2023 was the year of King Carl XVI Gustaf and his people.
The King of Sweden travelled across his country throughout the year to visit the Swedish people, with the King and Queen travelling to each of Sweden’s 21 counties from February to September.
Their first stop was in Nyköping, Södermanland County, on 9 February; their final stop was on 7 September in Karlstad, Värmland County.
The goal of the visits was to attend public events in each county and meet as many Swedish citizens as possible, and Their Majesties achieved their mission.
Rain or snow, Their Majesties were out with the people to learn more about where they live and those who make up modern Sweden.
During one of his many trips, King Carl Gustaf addressed the future: “Because this is how I imagine the future: Together we take care of the commons, of our nature and our cultural heritage. Old fortresses as well as forests, lakes and wetlands. We remember, we preserve – and pass on to children and grandchildren.
“As Sweden’s king, it is my task to both remind of where we come from, and encourage all the good progress, and all the sacrificial work that has been done for our current society.”
The jubilee tour ended just a week before the Golden Jubilee celebrations in Stockholm, where Sweden and its Nordic allies honoured a remarkable 50-year reign.