Published 07.12
The royal couple’s golden wedding will be celebrated with pomp and circumstance.
During the day, a packed schedule is expected with everything from private celebrations at the castle to a public procession through the streets of Stockholm.
“We obviously hope for a folk festival,” writes information secretary Ulrika Näsholm.
King Carl XVI Gustafs and Queen Silvia’s 50th wedding anniversary is actually June 19, but since the anniversary falls during midsummer, the couple celebrates today instead.
According to sources that Aftonbladet spoke to, the celebration will start already before 10 o’clock at the castle.
Afterwards, the thanksgiving service “Te Deum” will be held for invited guests in the Palace Church in Stockholm’s inner city.
At 12 o’clock the royal couple have planned to return to the castle where a private lunch will be held with guests.
So the couple is celebrated
After lunch at the castle, the king and queen will cross Stockholm’s stream from Skeppsbron to Djurgården at 2 p.m.
There will be a procession through the streets of Stockholm – just like they did on their wedding day in 1976.
The cortege goes to Kungsträdgården, where a concert will be held. The celebration is expected to attract a large audience with visitors from different parts of the country who want to pay attention to the royal couple’s love.
“Unfortunately, we cannot say how many people are expected to follow the cortege and the concert in Kungsträdgården tomorrow, but we of course hope for a folk festival,” writes the court’s information secretary Ulrika Näsholm.
King Harald of Norway is one of the invited guests. According to sources, he will follow parts of the celebration from a royal ship at Skeppsbron.
The dress codes during the celebration
After that, a break awaits at the castle, where the celebrants will, among other things, have time to change – because at 6 p.m. the Golden Wedding Concert will be held at the Royal Opera House in honor of the royal couple. Visitors are expected to arrive in elegant evening wear and magnificent creations.
“The dress code during the day is a dark suit. At the Royal Opera’s concert, and at the supper that the King then gives at the Royal Palace for invited guests, the dress code is a tuxedo,” writes Ulrika Näsholm.
The private supper for family and friends is held at the Castle at 8 p.m.
Unique gifts
The royal couple has already received several gifts – among other things, the government secretly started the celebration by giving away a 14-kilogram brass candlestick to the royal spouses.
The candlestick was handed over by Speaker Andreas Norlén and Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.
– With the gift, we want to symbolically light a candle for love, something that may be needed in these sometimes dark times, said the speaker in a press release.
Queen Silvia has also been awarded a special gift by her husband – earlier this week the king decided to give the Queen the Seraphim Medal “for exceptionally significant humanitarian efforts over half a century”.
The schedule of the celebration
11.00: Thanksgiving service “Te Deum” in the Castle Church
12. Lunch with guests at the Castle.
14.00: Rowing with the Order of Vasa
The king and queen rose over Stockholm’s stream from Skeppsbron to Djurgården.
14.30: Procession through Stockholm
The king and queen ride in a horse-drawn cortege through the streets of Stockholm. The cortege goes via Strandvägen, Birger Jarlsgatan, Stureplan, Kungsgatan, Sveavägen, Sergels torg and Hamngatan and ends in Kungsträdgården.
15.00: Concert in Kungsträdgården
The city of Stockholm offers a concert. The concert will have a love theme and will be held from the Kungsträdgårdscenen.
18.00: Concert at the Royal Opera House
Golden wedding concert in honor of the King and Queen at the Royal Opera.
20.00: Supper
Private supper for family and friends at the Castle.
