King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia hosted a dinner at the Royal Palace on Thursday evening for the 432 members of Parliament and government.
Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel, and Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia also attended the dinner, which is held every time there is a parliamentary election.
Photo: Sara Friberg / Kungl. Royal Court
The dinner also included a concert, performed in the Rikssalen, one of the main ceremony rooms in the Royal Palace that is used primarily for birthday and wedding banquets. Most recently, King Carl XVI Gustaf’s 50th and 70th birthdays were marked there, as was Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel’s wedding dinner.
The concert was organised by Mary Ljungqvist Hén, the Court Organist, in consultation with the King, and included performances of the Kungssången and “Undressed God” which was performed by the Little Academy’s Symphony Theatre, the Stockholm Chamber Choir, the Lovö Church Choir, the Castle Church Choir, and soloists Hillevi Martinpelto and Karl-Magnus Fredriksson.
Other performers included Helgi Reynisson, Hovtrumpetaren Olle Hermansen, and an army music ensemble.
Photo: Sara Friberg / Kungl. Royal Court
Following the concert, the guests were introduced to the Royal Family. There were 432 guests in attendance, which makes the Parliament Dinner the largest dinner function hosted at the Royal Palace.
The Royal House notes that “several rooms were therefore used” including the Consul Hall, the Audience Room, Gustav III’s Parade Bed Room and Karl XI’S Gallery.
Each member of the Royal Family hosted a high-ranking official at their table and was seated next to a prominent guest.
Photo: Sara Friberg / Kungl. Royal Court
King Carl XVI Gustaf hosted Åsa Lindestam, the Parliament’s first vice president, at his table, and was seated next to Lena Hallengren, of the Council of State. Queen Silvia hosted the Speaker of Parliament, Andreas Norlén, at her table, and was seated next to the Minister of Enterprise, Ibrahim Baylan.
Crown Princess Victoria hosted the Prime Minister of Sweden, Stefan Löfven, at her table and was seated next to the Minister of Justice, Morgan Johansson. Prince Daniel hosted the Parliament’s second vice president at his table, and was seated next to Councillor of State, Amanda Lind.
Photo: Sara Friberg / Kungl. Royal Court
Prince Carl Philip hosted the State Secretary, Madeleine Harby Samuelsson, at his table, and was seated next to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Susanne Södersten. Princess Sofia hosted the State Secretary for the Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communications, Mattias Landgren, at her table, and was seated next to Peder Nielsen, the Head of Parliamen’ts Constitutional Committee.
Guests dined on a three-course meal of terrine on confit duck, baked mountain trout and chocolate domes with a sunflower and coconut base.
