King of Sweden (since 1973). He succeeded his grandfather Gustavus VI.
|
Results for Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
|
On this page:
|
Wikipedia:
Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
"Carl Gustaf" redirects here. For the recoilless rifle, see Carl Gustav recoilless rifle.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
.jpg)
Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden (Carl Gustaf Folke Hubertus; born 30 April 1946) is the current Swedish monarch and head of state of the Kingdom of Sweden. He is the only son of the late Prince Gustaf Adolf (1906-47) and Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (1908-72). He ascended the throne on 15 September 1973, upon the death of his grandfather, King Gustaf VI Adolf.
Christening
Carl Gustaf was born at Haga Palace, Solna, Uppland. He was christened at the Royal Chapel on 7 June 1946 by the Archbishop of Uppsala, Erling Eidem.
His godparents were The Crown Prince of Denmark, The Crown Princess of Denmark, The Crown Prince of Norway, Princess Juliana of the Netherlands, King Gustaf V of Sweden, Prince Friedrich Josias of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, The Crown Prince of Sweden, The Crown Princess of Sweden, Count Folke Bernadotte af Wisborg, and Countess Maria Bernadotte af Wisborg.
Youth and education
Prince Carl Gustaf Folke Hubertus, Duke of Jämtland, was the youngest of five children and the only son of Sweden's Prince Gustaf Adolf and Princess Sibylla. His father's death in an airplane crash outside Copenhagen, Denmark on 26 January 1947 left the nine-month-old Prince second in line for the throne, behind his grandfather, Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf. When great grandfather King Gustaf V died in 1950, the four-year-old Prince became heir apparent of Sweden.
In a speech[1] in 2005, the King expressed some of his feelings about growing up without having known his father. His sister Princess Birgitta elaborated on these feelings in an interview around the same time, commenting that their mother and the strict Swedish royal court of the time didn't consider the emotional needs of the Prince Gustaf Adolf's children. In that era, she said, tragedy was seldom discussed with children. "Children’s questions were met with silence, children’s anxiety and fear with the same silence."
As a result, Crown Prince Carl Gustaf was seven years old before he had been told about his father's death. "It was Mother’s way of handling the situation, to handle living her life. Of course it was not good for us children. It would have been much better to be able to speak about Father’s death," continued Princess Birgitta. She said it had been difficult for the future king to come to grips with not having a father and not having the same memories of him as his older sisters.
After graduating from high school, the Crown Prince completed two and a half years of education in the Royal Swedish Army, Royal Swedish Navy and Royal Swedish Air Force. He received his commission as an Officer in all three services in 1968 and eventually rose to the rank of Captain (Army & Air Force) and Lieutenant (Navy) before he ascended the throne. He has also completed academic studies in history, sociology, political science, financial rights and economics at the universities of Uppsala and Stockholm.
To prepare for his role as head of state, Crown Prince Carl Gustaf followed a broad programme of studies on the court system,
social organisations and institutions,
King
On 15 September 1973, Carl Gustaf became King of Sweden, upon the death of his grandfather, King Gustaf VI Adolf. He was invested as King, at the Hall of State of the Royal Palace of Stockholm on 19 September 1973. King Gustaf VI Adolf was the last who used the style By the Grace of God King of the Swedes, the Goths/Geats and the Wends (med Guds Nåde Sveriges, Götes och Wendes Konung, Dei Gratia Suecorum, Gothorum et Vandalorum Rex). This traditional title had been in use since the establishment of the hereditary monarchy in 1544. Carl XVI Gustaf instead chose the plain and simple title King of Sweden (Sveriges Konung), thereby ending an age old tradition.[2]
King Carl XVI Gustaf is also the first Swedish monarch not styled By the Grace of God.
Such innovations are reflected in his personal motto För Sverige, i tiden, "For Sweden, with the times".
Marriage and family
The king decided to marry Silvia Sommerlath, the half Brazilian daughter of a German businessman. Ms Sommerlath met the then crown prince at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, where she was an interpreter and host. The wedding was held 19 June 1976 at Stockholm Cathedral and the ceremony was performed by the Archbishop of Uppsala, Olof Sundby. The king and his family reside at Drottningholm Palace outside of Stockholm since 1980, and use the Royal Palace of Stockholm as their workplace.
They have three children:
- Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, Duchess of Västergötland (1977– )
- Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland (1979– )
- Princess Madeleine, Duchess of Hälsingland and Gästrikland (1982– )
Prince Carl Philip was born heir apparent. However a constitutional reform that was already under way at the time of his birth made his older sister, Victoria, the crown princess and heiress apparent on 1 January 1980, according to the principles of equal primogeniture, which Sweden was the first country to adopt.[3]
Royal duties and personal interests
The King's duties are, according to Regeringsformen, of a representative and ceremonial nature. He pays State Visits abroad and receives those to Sweden, opens the Annual Session of the Parliament, Chairs the Special Council held during a change of Government, holds regular Information Councils with Ministers, Chairs the meetings of the Foreign Affairs Council, and receives and signs Letters of Credence of foreign ambassadors to Sweden — and signs those of Sweden to foreign nations. The King holds the highest ranks in the three branches of the Swedish Armed Forces à la suite according to the constitution.
Worldwide, Carl XVI Gustaf is probably best known as the presenter of the Nobel Prizes each year. He also hands over the Polar Music Prize. The King holds honorary doctoral degrees from; Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm School of Economics and from Åbo Akademi University in Finland.
In connection with his state visit to the United Kingdom in the summer of 1975 he was appointed an honorary Admiral in the Royal Navy by Queen Elizabeth II, dating the 25 June.[4]
The King is passionate about the environment, technology, agriculture, trade, and industry. In 1994, he delighted Swedes by
reportedly saying, in response to the clubbing of baby seals in neighboring Norway, that a prime
minister who couldn't take care of baby seals couldn't be very good at taking care of a country. The Norwegian response was a
comment on his well known interest in elk hunting. On his initiative, an international symposium on the environment is held
regularly. He is the protector of the
Like many members of the royal family, the King has a keen interest in automobiles. He owns several Porsche 911s — a car model which is said to be a particular favorite of the King — as well as a vintage Volvo PV444, a Ferrari 456 MGT, an authentic AC Cobra and other cars.[5] The first pictures taken of him and his future wife were of them sitting in his Porsche 911. In the summer of 2005 he was involved in a traffic accident in Norrköping. The accident was described as a "fender bender", with no serious personal injuries claimed. Nevertheless, the incident caused national headlines.[6]
Scouting
The King is the Honorary Chairman of the World Scout Foundation, and often participates in Scout activities both in Sweden and abroad. The King visits regularly World Scout Jamborees, for instance in 2002 in Sattahip, Thailand and 2007 in Hylands Park, UK. He attended the 1981 National Scout Jamboree in Virginia, U.S., and was awarded the Bronze Wolf, the only distinction of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, awarded by the World Scout Committee for exceptional services to world scouting, in 1982.
Titles, styles and honours
Title
The King’s current title is simply His Majesty Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden.
Style of reference
Carl XVI Gustaf is usually referred to as simply "the King" (Swedish: Kungen). In formal events and protocols, he is however entitled to "Your Majesty" (Swedish: Ers Majestät) or "His Majesty the King" (Swedish: Hans Majestät Konungen).
Royal and State Orders received
Lord and Master of the
Order of the Seraphim- Lord and Master of the
Order of the Sword
- Lord and Master of the
Order of the Polar Star
- Lord and Master of the
Order of Vasa
- Lord and Master of the
Order of Charles XIII
Knight with Collar of the
Order of the Elephant- Grand Commander of the
Order of the Dannebrog
Commander Grand Cross of the
Order of the White Rose
Grand cross with Collar of the
Order of the Falcon
Grand Cross with collar of the
Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav
Grand Cross of the
Order of Leopold II
Grand Collar of the Order of the Southern Cross
Collar of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana
Grand Cross of the Légion d'honneur
Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Collar of the Order of the Chrysanthemum
Grand Cross of the
Order of Vytautas the Great
Grand Cross of the
Order of Adolph of Nassau
Collar of the Order of the Aztec Eagle
Grand Cross of the
Order of the Dutch Lion- Grand Cross of the
House Order of Orange
Grand Cross of the Order of the White Eagle
Grand Cross of the
Order of the Tower and Sword
Collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece- Grand Cross Collar of the
Order of Charles III and Saint Fernando
Stranger
Knight of the Order of the Garter
Recipient of the Royal Victorian
Chain
Other honours
- Honorary
Admiral of the Royal Navy (Seniority: 25 June
1975)
Patronages
- African Medical and Research Foundation Sweden (AMREF)
- Allmänna Idrottsklubben (AIK)
- Barnens Dags Riksförbund
- Centralföreningen för Idrottens Främjande i Sverige
- Djurgårdens Hembygdsförening
- Friends of the Nationalmuseum
- Friends of the Swedish Museum of Natural History
- Friluftsfrämjandet
- Föreningen Svenska Atheninstitutets Vänner
- Föreningen Konstnärernas Vänner
- Föreningen för Svenskar i Världen
- Gastronomiska Akademien
- Gripsholmsföreningen
- Idrottsföreningen Kamraterna (IFK)
- Kulturen i Lund
- Kungl. Automobil Klubben
- Kungl. Motorbåt Klubben
- Kungl. Svenska Aeroklubben
- Kungl. Svenska Segel Sällskapet
- Riksföreningen mot Cancer
- Royal Physiographic Society in Lund
- Royal Society of Sciences and Letters in Gothenburg
- Royal Society of Sciences in Uppsala
- Royal Swedish Academy
Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Royal Swedish Academy of Arts Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences Royal Swedish Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities Royal Swedish Academy of Music Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Royal Swedish Society of Naval Sciences Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences - Rädda Visby Ringmur-aktionen
- Stiftelsen Det Naturliga Steget
- Stiftelsen Drottningholmsteaterns Vänner
- Stiftelsen Håll Sverige Rent
- Stiftelsen Stockholm Water Foundation
- Stiftelsen Svenska Flaggan
- Stiftelsen Svensk Våtmarksfond
- Stockholms Konserthusstiftelse
- Stockholms Studentsångarförbund
- Svenska Arkeologiska Samfundet
- Svenska Blå Stjärnan
- Svenska Djurskyddsföreningen
- Svenska Jägareförbundet
- Svenska Kennelklubben
- Svenska Livräddningssällskapet - Simfrämjandet
- Svenska Motionsdagen (Korpen Svenska Motionsidrottsförbundet)
- Svenska Rominstitutets Vänner
- Svenska Turistföreningen
- Svenska Scoutförbundet och Svenska Scoutrådet
- Svenska Sällskapet för Antropologi och Geografi
- Sverige-Amerika Stiftelsen
- Sveriges Allmänna Konstförening
- Sveriges Hembygdsförbund
- Sveriges Riksidrottsförbund
- Sveriges Skogsvårdsförbund
- Swedish Bible Society
- Swedish Lions
- Swedish Red Cross
- Swedish Rotary
- Sångsällskapet Orphei Drängar
- The American-Scandinavian Foundation
- Wilhelm Peterson-Berger Society
- World Scout Foundation
- World Wide Fund for Nature Sweden (WWF)
- Östasiatiska Museets Vänner
Dyslexia
For many years, it was widely rumoured that the king had dyslexia. Journalists noted that he misspelled his name when signing his accession document, and in 1973, when visiting a copper mine in Falun, he misspelled his name as "Cal Gustf" when signing it on a rock wall. In an interview on Swedish television in 1997, however, the condition was admitted publicly when his wife addressed the issue. "When he was little, people did not pay attention to the problem," she said. "He didn't get the help he needed." She also noted that the couple's children have "a bit of" dyslexia themselves.
