King Carl XVI Gustaf’s Golden Jubilee Banquet

~ Saad719

Royal Guests and Relatives from around Scandinavia have joined the Swedish Royal Family to celebrate King Carl XVI Gustaf’s Golden Jubilee this week, with the festivities culminating with a spectacular Banquet at the Royal Palace of Stockholm, following last night’s Gala Performance at the Drottningholm Palace Theatre and a Te Deum in the Chapel of the Royal Palace. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden becomes the first Swedish Monarch to celebrate his Golden Jubilee today.

Jubilee Gala | Jubilee Service | Jubilee Banquet

The Swedish Royal Family were joined by the Nordic Royal Guests and Heads of State, representatives of the Riksdag, the government, party chairmen, governors, representatives of authorities, the Armed Forces, academia, business, culture and media, the royal academies, foundations, religious communities and the Court States for the Jubilee Banquet at the Royal Palace of Stockholm, which includes Speeches and will be followed by Dancing.

King Carl XVI Gustaf (in the Order of the Seraphim) and Queen Silvia (wearing the Braganza Tiara and the Order of the Seraphim)

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark (wearing the Pearl Poiré Tiara and the Order of the Seraphim)

King Harald V (in the Order of the Seraphim) and Queen Sonja of Norway (wearing the Norwegian Emerald Parure and the Order of the Seraphim)

Queen Anne-Marie of Greece (wearing the Khedive of Egypt Tiara, Queen Alexandrine’s Diamond Sautoir Necklace,  Queen Ingrid’s Diamond Earrings and the Order of the Redeemer)

Crown Prince Frederik (in the Order of the Seraphim) and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark (wearing her Wedding Tiara and Aquamarine Earrings and the Order of the Polar Star)

Crown Prince Haakon of Norway (in the Order of the Seraphim)

Crown Princess Victoria (wearing the Baden Fringe Tiara, Leuchtenberg Sapphire Brooch, and Duchess of Albany’s Sapphire Bracelet with the Order of the Seraphim) and Prince Daniel (in the Order of the Seraphim)

Prince Carl Philip (in the Order of the Seraphim) and Princess Sofia (wearing her Wedding Tiara)

Princess Madeleine (wearing the Modern Fringe Tiara and Pink Topaz Earrings) and Christopher O’Neill

Princess Christina, Mrs Magnuson (wearing the Connaught Diamond Tiara and the Order of the Seraphim)

   

The King’s Speech:

Your Majesties
Honorable Presidents
Your Royal Highnesses
Mr. Speaker
Prime Minister Your
Excellencies
Ladies and Gentlemen

It is a great pleasure for me to welcome you all to the Rikssalen at the Royal Palace. 50 years ago I stood here for the first time as King of Sweden.

My feelings about the office are the same today as then:

Pride, gratitude and humility.

To be able to represent a country that is a stable democracy, a peaceful and solidary country, is a favour. And it is a great honor that the heads of state of the other Nordic countries are here with us tonight. It marks our trust and community with each other.

No monarch in Sweden has had the privilege of serving as long as I have. And family ties are felt strongly these days. I especially think of my grandfather, Gustav VI Adolf, who worked to strengthen our country right into his ninetieth and last year of life.

To be a link in a long chain is a great benefit. With love and confidence, I regard Crown Princess Victoria’s dedication and focus in the task of representing Sweden.

My role as monarch is to stand up for the old while embracing the new. That was what I intended when I adopted the election language “For Sweden in the Time”.

Three years after I took office, Sweden got a Queen. I could never have had a better life partner. I am so happy, lucky and impressed by her efforts for everyone’s country for so many years.

All of you here are representatives of different parts of Swedish society. I want to say a big, warm thank you to you and to all the Swedes who have shown so much support, trust and appreciation for my work during the 18,262 days that have passed since then.

THANKS! And once again a warm welcome!

   

 

Crown Princess Victoria’s Speech:

Your Majesty
Dear Papa!

For fifty years you have been the king of Sweden.

For almost as long you have been my father.
And always, my role model.

You are a constant. A safety. For me, and for many others. And I am so happy to celebrate this historic anniversary together with you and all of Sweden.

In this very place, in the Rikssalen at Stockholm Palace, you ascended the throne in September 1973, aged just 27.

But when I stand here tonight, half a century later, and think about how to describe your deed – then my thoughts go to a completely different place.

I think of the mountain. On our hikes and ski trips there, when my siblings and I were little.

Nowhere do you move as easily as there – in the magnificent Swedish nature with its expanses and its silence.

Dad. I remember so well what it was like to have your back – on the ski trail and on the hiking trail. I remember how safe it felt to me as a child.

I feel the same security today as an adult, when I follow you in your work as King of Sweden.

To walk with you, through the castle’s corridors and halls, on your way to a council or a foreign affairs committee. Or to accompany you when you perform your duties around Sweden. It’s not entirely unlike a trip in the mountains. You get to listen and learn, lean back and engage. Sometimes it goes fast! Then you can increase the pace.

Regardless of the weather, mood or day: you always push forward. You and mom together. The pace, it’s fast. Canceling is out of the question. The strong sense of duty that drives you – it’s probably a bit old-fashioned. But also completely necessary, in order to cope with the task that you were given to shoulder at such a young age.

Where does that sense of duty come from? It is clear that it is about personality, about your character. But I also think it’s about a deeper insight, about being part of something bigger than yourself. About being a link in a long chain.

Out on the mountain, you taught us to follow the main rule of common law: “do not disturb, do not destroy”. Nature is a gift – a gift that we have a responsibility to take care of for future generations. Here at the castle, you show every day how you care about the cultural heritage that you are put in charge of. And then we talk down to the level of detail – not a paint flake or a scratch mark escapes your gaze! Anyone who works with you can probably attest to that…

Dear Papa. You have a strong inner compass, which guides you. You know that the landscape changes over time: That old maps don’t always apply. Then you have to choose another path – the important thing is that you stay on a steady course.

During the half century that you have been king, our country has developed, our society has undergone great changes. You have been careful to follow along, while at the same time protecting the tradition. For Sweden in time.

Your Majesty, dear father.

With you, you can hike safely in all weathers. Often in the sunshine. But also in rain, wind and snow. Regardless of the weather, you have the direction ready for you.

You are guided by a respect for the context of which you are a part, and which you know is bigger than yourself. Your gaze is always directed forward. On the mountain – and in office.

I am proud and grateful to follow in your footsteps. Tonight I want to say thank you. Thank you for all you have done, and for all you do.

For your country. For your family. And for me.

Royal Guests and Relatives joined the Swedish Royal Family to view the Changing of the Guard and a Singer’s Tribute from the Balcony of the Royal Palace of Stockholm, following King Carl XVI Gustaf’s Golden Jubilee Service in the Palace Chapel.

Royal Guests and Relatives joined the Swedish Royal Family for last night’s Gala Performance of the Swedish Royal Opera at the Drottningholm Palace Theatre, to launch King Carl XVI Gustaf’s Golden Jubilee Celebrations.

The Braganza Tiara

Leuchtenberg Sapphire Parure

Queen Sofia’s 9-Prong Tiara

The Swedish Cameo Parure

The Connaught Diamond Tiara

The Baden Fringe Tiara

Napoleonic Amethyst Parure

King Edward VII Ruby Tiara

Swedish Aquamarine Kokoshnik Tiara

Napoleonic Cut Steel Tiara

Princess Lilian’s Laurel Wreath Tiara

Princess Sofia’s Wedding Tiara

Modern Fringe Tiara

Swedish Pink Topaz Parure

Bernadotte Emerald Parure

One thought on “King Carl XVI Gustaf’s Golden Jubilee Banquet”

  1. As I already said elsewhere I really loved Queen Silvia in yellow / gold. Having said that I must say that everybody looked absolutely fabulous at the banquet. Too bad we only got one tiara event for these celebrations, but what a tiara event it was! And the photos doesn’t really do all the jewels justice as we could better see them glitter in the light of the chandelier in the Hall of State in the tv footage provided from the banquet (I was not too happy about the Swedish broadcaster to not showing footage from the concert at Drottningholm).

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