Hello everybody and welcome to this new post! Did you know that 2023 is a very special year for Sweden? It is a double jubilee year, marking both the 500th anniversary of Gustav Vasa election – the father of modern Sweden – and current King Carl XVI Gustaf’s 50th jubilee!
During the past weekend, big celebrations took place in Stockholm. A vast parade moved through the city, with a carriage with The King and Queen escorted by soldiers and guards from different departments. Also, a concert was held on Norrbro, the bridge connecting Gustav Adolf’s square and the House of Parliament, along with a special changing of the guards featuring all the Swedish Army’s bands. They even played “Tattoo” by Loreen – the Swedish song which won the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest!
Just a little bit of context for you: on September 15, 1973, current King Carl XVI Gustaf ascended to the throne, which makes him Sweden’s longest-reigning monarch of all time. In Sweden, the King does not have regulatory power but he is more like a symbol that unifies the vastness of Sweden under one single flag. He is politically neutral and his duties are mostly of representative nature, ranging from the opening of the parliamentary work year to foreign state visits. The Royal family also supports a range of good causes, especially regarding the environment and climate change!
Overall, it was a really pleasant weekend, and it was so nice to see the city full of people cheering for their King! Gladly, the weather was also super nice 😍.
You can read more about this Jubilee Year on the official website of Kungahuset (the Swedish Royal Court), where you will also find info on future events.
That was all for today! As always, thank you for following me along. Have you already checked out Sam‘s and Sai‘s introductory posts? We are really looking forward to bringing you top content while the application period approaches – so keep following us!
See you at the next post!
// Lorenzo