It was announced on Sunday that Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden had to cancel arrangements due to illness. The Crown Prince of Sweden should, for the first time, have been together with her father His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf on a very special official task, but she had to cancel due to a cold.
Many Swedes had looked forward to experiencing King Carl XVI Gustaf and his eldest child Crown Princess Victoria together on a special official mission yesterday and today. The Royal Court had announced that the Crown Princess would accompany her father during the opening of the National Conference on Security.
H.R.H. Crown Princess Victoria. Photo Credit: Kate Gabor, royalcourt.se Sweden
The Crown Princess and the King should have participated in the “People & Defence National Conference” on 14 January and today. It should have been Victoria’s debut at the annual conference, as it is usually only the King who participates as a representative of the Royal Family. “The Crown Princess is suffering from a strong cold and is forced to cancel her attendance at the seminar People & Defence,” said Ulrika Näsholm from the royal information department to Swedish media yesterday.
The Swedish monarch has a special role in the Swedish defence. As most regents worldwide, the regent is the nation’s top military commander. King Carl XVI Gustaf completed his military service for Sweden in 1968 when he graduated as a naval officer in the Royal Swedish Navy. Afterwards, he took chief courses and became a lieutenant in the Svea bodyguards, Navy, Air Force and the Jemtland regiment. Before the King became monarch when his grandfather died, Carl Gustaf achieved the rank of captain for both the Swedish fleet, Army and Air Force through military education. He was automatically a general and admiral when he became King.
Prince Carl Gustav and his father, the king, in a military practice area on Gotland. Photo: Kungahuset.se
The Swedish Royal Family has a long tradition of attending this seminar. On several occasions, King Carl XVI Gustaf has even given a speech. In 2015, his son, Prince Carl Philip attended. Prince Carl Philip also has a Swedish military education, and since 2015 has a been a major in the Swedish Navy and was trained at the Amphibious Battalion at Vaxholm Coastal Artillery Regiment as a combat boat commander.
In the fall of 2017, the King and Prince Carl Philip participated in “Aurora 17”, the most extensive military exercise in Sweden for more than 20 years. All combat forces and more than 19,000 men and women took part. Also, several authorities and 2,000 military personnel from the United States, Finland, France, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Denmark and Norway did, as well.
