In a turnaround, Prince Julian of Sweden’s christening next month will be televised – albeit differently than his older cousins and brothers.
Swedish public broadcaster SVT will be in the church and record the ceremony. They will later air a 45-minute summary of the religious service on their channel on Sunday, 15 August, at 6.15 pm.
Many were unhappy when the Royal Court announced that the ceremony would not air on television. Julian would have been the first of King Carl XVI Gustaf’s grandchildren not to have his christening air on television. It would have also broken a 43-year tradition that started with Crown Princess Victoria’s baptism being televised.
Sweden’s Svenskdam spoke to the Royal Court about the new information regarding the ceremony. Information Manager Margareta Thorgren said: “It has been the plan from the beginning. It is not broadcast live but is filmed for the archives and because the Swedish people want to see the baptism. The baptism of the other grandchildren has been broadcast live, but Prince Julian’s TV viewers will see the next day in a summary.”
The plan to air footage after the fact was not announced by the Royal Court when the date of Prince Julian’s christening was revealed. At the time, the Royal Court said that it would not be broadcast live on television.
Prince Julian will be christened on 14 August in the Royal Chapel of Drottningholm Palace. The King, Queen Silvia, Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Daniel, Prince Carl Philip, Princess Sofia, Princess Madeleine and Chris O’Neill have been announced to attend. Children’s attendance is not announced ahead of time by the Royal Court. Still, it is expected that Julian’s older brothers, Princes Alexander and Gabriel, will be in the church, as will Crown Princess Victoria’s son and daughter, Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar.
It remains to be seen if the three children of Princess Madeleine and Chris O’Neill will attend. They were not in the chapel for the christening of Prince Gabriel in 2017.
