On Saturday, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden celebrated his 70th birthday, and was joined by his family and members of Europe’s Royal Families to mark the occasion.
King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia arrive at the Te Deum service at the Royal Chapel. Photo: Jessica Gow / TT/ Royal Court
The Swedish Royals attended a Te Deum (thanksgiving) service in the morning, joined by senior Royals from across Europe.
Crown Princess Victoria, Princess Estelle and Prince Daniel at the Te Deum service for the King’s 70th birthday. Photo: Jessica Gow / TT / Royal Court
This was followed a balcony appearance at the Royal Palace in Stockholm.
Queen Silvia was joined by her children, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel, Princess Madeleine and Chris O’Neill, and Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia. Princess Estelle, second-in-line to the throne, was also there to celebrate her grandfather’s birthday.
Swedish Royals gather to celebrate the King’s 70th birthday. Royal Court
The Swedish Royals congregate on the balcony for King Carl XVI Gustaf’s 70th birthday. Maja Suslin / TT / Royal Court
This was Sofia’s first public appearance since the birth of her son Prince Alexander almost two weeks ago, and Prince Oscar, Crown Princess Victoria’s two-month-old son, made his début on the balcony with his first public appearance.
Prince Oscar makes his balcony debut with his mother Crown Princess Victoria
Photo: Jessica Gow / TT / Royal Court
Faithful fans flocked to Stockholm streets wearing plastic crowns and cheered to the King of Sweden, who travelled in an open horse-drawn carriage to a luncheon at City Hall. Princess Sofia had left by this point, to return to her young son.
Carl XVI Gustaf was born in 1946, taking the throne in 1973. He changed things up a little with regards to his title, choosing “Sveriges Konung” (King of Sweden) instead of using the traditional titles, “med Guds Nåde Sveriges, Götes och Wendes Konung” (By the Grace of God King of the Swedes, the Goths/Geats and the Wends); this style had been used since the establishment of the hereditary monarchy in 1544.
The streets were packed with members of the public hoping to catch a glimpse of the King on his big birthday. Well-wishers lined the route to City Hall snapping selfies and photos from their phones. To celebrate this special occasion tunes of Abba, including “Dancing Queen”, written about Queen Silvia, were performed by the Swedish military parade.
A banquet also celebrated The King’s birthday that evening
The King accompanies The Queen of Denmark to the birthday banquet. Royal Court
Gun salutes were fired, and at the City Hall a choir sang to the King “All You Need is Love” by the Beatles.
Princess Madeleine, who has an official Facebook page, wrote this message to her father, and shared two photos of the King in his younger years: “Happy Birthday Pappa! I can’t believe you turned 70 today, you have more energy than all of us! Love you.”
Royals from across the world then joined Carl XVI Gustaf and Silvia for a reception and banquet that evening. Guests included Queen Margrethe, Crown Prince Frederick and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark; Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands; King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway, and Princess Martha Louise; King Phillipe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium; Prince Albert of Monaco; Japan’s Princess Takamado; Princess Anna of Bavaria; the former King of Spain, Carlos and his wife, Sofia.
Sweden’s Princess Madeleine arrives for her father’s banquet with husband Chris #kungen70 – stunning dress & tiara pic.twitter.com/E4C3D46wE2
— Jordon-Lee (@JordonLee) April 30, 2016
Crown Princess Mary #Kungen70 pic.twitter.com/lzzEJlSemP
— Scandinavian Royals. (@crownprincely) April 30, 2016
Other guests include minor Royals from Jordan and Lichtenstein.
The Danish Royals brought their Royal Yacht, the Dannebrog, up to Stockholm, and the Royal trio were seen disembarking the yacht to head to the palace for the evening.
Royals from across the world celebrated The King of Sweden’s birthday. Royal Court
The King’s extended family also attended, including his sister, Princess Christine, and the parents of Prince Daniel and Princess Sofia, his children-in-law.
Queen Silvia arrived on the arm of the President of Finland, Sauli Niinisto, while the King accompanied Queen Margrethe of Denmark.
For dinner, the party dined on fish, reindeer, with a rhubarb mouse for dessert.
The group also posed for a photo to mark the occasion.
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Happy Birthday
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