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Sweden

King Carl XVI Gustaf hands out Nobel Prizes

King Carl XVI Gustaf has handed out the Nobel Prizes during a ceremony at the Stockholm Concert Hall. The other members of the Swedish Royal Family were also in attendance.

Each year on the 10th of December, King Carl XVI Gustaf hands out the Nobel Prizes, consisting of a medal and a diploma, during a glamorous ceremony at the Stockholm Concert Hall. This year it was no different as 1,560 guests watched the events in the audience.

On the stage, around 80 people were seated including the Nobel Prize Laureates and Board Members of the Nobel Foundation. In front of the Laureates, the Swedish Royal Family was sitting. King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia were seated in the foreground while Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel sat on the second row. Before the stage, Prince Carl Philip, Princess Sofia, the King’s sister, Princess Christina and her husband, Tord Magnuson were seated.

First, the Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Dr Arthur Askin (US), Professor Gérard Marou (France) and Professor Donna Strickland (Canada). The King handed out the medals and diplomas while previously speeches were given about the Laureate’s achievements.

Then it was time to hand out the Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Professor Frances Arnold (US), Professor George Smith (US) and Professor Sir Gregory Winter (UK). This was followed by live music.

Photo: SVT fair use

Next up was the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine which was given to Professor James Allison (US) and Professor Tasuku Honjo (Japan). Then the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences was awarded to Professor William Nordhaus (US) and Professor Paul Romer (US).

The Nobel Peace Prize is always awarded in Oslo, Norway on the same day, the 10th of December.

The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra was in charge of the musical interludes between the different presentations. In homage to Alfred Nobel, who spent his final years in Sanremo, Italy – where he died on 10 December 1896 – Regione Liguria, the City of Sanremo and the Chamber of Commerce of Riviere di Liguria send flowers to decorate the Concert Hall and the City Hall in Stockholm every year. The floral decorations consisted of 25,000 flowers.

This year the Nobel Prize in Literature was not awarded because of the scandals surrounding the Swedish Academy who is in charge of deciding the Laureates for the Nobel Prize in Literature each year. It was agreed that next year there will be at least two laureates to make up for this year. What was also different this year is the absence of Princess Madeleine and her husband, Chris O’Neill. The pair remained at home in Florida, USA and were not able to make it.

Princess Christina (front row, second from left), her husband Tord Magnuson, Princess Sofia (in red) and Prince Carl Philip. (Photo: SVT fair use)

And what about the gowns and tiaras? The Nobel Prizes are famous for their glitter and glamour during the ceremony. Crown Princess Victoria recycled one of Queen Silvia’s old Nobel Prize dresses and completed her look with the Connaught Diamond tiara. Queen Silvia opted for a new green gown and the Nine Prong Tiara or Queen Sofia’s Tiara. Princess Sofia wore her wedding tiara with pearls instead of emeralds and a new red gown. She completed her look with a new pearl choker.

About author

Laura is from Belgium and has a passion for all things royal. She is Europe Correspondent for Royal Central since October 2016 and has contributed to other news websites. In her daily life she is a fulltime student in EU-politics and political communication.