Tens of thousands of Swedes gathered in central Stockholm this Saturday to commemorate the 50th anniversary of King Charles Gustav XVI’s ascension to the throne.
To the sound of military bands and under sunny skies, the 77-year-old monarch, dressed in a sober suit and tie, was praised by the crowd, along with Queen Sílvia, 79, who wore a yellow ensemble, while six horses led the way. procession really.
The crowd cheered as the monarchs passed by, waving Swedish flags to mark the milestone of Charles Gustav
The king is still the longest-reigning monarch in Swedish history and also the second-longest-reigning European monarch, after his cousin, Queen Margaret of Denmark, who came to the throne in 1972.
Carl Gustaf Folke Hubertus Bernadotte, born on April 30, 1946, was only nine months old when his father, Prince Gustav Adolfo, died in a plane crash in Denmark.
Central Stockholm was closed to traffic and police expected crowds to exceed hundreds of thousands of people throughout the day – although festivities continued in a context of heightened security as Sweden increased its security level last month. Islamic world.
Christina Flodin, a 59-year-old administrator, was among the king’s admirers watching the parade in Stockholm.
“I am here to celebrate his 50th anniversary with him – I want to show my gratitude for everything he has done,” he told AFP, adding that in his view the king “represents continuity, stability and a good model leader .”
Despite occasional scandals – the biggest of which was when a 2010 book alleged that the king visited sex clubs and had multiple affairs – the monarch enjoys widespread support in his home country.
A poll conducted this month in the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter found that 62 percent of Swedes were in favor of the monarchy, a level that has remained stable for two decades.
The king’s role has been purely ceremonial since the constitutional reform in 1974.
When it comes to gifts for His Majesty, Swedish furniture retailer Ikea Carlos Gustavo, who already has a throne, is donating a special armchair to mark the occasion.
The retro design comes from “the 1970s, when the King met Silvia at the Munich Olympics,” Ikea CEO Johan Ejdemo told AFP.
Source: DN
