It is a day of celebration in Sweden as the country marks the first ever Golden Jubilee of a monarch in its history. But it is also a day of contemplation for the country’s royals as it is also the anniversary of the death of a much loved family member.
King Carl XVI Gustaf took the throne on September 15th 1973 on the death of his grandfather, King Gustaf VI Adolf. The first sight of the new monarch came as he left the hospital where his grandfather had died. Now, half a century on, one of the first acts on his day of Jubilee was to place flowers on the grave of the loved one he lost and whose throne passed to him in an instant.
On the morning of September 15th 2023, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia attended a service in remembrance of King Gustaf VI Adolf. A wreath of bright blue flowers was left on his last .
The Royal Family of Sweden joined them as did Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and her sister, Queen Anne-Marie of Greece. The Crown Prince and Princess of Denmark also attended to pay their respects.
King Gustaf VI Adolf ruled Sweden for nearly 23 years. He ascended the throne in October 1950 and died on September 15th 1973. He is buried at the Royal Cemetery in Solna with his two wives, Crown Princess Margaretha and Queen Louise. Carl Gustaf was heir for the entirety of his grandfather’s reign as his own father, Prince Gustaf Adolf, died in a plane crash just months after his son’s birth.
Lydia Starbuck is a pen name of June Woolerton who has written extensively on royal history. Her book, A History of Royal Jubilees, is available now. She is also the author of a popular cosy mystery, All Manner of Murder.
