Although he was unable to celebrate the occasion with the public as usual, King Carl Gustaf marked his 74th birthday with a series of new photos released by the royal court.
In the photos, taken on 29 April at Stenhammar Palace in Sörmland, the King is dressed in tweed and posing amidst the rolling green countryside that surrounds the property. Queen Silvia joined him for two of the photos, including a lovely close-up shot of the couple and one of them walking their dog, Brandy.
The King and Queen have been staying at Stenhammar, located about 120 kilometers southwest of Stockholm, since mid-March.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the traditional Armed Forces celebration at the Royal Palace’s outer courtyard was canceled this year. However, the King received a digital birthday greeting from Admiral Jan Thörnqvist on behalf of the Swedish Armed Forces, along with a special musical performance.
The video, taken at the Royal Palace’s inner courtyard, featured the songs KungssÃ¥ngen and Marcia Carolus Rex, which is always played on the King’s birthday.
The King’s birthday is a public flag day and an officer’s salute was fired from Kungshall in Karlskrona by officers from the Marine Base’s base protection company. Salutes of 21 shots were then fired from Skeppsholmen in Stockholm, Kungshall in Karlskrona, Skansen Lejonet in Gothenburg, Kusthöjden in Härnösand and from a variable salutation battery at Kvarnängen in Boden.
Later in the day, King Carl Gustaf was surprised by Flen World Orchestra, who was invited by The Queen to sing for him on his birthday. The royal couple stood on their stairs of the palace as the musicians performed outside, complete with Brandy barking along.
Typically, the public has the opportunity to write birthday greetings to the King outside the palace, but that tradition has gone online this year due to the coronavirus epidemic. Instead, those wanting to send him a birthday wish can fill out this form on the royal court’s website.
