Today marks the 140th Anniversary of the Birth of King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden was born on this day in 1882! The Swedish King who married first a granddaughter and later a great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria, the King is the grandfather of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, and Queen Anne-Marie of Greece, so thus members of the Danish, Norwegian, and Greek Royal Families joined the Swedish Royal Family to celebrate the King’s Birthdays in 1942, 1952, 1962 and 1972!
The then Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf celebrated his 60th Birthday in 1942, in the midst of the Second World War, so there was a restrained Gala Dinner for the extended Swedish Royal Family at the Royal Palace of Stockholm.
For King Gustaf VI Adolf’s 70th Birthday in 1952, there was a Banquet at the Royal Palace of Stockholm at which the King was pictured with King Haakon VII of Norway, King Frederik IX of Denmark, and the President of Finland.
The highlight of the celebrations were the King’s grandchildren recreating a Tableau after Fredric Westin’s iconic 1837 Bernadotte Family Portrait: Crown Princess Margrethe of Denmark (later Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, wearing the Antique Corsage Suite), Princess Benedikte and Princess Anne Marie of Denmark (later Queen Anne Marie of Greece), Crown Prince Carl Gustaf of Sweden, Princess Margaretha, Princess Désirée (wearing the Swedish Cameo Parure), Princess Birgitta, Princess Christina and Count Michael Bernadotte of Wisborg.
King Gustaf VI Adolf’s 60th Birthday in 1962 was celebrated with a Gala Performance at the Royal Opera in Stockholm, with King Gustaf VI Adolf and Queen Louise (wife, wearing the Queen Sofia’s 9-Prong Tiara) joined by King Frederik IX (son-in-law) and Queen Ingrid of Denmark (daughter, in the Danish Ruby Parure), King Olav V of Norway (cousin), Princess Sibylla of Sweden (daughter-in-law, in the Connaught Diamond Tiara), Prince Bertil (son), Count Sigvard Bernadotte (son), and Count Carl Johan Bernadotte (son).
Also present were Crown Princess Margrethe of Denmark (later Queen Margrethe II, wearing the Alexandrine Drop Tiara), Crown Prince Carl Gustaf (grandson), Princess Margretha (granddaughter, wearing the Aquamarine Kokoshnik Tiara), Princess Desiree (granddaughter, in the Four-Button Tiara), and Princess Christina of Sweden (granddaughter, in Queen Louise’s Tiara), Princess Benedikte (granddaughter, wearing her Floral Tiara) and Princess Anne Marie of Denmark (later Queen Anne Marie of Greece, in Queen Ingrid’s Diamond Stars), and Princess Margaretha of Denmark (cousin, wearing Floral Tiara).
Less than a year before his death the following September, King Gustaf VI Adolf’s 90th Birthday Celebrations in 1972 were the last celebrations of his reign, with Royal Guests and Relatives gathering for a Gala Performance at the Royal Opera, followed by a Banquet at the Royal Palace of Stockholm, where the Scandinavian Heads of State were pictured watching TV.
In the Royal Box, King Gustaf VI Adolf (in the Order of the Seraphim) was joined by Queen Ingrid of Denmark (daughter, wearing the Danish Ruby Parure), Princess Sibylla of Sweden (daughter-in-law, in the Leuchtenberg Sapphire Tiara), Prince Bertil (son), Count Sigvard Bernadotte (son), and Count Carl Johan Bernadotte (son).
Other leading Royal Guests were led by King Olav V of Norway (cousin), Queen Margrethe II (granddaughter, in the Pearl Poiré Tiara) and Prince Henrik of Denmark (grandson-law), as well as King Constantine II (grandson-law) and Queen Anne-Marie of Greece (granddaughter, wearing the Khedive of Egypt Tiara), as well as Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone (in her Diamond Palmette Tiara).
Crown Prince Carl Gustaf (grandson), Lilian Craig (in her Laurel Wreath Tiara), Princess Margretha (granddaughter, wearing the Aquamarine Kokoshnik Tiara), Princess Desiree (granddaughter, in the Connaught Diamond Tiara), Princess Birgitta (granddaughter, wearing her Pearl Circle Tiara), and Princess Christina of Sweden (granddaughter, in the Baden Fringe Tiara), Princess Benedikte of Denmark (granddaughter, wearing her Floral Tiara), Countess Marianne Bernadotte of Wisborg (daughter-in-law, wearing the King Edward VII Ruby Tiara), Countess Karin Bernadotte (daughter-in-law, in her Diamond Necklace), and Princess Margaretha of Denmark (cousin, wearing Floral Tiara).
Great article! I hope next year’s grand celebration in Sweden will be just as glittering as these last birthday celebrations of the late King. I believe the 90th birthday gala performance was the last official event attended by Princess Sibylla, the present King’s mother, and she sadly died some days later on 26th November.