Carlos Gustavo of Sweden, 50 years on the throne of a king who has overcome all controversy

2023-01-14T10:57:38.949Z

The monarch has recently made headlines for his criticism of the repeal of the Salic Law that made his eldest daughter, Princess Victoria, the heir. The position of the Swedish sovereign is not new, but he has reiterated his opinion in full commemoration of his reign, the longest in the country's history

Carlos Gustavo of Sweden, 76 years old, celebrates half a century on the throne in 2023, the longest reign in the history of his country.

Descendant of the marshal of the Napoleonic empire Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, who gives his name to the dynasty, the anniversary comes with 60% citizen support for the Swedish monarchy.

The figure remains stable in the polls and contrasts with the lukewarmness of Parliament and the Government towards the institution itself.

Although there is no recent movement in search of the republic, the writer Herman Lindqvist, biographer of the sovereign, confirms the degree of popular acceptance of the crown, while noting the existence of "republican sentiments in most politicians of all the parties".

This January, the surprise caused by the monarch's persistent rejection of the abolition of the Salic Law,

The crown fell to Carlos Gustavo in a dramatic way.

Born on April 30, 1946, he was the fifth child (and only son) of Gustavus Adolphus, Prince of Sweden and heir to the throne, and Sibyl, Princess of Saxe-Coburg.

Nine months later, his father died at the age of 40 in a plane crash in Denmark.

The tragedy altered the line of succession, and after the death of his great-grandfather, King Gustav V, in 1950, and the subsequent enthronement of his grandfather Gustav Adolf VI, the current Swedish king in turn became heir at just four years old. .

Gustavo Adolfo VI reigned for two decades, and Carlos Gustavo was only 27 years old when he succeeded him in 1973.

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"Then the current Swedish monarch was the youngest in the world, and he did not feel prepared," explains Herman Lindqvist, who taught history to Princess Victoria, by email.

“He was frequently criticized and mocked in the media, and the wind was blowing strongly from the left.

The then prime minister, Olof Palme, said that we were one step away from the republic.

And that before being enthroned, the Swedish king studied for two and a half years in the Land, Sea and Air Armies, and was also trained in Economics, History, Political Science, Law and Sociology at the universities of Uppsala and Stockholm.

The author assures that things changed for the king because of his marriage to Silvia Sommerlath: "he was young and beautiful,

The couple met in 1972 at the Munich Olympics, where she, born in Germany, worked as a stewardess and interpreter, and they married in 1976. At the time of their wedding, Carlos Gustavo had been on the throne for three years and was little Often a king of his age was single.

A close precedent pointed out is Baudouin of Belgium, who had reigned for almost a decade when he married in 1960, at the age of 30, with the Spanish aristocrat Fabiola de Mora y Aragón.

King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden, at a religious ceremony in Uppsala on October 4, 2022.Michael Campanella (Getty Images)

Until 1975, Carlos Gustavo of Sweden played a role in the administration of the country: from signing government decisions to appointing the person who should form a new government.

Later, his function became symbolic due to a change in the Constitution.

One of the things that has won him followers is having modernized the monarchy, a gesture similar to that of other European royal houses.

Since 2019, only he and the queen consort, as well as the crown princess and her husband, Daniel, have received public money.

"They are the main representatives of Sweden in the country and before other States," according to what the Royal Palace reported at the time.

Princess Estelle, his eldest granddaughter, and his brother, Prince Oscar, are second and third in line of succession.

The monarch has dyslexia, as do his children, Victoria and Carlos Felipe.

"Everybody knows he's not a good conversationalist," recalls his biographer Herman Lindqvist.

His criticisms of the change in the Salic Law, made in a documentary for public television SVT (advanced on its website on January 8, and broadcast on the 12th) is not something new.

However, they had never caused the current stir before.

As previously stated by the cameras, it seems to him that revoking the rule with retroactive effect was a mistake, since his son, Prince Carlos Felipe (43 years old), had already been born, and the best thing would have been to take the step in the next generation.

The repeal followed legal requirements: there was a first vote in favor in Parliament in 1978 and a year later legislative elections were held, followed by a second parliamentary vote.

And it came into force in 1980. "The king says he is sorry for his son, because he was born as an heir and then they took it away, but he speaks on behalf of a baby who could not have an opinion on this matter," says the Swedish commentator. of subjects of the royalty Sara Mitchell-Malm.

She adds in a telephone conversation: "Carlos Felipe lives quietly, and his wife, Sofía Hellqvist, is a clear example of how a commoner can enter a royal family and become one of its best assets."

According to this journalist, there was no malice in the king's words;