SUPPORT OUR JOURNALISM: Please consider donating to keep our website running and free for all - thank you!

DONATE NOW
Sweden

Sweden’s Royal Family join prayers for Ukraine

By
25th February 2023

The royal family of Sweden has joined prayers for Ukraine on the first anniversary of the war.

The special service took place at the church at the Royal Palace in Stockholm.

Queen Silvia, Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Daniel, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia all joined the congregation for the ceremony which was held on February 24th 2023, exactly a year after the invasion which led to war.

Embed from Getty Images

The service was conducted in Ukrainian and Swedish and was led by a priest from Ukraine, Mykola Krygin, as well as Michael Bjerkhagen who is the pastor at the Swedish court.

The Ukrainian ambassador to Sweden, Andriy Plachotnjuk, attended along with Swedish State Councillor Johan Forssell who represented the country’s government.

Music was led by Ukrainian pianist and choir director Ivetta Irkha. The choir included a number of people from Ukraine who were forced to leave their country because of conflict and who have found a home in Sweden.

Embed from Getty Images

Princess Sofia welcomed the congregation to the service as she has led the working group which organised this peace service. In her speech, she said ”it’s been a year since some of the worst things that can happen to a country, a community, a village and a family, actually happened. And that has not yet come to an end. Something that pains us all. But today we come together to celebrate the community and build hope. That together we unite in the desire for peace.”

King Carl XVI Gustaf did not attend the service. He is still recovering from heart surgery which was carried out just days earlier.

Share:
About author

Lydia Starbuck is Jubilee and Associate Editor at Royal Central and the main producer and presenter of the Royal Central Podcast and Royal Central Extra. Lydia is also a pen name of June Woolerton who is a journalist and writer with over twenty years experience in TV, radio, print and online. Her latest book, A History of British Royal Jubilees, is out now. Her new book, The Mysterious Death of Katherine Parr, will be published in March 2024. June is an award winning reporter, producer and editor. She's appeared on outlets including BBC 5 Live, BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Local Radio and has also helped set up a commercial radio station. June is also an accomplished writer with a wide range of material published online and in print. She is the author of two novels, published as e-books. She is also a marriage registrar and ceremony celebrant.