[Denmark] Queen Margrethe II Celebrates 40 Years on The Throne - City Hall Reception

King Carl XVI Gustaf, cousin of the Queen

All photos from Zimbio

Scandinavian Royals visit Ground Zero (October 2011)

[Sweden] And the scandals do not stop for this Scandinavian royal family...

King Carl XVI Gustaf's attempt to quash a scandal by rejecting reports he had visited strip clubs and had indirect contact with organised crime was met with skepticism by Swedish media Tuesday.

In a rare, long interview with Swedish news agency TT published late Monday, the 65-year-old king denied a flurry of allegations published in two books and by the media in recent weeks and months, but media reports Tuesday chided him for being too vague and defensive.

"The interview with TT does not make the royal crisis any clearer," insisted an editorial in Sweden's paper of reference Dagens Nyheter.

"If the whole story is simply a case of libel, then why didn't the king come out and say that last autumn? Why did he instead talk about wanting to 'move on'?" it asked, referring to the monarch's reaction after the publication late last year of a tell-all biography about him.

The book, "Carl XVI Gustaf, the Reluctant Monarch," caused an uproar with its descriptions of his participation in wild parties and an affair with a young woman -- allegations he finally denied in Monday's interview, saying "no" no less than 36 times, according to a count by free daily Metro.

The main author of the book, Thomas Sjoeberg, on Tuesday accused the Sweden's head of state, who has sat on the throne for 37 years, of lying to his subjects.

"It is uncomfortable for me to see how he so obviously stands there lying to the Swedish people in the face... It's embarrassing," Sjoeberg told Dagens Nyheter.

Sven-Erik Oesterberg, a spokesman for the main opposition Social Democrats, meanwhile called for an official probe into the veracity of the king's comments, insisting that "the problem has not been resolved."

"A more in-depth investigation is necessary into the information and these rumours because it of course affects the state," of which the king is the top representative, he said in a statement.

Sweden's two main tabloids also slammed Carl XVI Gustaf's interview Tuesday, with Expressen plastering "The king's terrible defence speech" across its front page, and Aftonbladet handing space to a former mafia member to reiterate his claim he has in his possession pictures of the monarch at a sex club in the same shot as two naked women.

The scandal is the latest blow to Sweden's royal family which has recently been hit by new revelations of the Nazi past of German-born Queen Silvia's father and Princess Madeleine's messy break-off last year of a long engagement.

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Did you love Stieg Larsson's Millennium Trilogy? Well, the King of Sweden himself didn't that much...

While in Poland, in an interview for Gazeta Wyborcza published Wednesday, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia expressed surprise at great international success of the "Millennium" saga by the late Swedish author Stieg Larsson.

"I am astounded that they have had such success," said the King. "Probably because Sweden has not been associated with such world of crime as described by Larsson. I am not very happy about this. These books are rather terrifying than cheerful."

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[Sweden] King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia arrive on visit to Poland

King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden were greeted on Wednesday by Poland's presidential couple and a military Guard of Honor at the start of a three-day visit.

Sweden's royal couple was met by President Bronislaw Komorowski and First Lady Anna Komorowska in the yard of the Presidential Palace. The military band played both anthems and then the king and the president reviewed the Guard of Honor.

Carl XI Gustaf and Komorowski held talks on co-operation within the European Union and on Eastern Partnership, a joint project of the two countries, that is aimed at helping countries to the East of the EU's frontier to adopt the union's standards in politics and economy.

Next, they both witnessed the signing of a declaration of political co-operation in areas of strategic significance between the two nations, which both border the Baltic Sea. The royal couple laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in downtown Warsaw. On Wednesday evening, Komorowski is to host a dinner for Sweden's royals. 

The royal couple will also visit the southwestern city of Wroclaw and nearby Swidnica, with its historic wooden church.

They last visited Poland in 2002.

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[Sweden] King Carl XVI Gustaf does not plan to retire

He was a young, shy king who has become safer over the years. King Carl XVI Gustaf is not planning to retire [as he just turned 65 last week]. “In any case I do not intend to feed birds," he said in an exclusive interview with news agency TT.

In the outer courtyard of Stockholm Palace there are a few tourists wandering around in the spring sun. Inside the castle, in the magnificent floor of the King's late mother Sibylla, the King reflects on his years as head of state. The first time he describes as remarkable. He was only 27 years old and accustomed to stand up when an elder entered the room.

Yet it was not the first years that was the heaviest. Instead, the worst time appeared after a few years on the throne.

“There was a period where it somewhat floated in between, when I neither was young and could hide behind that, or was enough old and experienced”.

If the king had to give some advice to the young Carl Gustaf had been to obtain an education, but also to be curious and ask about things.

Had the King needed to ask more questions in the beginning?

“Yes, but then I was too young and too shy. I was really shy. I've been shy all my life”.

He do not want to say how strong his shyness remains, but says it is "less" now.

“You feel safer and more secure. I know so many and have learned so much over the years”.

The King does not think it is so special to turn 65, but still regards the birthday as an occasion for reflection. There are no plans to step down.

“It is a part of the system that the monarch carries out his work as long as he is in his right mind”.

He believes that the monarcy is more important today because so many cultures co-exist in Sweden.

“In this way you have an even greater responsibility, precisely because there are so many new Swedes, who do not automatically have the Swedish history and the Swedish character in itself "by birth". It is of major importance to try to be a unifying symbol for the nation”.

The disadvantages of being a head of state is as before, according to the King. However, media coverage has become more intense.

"Before, I could have some privacy, but now you are public almost around the clock. Although I was public also earlier, this is more evident. And it consumes, it is heavy and it is tough".

During a press conference in Botswana recently, the King was asked about the Queen's health. The surprising and humorous response came quickly: that the queen was so sick that her ears must be cut off (she had the flue).

“You can see the humor sometimes. Sometimes they write so much that is not ture, so it does not matter what you answer”.

Last fall, there was much writing about the King after the publication of the scandal book “The reluctant monarch”. The book accused the king of, among else, infidelity, and wild parties with young ladies.

“It is of course never nice to be portrayed the way I and many others was. They exposed many others, that is perhaps what is most tragic in the context”.

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Check out what my favorite Royal Watchers have been talking about!

Take a look at what my favorite Royal Watchers are talking about these days

• Abu Dhabi Crown Prince's official visit to Washington, DC (The Royal Forums)
• The Bishop of London's sermon at the wedding (Current Royal News)
• Catherine's bouquet returns to Westminster Abbey (Royal Romania)
• Check out what Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary have been up to (The Royal Correspondent)
• The Dean of Westminster Abbey discusses history (Mandy's Royalty)
• The Downside of Princesshood [fabulous article!] (Princess Palace)
• The Duchess of Cambridge (and that Tiara!) at her wedding (Mad Hattery)
• Kate Middleton the Duchess of Cambridge going away ensemble (WhatKateWore)
• King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden's 65th birthday (Sofia's Blog)
• Prince William goes back to work (World of Royalty)
• Princess Astrid of Belgium attends photo exhibit (Royalty in the News)
• Princess Theodora of Greece attends film premiere (Royalty in the News)
• Sartorial take on The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Evening Wedding Party Guests (Order of Splendor)
• Who are the most influential and popular royals in Europe? (The Royal Universe)
• William, the Duke of Cambridge rejects prenup (The Royal News Examiner)

Royal weddings from the past - King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia (1976)

King Carl XVI Gustaf married Silvia Sommerlath, whose father was German and mother Brazilian and who had grown up in both countries. They met at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, where she was an interpreter and host. The wedding was held on June 19th, 1976 at Stockholm Cathedral in Stockholm, and the ceremony was performed by the Archbishop of Uppsala, Olof Sundby. The wedding was preceded, the evening before, by a Royal Variety Performance, where ABBA performed Dancing Queen for the very first time, as a tribute to Sweden's Queen to be. To watch the video of the wedding, click here.

[Sweden] Poll says that Swedes want king to step down in the next ten years

Nearly two-thirds of Swedes would like to see King Carl XVI Gustaf abdicate and hand the throne over to his daughter Princess Victoria, according to a new poll published on Saturday.

Sixty-three percent of those surveyed by the Aftonbladet newspaper said they would like to see the king make way for the 33-year-old princess within the next 10 years. Only 30 percent said he should reign until his death, while the remaining seven percent did not offer an opinion.

Fifteen percent of the 1,000 respondents said the king should step down as soon as possible, 27 percent said he should go within the next five years and 21 percent within the next decade.

The poll comes after the recent publication of a tell-biography of the king which included details of his affairs with a string of younger women, including Camilla Henemark, the lead singer with the Army of Lovers pop group.

The 64-year-old king acceded to the throne in 1973 when he was just 27.

Other members of the Swedish royal family have also found themselves the target of lurid tabloid reporting in recent months, including Prince Carl Philip who has been romantically linked to a reality TV star.

Princess Madeleine, the younger daughter of King Carl and Queen Silvia, broke off her engagement with her long-time boyfriend in April after it emerged that her fiancee had had an affair with a Norwegian woman.

Her older sister Victoria, who married her former fitness instructor in the summer, is the most popular member of the royal family, according to the poll.

While 56 percent said she was their favourite royal, only eight percent nominated Carl Gustaf.

The monarchy as an institution however remains popular with 74 percent of those surveyed supporting its continuation.

article from the AFP

King Carl Gustaf angry at claims of affairs and wild parties in new book

Sweden's King Carl Gustaf has spoken out after an unofficial biography was released detailing his participation in wild parties and affairs with young women.

Though he said he had not read the book, titled Carl XVI Gustaf – The reluctant monarch, he said he had seen some of the media headlines surrounding the publication, which had "not been very nice".

The king said that after seeing the reports, he had talked to Queen Silvia and his family. "We will turn the page and go on now, because as I understand it this is about things that happened a long time ago," stated the 64-year-old royal.

King Carl addressed journalists at a press conference in Sweden on Thursday following the end of an Elk hunt. The palace press director said it had been his choice to speak out, and he had prepared what to say himself. "The King is a wise man. They were his own words and what he wanted to say about this matter," said Nina Eldh.

She also confirmed that the royal family would not open legal proceedings against the authors of the book. Written by three journalists, it details the king's youth and his accession to the throne at the age of 27. But a large portion of it details what they claim to be the king's constant partying and liaisons with young women.

Anonymous sources recount the king's alleged indiscretions, including one with Camilla Henemark, a Swedish singer and actress and former lead singer of the band Army of Lovers. The book alleges she had a year-long affair with the king at the end of the Nineties, and that the queen knew about it. "She was afraid she would become Sweden's most hated woman if her affair with the country's monarch became known," the book says of Camilla. The former model has not denied the allegations, but said that her lawyer has advised her not to comment. The autobiography has been flying off shelves in Sweden since it was released on Thursday. Its initial print run has already sold out and publishers have decided to print an extra 20,000 copies.

from Hellomagazine.com

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