes simply do not care. It was thanks to the queen that the popularity of the Swedish monarchy grew from year to year. According to a public opinion poll in 2012, 70 percent of Swedes adhere to monarchist views.

But all this might not be. After all, it is not the first year that the royal family has been haunted by a series of high-profile scandals. And most of all goes to King Carl Gustav. Over the past three years, several exposé books have been published in Sweden at once. Each of them reveals new secrets from the life of the monarch: numerous mistresses, connections with the mafia. The royal court refrains from any comments on this topic. The scandal also affected Sylvia. In 2002, an archive was declassified in Germany that confirmed that Sylvia's father, Walter Sommerlath, was a member of the Nazi Party. This was the first spot in the immaculate biography of Sylvia, so the journalists seized on this idea especially zealously. But the queen answered these accusations with calmness. She openly told reporters about her childhood and explained that her parents never talked to her about this topic. And now, thanks to historians, she has the opportunity to bit by bit restore the picture of the past. "There are many questions I would like to ask. But my parents and loved ones from their generation have already died. Perhaps many wondered why I did not talk about my father ... And it was not only difficulties with emotional control. This the case required in-depth research into events that took place more than seventy years ago," Sylvia said.

Of course, one cannot say about Queen Silvia that she radically changed the history of Sweden. This was not required of her. But when you see how, despite all the gossip and scandals, most Swedes proudly tell what a wonderful monarchy they have, you clearly understand that the main merit in this belongs to Sylvia. She not only changed the traditions of the royal family, she brought her closer to the people. And thus forever won the love of Sweden.

The royal family is certainly no stranger to the constant scrutiny of the Swedish and foreign media. However, in recent years, several significant events have taken place in the Bernadotte family, which have attracted even more attention from the press and the public, both in Sweden itself and beyond its borders.

Perhaps no event in 2010 was followed by the public as closely as the wedding of Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling, which took place on June 19, 2010.

The celebration of the wedding of Victoria and Daniel, the former owner of the sports club and personal trainer of the princess, lasted three days. Thousands of people came to the Swedish capital to congratulate the young couple. Photos of the happy newlyweds have been on the covers of newspapers and magazines all over the world for several weeks.

Eighteen months later, on February 23, 2012, Victoria and Daniel had a daughter, Princess Estelle Silvia Eva Mary, at the Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm. She is second in line to the throne. Princess Estelle's younger brother, Prince Oscar Carl Olof, was born on March 2, 2016.

french roots

The Swedish monarchical tradition is about a thousand years old. During this time, eleven dynasties have changed, including the current ruling dynasty of Bernadotte. The founder of the dynasty, Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, Marshal of the Napoleonic army, became Crown Prince of Sweden in 1810. He ascended the throne under the name Karl XIV Johan. The royal family of Sweden is related to all the royal courts of Europe.

Christening of Prince Nicholas by Archbishop Antje Jaquelin.

royal weddings

Almost on the same day, only two years later, on February 20, 2014, Victoria's younger sister, Madeleine, gave birth to a daughter, Princess Leonor Lilian Maria. The baby's father is British-American businessman Christopher O'Neill. On June 15, 2015, the couple had a son, Prince Nicholas. The youngest daughter, Princess Adrienne, was born on March 9, 2018.

The wedding of Princess Madeleine and Christopher O'Neill took place on June 8, 2013 at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, after which the celebration continued at Drottningholm Palace, the residence of the royal family.

To retain the title of Her Royal Highness, Princess Madeleine did not take the surname O'Neill. Unlike Prince Daniel, Christopher O'Neill chose to renounce his royal titles and retain British and US citizenship. As such, he is not an official member of the Swedish royal family.

In June 2014, the Royal House of Sweden announced the engagement of the middle of the three royal children, Prince Carl Philip and his fiancee Sophia Hellqvist. The wedding took place on June 13, 2015 in Stockholm. Hellqvist is a former model and reality TV contestant. The couple has been living together since 2011. On April 19, 2016, Princess Sofia gave birth to her son, Prince Alexander Eric Hubertus Bertil. Their youngest son, Prince Gabriel Karl Walter, was born on August 31, 2017.

Carl XVI Gustaf

Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel chose June 19 for their wedding. On this day in 1976, the current king of Sweden, Carl XVI Gustaf, married Queen Silvia.

King Carl XVI Gustaf is the seventh monarch of the Bernadotte dynasty. He was born on April 30, 1946, was the fifth child in the family and the only son of Crown Prince Gustav Adolf and Princess Sibylla. Crown Prince Gustav Adolf died in a plane crash in Denmark a year after the birth of his son.

In 1950, after the death of his great-grandfather Gustav V, Carl Gustaf became Crown Prince of Sweden. Then his grandfather, 68-year-old Gustav VI Adolf, ascended the Swedish throne.

Gustav Adolf ruled for 23 years and died in 1973. In the same year (at the age of 27), the crown prince ascended the throne and became King Carl XVI Gustaf. Its motto is "For Sweden - at all times!"

Three generations of the royal family.

Queen's career

The translator Silvia Sommerlath, a native of Germany, at one time, probably, could not have imagined that she was destined to become the Queen of Sweden. Sylvia met her future husband in 1972, at the Olympic Games in Munich, where Sylvia worked as a senior guide.

Silvia is the first Queen of Sweden to have a professional career before her marriage. In those days, marriages of royalty with "people of the people" were extremely rare. Queen Silvia managed to change the image of the queen, making it more modern. In her relationship with the king, she reigns, and Sylvia herself is engaged in social activities, paying especially much attention to the rights of children.

Photo: Kate Gabor/Kungahuset

For Sweden - at all times!

Sweden combines what a few decades ago seemed incongruous: based on the principles of equality, and a monarchy with strong historical traditions.

The most important symbol of Sweden and formally the head of state, according to the 1974 constitution, the king has no political power. The duties of the monarch are mainly ceremonial and representational.

King Carl XVI Gustaf makes a lot of efforts for and is considered an authority on environmental issues. Among other things, he received an award from the US Environmental Protection Agency. He pays no less attention to the preservation of the cultural heritage of Sweden and believes that the royal palaces with their magnificent collections and parks should be available to everyone.

Difficult everyday life of the monarch

King Carl XVI Gustaf is an active monarch who is interested in what is happening in the country, including Swedish business. In addition to two or three annual official visits to other countries, he participates in international trips organized by the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering and the World Scout Organization.

Every year the royal receives thousands of invitations. Once a week, the King holds a meeting with the Queen, the Crown Princess and immediate subordinates to review the invitations and decide which ones are the most important. During the year, the royal family manages to visit all corners of Sweden.

When the King is unable to fulfill his duties (for example, during a trip abroad), Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Carl Philip or Princess Madeleine - in that order - temporarily assume the duties of regents.

Famous Swedish Monarchs

Gustav II Adolf

Gustav II Adolf ruled from 1611 to 1632. Thanks to his participation in the Thirty Years' War, he was able to prove himself as a talented military figure and an experienced diplomat. Under his leadership, Sweden acquired one of the most combat-ready armies. Gustav II Adolf was killed in 1632 at the battle of Lützen. Parliament decided to honor the memory of the monarch by giving him the title of Gustavus Adolphus the Great. None of the Swedish kings ever received such an honor.

Queen Christina

With the exception of the short (1719-1720) reign of Queen Ulrika Elenora, Queen Christina is the only female monarch in recent Swedish history. Queen Christina succeeded Gustav II Adolf in 1632, on the eve of her sixth birthday, reigned for 22 years, and abdicated in 1654. Then she converted to Catholicism and settled in Rome, yielding the throne to her cousin Carl Gustav. When he died in 1660, she returned to Sweden in the hope of regaining the throne. However, her demand was rejected by Parliament, and Christina had to return to Rome.

Gustav III

Gustav III ruled from 1771 to 1792 and is often referred to as the "King of the Theatre". He was a keen patron of the arts, especially theater and opera, founding the first opera in Stockholm (in 1782), the Swedish Academy and the Royal Swedish Academy of Music. Gustav III's methods of government were not popular with the higher aristocracy. The result of this confrontation was a conspiracy in 1792: Gustav III was mortally wounded by a shot by Jakob Johan Ankarström during a masquerade ball at the Royal Opera in Stockholm. Ankarström later confessed to his crime and was executed.

Future Queen of Sweden

Replacing her father on the royal throne over time, Crown Princess Victoria will become the 70th Swedish monarch and the third female monarch in Swedish history.

Crown Princess Victoria's daily routine includes formal dinners, opening ceremonies and meetings with high-profile international guests. In addition, she attends the Advisory Council on Foreign Relations and meetings held by ministers, and also temporarily acts as regent when necessary.

Victoria makes many official visits. Her first independent visit took place in 2001 - to Japan, where she presented the achievements of her country:, and. By the way, the Crown Princess takes a personal interest in all these areas. In addition to Swedish, she speaks English, French and German.

What did the crown princess learn

Victoria received her primary education at, and her secondary education at a private school. Despite being dyslexic, thanks to her perseverance and love of learning, she graduated from high school in 1996 with good grades.
After graduating from high school, the Crown Princess studied French at the Western Catholic University in Angers, France.
In 1998, she entered Yale University in the United States, where she studied geology, history, and international relations. During her studies, she became very interested in the problems of international relations and did an internship at the UN in New York and at the Swedish Embassy in Washington.

In the spring of 2002, she continued her studies in international relations at the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies, Uppsala University, Sweden. As part of a training program at the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), she visited Uganda and Ethiopia. In addition, she trained at the offices of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Berlin and Paris, received basic military training and attended courses at the National Defense College (Försvarshögskolan) in Stockholm.

useful links

www.royalcourt.se The Royal Court of Sweden
www.sweden.gov.se Swedish government agencies

Love for art

Crown Princess Victoria loves painting and drawing. She highly values ​​the cultural heritage left by her ancestors. During big celebrations, she proudly wears the family jewels.

Office in the old town

Like the king and queen, the office of Crown Princess Victoria, in which her subordinates work, is located in the royal palace in the Old Town of Stockholm.

Hobby

Crown Princess Victoria loves spending time outdoors. She enjoys long walks, skiing and other outdoor activities. She is very fond of animals, especially dogs. As a young mother, she spends a lot of time with her daughter Estelle.

Life in Haga Palace

Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Daniel and their daughter Estelle live in the Haga Palace near Stockholm, where King Carl XVI Gustaf was born and lived for some time.

The Children's Fund The Crown Princess Victoria's Fund was established in 1997 to help organize recreational activities for children with functional disabilities or chronic illnesses.