Queen Silvia of Sweden biography. What Queen Silvia thinks about retirement

The traditions of the Swedish crown allowed only marriages with representatives of royal families, but for the sake of happiness with the woman he loved, the current king of Sweden decided to change the centuries-old foundations and allowed the current kings to marry representatives of ordinary families.
True even before that official permission, this already happened in Swedish history, when in 1568 King Eric XIV, the son of the founder of the Wasa/Vasa dynasty, “... humiliated his Majesty by a shameful marriage” to a commoner.
Queen Silvia/Silvia, née Silvia Renate Sommerlath/Silvia Renata Sommerlath, was born on December 23, 1943 in Germany and became the fourth child in the family (she has three brothers). She cannot boast of nobility of origin.

Her father, Walther Sommerlath/Walter Sommerlath (1901-1990), came from a German merchant family. In 1920 he left for Brazil, and in 1925 he married Alice Soares de Toledo/Alice Suarez de Toledo. While still in Brazil, he joined the German Nazi Party.
In 1938 he returned with his family to Germany and became director of a metallurgical plant.
Her mother, Alice Soares de Toledo (1906-1997), was of Brazilian-Portuguese descent.

From February 1947 to 1957 the family lived in Brazil, where Walther Sommerlath worked for the Swedish metallurgical company Uddeholm.
When the family returned to Germany, Silvia entered the University of Munich to study Spanish translation (Silvia speaks Swedish, Portuguese, German, English, Spanish, French and sign language). After training, I got a job at the consulate of the Argentine Embassy. In 1972 at Olympic Games In Munich, Silvia was appointed member of the executive committee. At one of the ceremonial events she met the Crown Prince of Sweden.

Silvia/Silvia became Queen of Sweden on June 19, 1976. She wore a Dior dress designed by Marc Bohan, with a train carried by two footmen. On her head she had a diadem that previously belonged to her mother

Once upon a time there lived, once upon a time there was a king...

He ruled the country and the people as best he could... (c)

The Royal Family Sweden, consisting of this moment of King Carl XVI Gustaf, his graceful wife, Queen Silvia, Princess Victoria, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Magdalena, is one of the oldest in the world.

Monarchical form of government ( Konungariket Sverige ) has existed in Sweden for over 1000 years. The first Swedish king, Erik Segersall, reigned from approximately 970 to 995 AD. e. In the 11th-13th centuries, representatives of the Stenkil, Sverker and Eric families succeeded each other on the throne. Starting from the second half of the 13th century, the country was ruled by German princes from the Volkung families, and in the 15th century they were replaced by representatives of the Oldenburg dynasty.

The situation changed in 1523, when Gustav I Erikson Vasa liberated Sweden from Danish rule and the country became a hereditary monarchy. Representatives of the Vasa family remained on the throne for just over a century. They were replaced by the Palatinate, then Hesse, then Holstein-Gottorp.

New changes occurred in 1810, after the death of the heir to the throne, Karl August. One of Napoleon's marshals, the commoner Jean Baptiste Bernadotte, became the king, to whom Bonaparte awarded the title of Prince of Pontecorvo. He was officially adopted by King Charles XIII, and on May 1, 1818, was crowned Charles XIV Johan, King of Sweden and Norway.

The reigning king, Carl XVI Gustaf, is the seventh representative of the Bernadotte dynasty on the Swedish throne.

ABOUT His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf

His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf. Carl Gustav Folke Hubertus was born on April 30, 1946 at Haga Palace in Stockholm to Prince Gustav Adolf and Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. By that time, the family already had four children, but all were girls, so the newborn turned out to be the eldest son and heir. In 1947, Prince Gustav Adolf died tragically in a plane crash at Copenhagen Airport (Denmark). After the death of his father in 1947, Carl Gustav was raised by his mother and grandfather, who ascended to the Swedish throne in 1950 under the name of King Gustav VI. Simultaneously with the proclamation of his grandfather as king, his four-year-old grandson was proclaimed heir to the throne. The Crown Prince was first taught by private teachers invited to the palace. Then he began to attend the Broms school in Stockholm, then the Sigtuna boarding school.

The prince served two and a half years in the armed forces under a special program that included training in all branches of the military with a particular emphasis on the navy. In the winter of 1966-1967, he went on a long voyage on the minesweeper Alvslabben, after which in 1968 he passed the exam to become a naval officer. The prince continued military education at the Swedish National Defense College, combining study with service on various ships navy. After army service studied one course at the University of Uppsala, and then another at Faculty of Economics Stockholm University. The heir to the throne traveled a lot around the country, studying the activities of state and local governments, visiting factories, laboratories and schools. The Crown Prince took part in the activities of Sweden's permanent mission to the UN and the Swedish International Development and Cooperation Agency in Africa. Carl Gustav spent some time in London, working at Hambro`s Bank, the Swedish Embassy and the Swedish chamber of commerce, and then in France at the Alfa Laval plant.

On September 15, 1973, after the death of his grandfather, Carl Gustav ascended the Swedish throne. He rules under the motto “For Sweden and with the times.” In accordance with the law that came into force in 1975 new constitution country, the king actually had only ceremonial duties left.

In 1972, then-Crown Prince Carl Gustav met a translator from Germany, Silvia Sommerlath, at the Summer Olympics in Munich. In March 1976, they announced their engagement. The wedding took place on June 19, 1976 at the Stockholm Cathedral.

About Queen Silvia

Queen Silvia ( Drottning Silvia ) was born on December 23, 1943 in the family of German businessman Walter Sommerlath and Brazilian Alice Sommerlath, née de Toledo. The queen has three older brothers - Ralf, Walter and Jurg.

From 1947 to 1957, the Sommerlath family lived in Sao Paulo (Brazil), after which they returned to Germany. Sylvia Sommerlath graduated from school in Düsseldorf in 1963, and then from the Institute of Translators in Munich, receiving a diploma in Spanish translator. After graduation, she worked at the Argentine consulate in Munich. In 1971-1973 she worked on the organizing committee of the Summer Olympic Games in Munich, and from 1973 - deputy head of the protocol service of the organizing committee of the Winter Olympic Games in Innsbruck (Austria).

The king and queen have three children - crown princess Victoria, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Madeleine.

According to Sweden's 1980 law of succession, the throne passes to the king's eldest child, regardless of gender. Previously, the throne was occupied by the eldest son. There were two exceptions to this rule - Queen Christina in the 17th century and Queen Ulrika Eleonora in the 18th century. Thus, Crown Prince Carl Philip, being less than one year old, lost his primary right to the throne, ceding it to older sister Victoria.

About Crown Princess Victoria

Crown Princess of Sweden, Duchess of Västergotland Victoria Ingrid Alice Desiree ( Kronprinsessan Victoria) born on July 14, 1977 at the Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm. In 1982-1984 she visited preparatory school in Vasterled district. In the fall of 1984, she entered the Smedslättskolan school in Bromma, then moved to Alstenskolan in Bromma and completed her schooling at the Enskilda gymnasium in Stockholm.

The Crown Princess usually spent her school holidays abroad, in particular in the USA and Germany. The educational and practical training took place at the Museum of the Royal Family Collections and the Museum of National Antiquities. In the 1996-1997 academic year, the princess studied French at the international language center in Angers (France). The princess also passed special program acquaintance with the activities of the Swedish parliament and government.

The princess studied at Yale University (USA), where she studied political science and history. During her time in the United States, she worked as an intern at the Swedish Mission to the United Nations and the Swedish Embassy in the United States.

At the beginning of 2003, the princess served three weeks in the Swedish army.

Prince Carl Philip

In 1993, the Riksbank (Bank of Sweden) issued a commemorative version of 1 thousand crowns in honor of the 50th birthday of Silvia Renata Sommerlath, Queen of Sweden, wife of Carl XVI Gustaf. The coin weighs 5.8 grams and has a diameter of 20 millimeters and was minted from 900-carat gold at the national mint in Eskilstuna. A total of 14 thousand copies appeared, to which another thousand were then added with exquisite workmanship (prooflike).

The obverse features the profile of Queen Silvia facing right. The image is complemented by a crown (left) and a lily (right). At the top, along the circumference, are engraved the words: “Queen Silvia of Sweden”, and at the bottom is the date of the memorable event: December 23, 1943-1993. The reverse is completely occupied by a large version of the Swedish coat of arms. The shield is divided into four fields by a golden cross. At the top left and bottom right there are three golden crowns, two above one - national symbol since the era of Albert of Mecklenburg. At the top right and bottom left is a golden crowned lion with its tongue hanging out, representing ruling house Folkungov. On the central shield is the coat of arms of the ruling royal house of Bernadotte, combining the emblem of Vase (sheaf of ears of corn, left) and Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte (eagle over the bridge, right). The shield, topped with a crown, is supported on the sides by heraldic lions standing on hind legs, wearing crowns and forked tails. Below is the denomination in abbreviated form (juoo kg), to the left of it is the letter E, to the right is the letter D; they represent the company Myntverket AB, which issued Swedish coins UNTIL 2011. Sylvia Renata Sommerlath was born on December 23, 1943 in Heidelberg, Germany. Her father, Walter Sommerlath, was a German businessman; mother, Alice Soares de Toledo, was from Sao Paolo, Brazil, where the family moved in 1947-1957.

After returning to Germany, Sylvia graduated from the Faculty of Philology at the University of Dusseldorf. In 1972, she participated in the organization of the Olympic Games in Munich, during which she met her future husband, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. Their wedding took place on June 19, 1976 in the Stockholm Cathedral. To mark this1 event, the royal family invited the Swedish pop group ABBA to perform at the Stockholm Opera House. After the wedding ceremony, having received the title "Her Majesty the Queen Consort" of Sweden, Sylvia moved with Charles to the royal palace in Drottingholm. The monarchs have three children: Princess Victoria (born July 14, 1977), Prince Carl-Philipp (May 13, 1979) and Princess Madeleine (June 1982). The Swedish and international press have always been keenly interested in Queen Silvia, connecting with There are also real scandals named after her, although she was not always really involved in them. Despite everything, Sylvia behaved in accordance with her high rank and won the favor and sympathy of the majority of her fellow citizens. In addition to the traditional duties of the queen, Sylvia also performs others related to the guardianship of numerous public organizations.

Flikr/ Bengt Nyman / King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and Queen Silvia at Skansen

The celebrations were held modestly, in a narrow family circle at Solliden Palace on the island of Öland

Swedish tabloid Expressen reported that Princess Madeleine was absent from the celebrations - youngest daughter Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia.

In the fall of 2015, a change of residence was required by the work of her husband, banker Christopher O’Neill. The princess did not appear at her parents’ “ruby wedding” due to the abundance of anniversaries, significant events that happened in the Swedish royal family in 2016.

In March and April, Princess Madeleine gave birth to nephews, Prince Oscar. The addition of the royal family was naturally followed by christenings. On April 30, Madeleine's father turned 70 years old. The king's birthday was widely celebrated in the country. The 40th wedding anniversary of Carl Gustav and Sylvia was much more modest. The only official event dedicated to the anniversary is an exhibition wedding dresses Queen Silvia, her daughters Crown Princess Victoria and Princess Madeleine, daughter-in-law, and Carl Gustaf's late aunt, Princess Lilian.

The exhibition will open on October 22 at the Royal Palace in Stockholm and will last until March 5, 2017. On the eve of their wedding anniversary, Their Royal Majesties went on an official visit to Bhutan. This was the first state visit officials Sweden into an Asian monarchy.

The future Carl XVI Gustaf met Silvia Sommerlath at the Munich Olympics in 1972. A year later he ascended the Swedish throne. Their relationship was kept secret for several more years. Carl Gustav and Silvia were married on June 19, 1976 in Stockholm in St. Nicholas Church (Storkyrken), located next to the royal palace in the old city center. The wedding ceremony was the first royal wedding in Sweden since 1797. The newlyweds left the church in a carriage. They were greeted by 180,000 people on the streets of the city.

A few days before the 40th anniversary of their marriage, the Swedish royal couple participated in the launch of a water pump in a remote village in the kingdom of Bhutan. In an interview with the Expressen newspaper, the king took the opportunity to explain, using an example, what is the basis of him and Sylvia long marriage: “Take a situation like today. Now we are standing here in a small village in Bhutan - it's a little surprising, I think. We have traveled together over the years, representing Sweden, both at home and abroad. We are, after all, working together – not everyone can do that.”

Queen Silvia(Swedish: Silvia, Sveriges Drottning), born Silvia Renata Sommerlath(German: Silvia Renate Sommerlath, born December 23, 1943, Heidelberg) - Queen of Sweden, wife of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.

Biography

Sylvia Renata Sommerlath was born on December 23, 1943 in the German city of Heidelberg. She was the daughter of German businessman Walter Sommerlath (1901-1990) and his wife Alice Soares de Toledo (1906-1997), a Brazilian by nationality. Sylvia became youngest child in the family after Ralf (b. 1929), Walter Ludwig (b. 1934) and Hans Jörg (1941-2006). The family lived in Sao Paulo from 1947 to 1957. There, Sylvia attended the German school Visconde de Perto Seguro, and her father held various high positions at that time, for example, he was president of the Brazilian branch of the Swedish company Uddeholms AB. In 1957 the family returned to Germany

Before her marriage to the King of Sweden, Silvia worked at the Argentine consulate in Munich. After the Sommerlath family returned from Brazil to Germany, Sylvia went to study at the Munich Institute of Translators and graduated in 1969 as a Spanish translator. In 1971, she was appointed senior interpreter-guide for the organizing committee of the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. She worked as a flight attendant for a short time. She speaks German, Portuguese, French, Spanish and English, and after marriage she learned Swedish. Sylvia also speaks Swedish Sign Language, which is used to communicate with deaf people.

During these Olympic Games, Sylvia met Carl Gustav, at that time still the heir to the Swedish throne. Their engagement took place on March 12, 1976, and on June 19 of the same year took place in the Stockholm Cathedral wedding ceremony. Belongs to the Lutheran Church of Sweden, like Carl XVI Gustaf.

The Queen of Sweden is active in the field of disability assistance and is the Chairman of the Royal Wedding Fund, which funds research to help disabled athletes. Heads the International Children's Fund.

Children

• crown princess Victoria Ingrid Alice Desiree, Duchess of Westergotland(born July 14, 1977) - Crown Princess of Sweden since 1980; married since 2010 Olof Daniel Westling, have a daughter and a son;
• prince Carl Philip Edmund Bertil, Duke of Värmland(born May 13, 1979) - Crown Prince of Sweden in 1979; since 2015 married to Sofia Christine Hellqvist, have a son;
• princess Madeleine Teresa Amelia Josephine, Duchess of Helsingland and Gästrikland(born June 10, 1982) - married a businessman in 2013 Christopher O'Neill, have a daughter and a son.

Awards

• Austria Austria: Great Star of Honor for services to the Republic of Austria (1979)
• Belgium Belgium: Grand Cross Order of Leopold I (1977)
• Brazil Brazil: Grand Cross of the Order of the Southern Cross
• Bulgaria Bulgaria: Order of Stara Planina 1st class
• Denmark Denmark: Order of the Elephant (3.9.1985)
• Estonia Estonia: Grand Cross on the Chain of the Order of the Cross of the Land of Mary (11.09.1995)
• Estonia Estonia: Grand Cross of the Order of the White Star (01/18/2011)
• Finland Finland: Grand Cross on the Chain of the Order of the White Rose
• France France: Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor
• Germany Germany: Grand Cross 1st Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
• Greece Greece: Grand Cross of the Order of Honor (05/21/2008)
• Iceland Iceland: Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon (26.10.1981)
• Italy Italy: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (04/08/1991)
• Japan Japan: Order of the Precious Crown, 1st Class
• Jordan Jordan: Grand Star of the Order of the Renaissance (1989)
• Latvia Latvia: Grand Cross of the Order of the Three Stars (1995)
• Lithuania Lithuania: Grand Cross of the Order of Vytautas the Great (21.11.1995)
• Luxembourg Luxembourg: Order of the Golden Lion of Nassau (04.2008)
• Malaysia Malaysia: Order of the Crown of the Kingdom
• Netherlands Netherlands: Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion
• Norway Norway: Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav
• Poland Poland: Order of the White Eagle
• Portugal Portugal: Grand Cross of the Order of Christ (1987)
• Portugal Portugal: Grand Cross of the Order of the Infanta Don Henrique (2008)
• Romania Romania: Grand Cross of the Order of the Star of Romania (2008)
• Spain Spain: Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (15.10.1979)
• Thailand Thailand: Order of Chula Chom Klao 1st class
• Ukraine Ukraine: Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, 1st class. (March 22, 1999)
• Ukraine Ukraine: Order of Merit, 1st class. (September 29, 2008)
• Tunisia Tunisia: Dame of the Grand Ribbon of the Order of Merit (2015)
• Norway Norway: Commemorative Medal of the Silver Jubilee of King Harald V (17 January 2016)
• Chile Chile: Grand Cross of the Order of Bernardo O'Higgins (May 2016)
• Poland Poland: Order of the Smile
• Golden medal Supreme Council for scientific research (1989)