The Golden Wedding anniversary of King Carl XVI Gustaf (80) and Queen Silvia (82) will be celebrated in fitting style. The Swedish royal couple will mark their 50th wedding anniversary on June 19, but the official celebrations are already scheduled for Saturday, June 13. They are being moved up because June 19 falls on Midsummer's Eve. A day full of activities is planned, as the Royal Court has announced.
The procession starts after the church service
According to the program, the anniversary celebrations will begin with a thanksgiving service "Te Deum". This will take place from 11:00 a.m. in the Palace Church, with numerous invited guests expected to attend. After that, the public will also have plenty of opportunity to see the royals: Starting at 2:00 p.m., there will first be a ride on the ceremonial barge. Carl Gustaf and Silvia will board the royal barge Vasaorden below the palace and be transported from Skeppsbron to Djurgården. From there, the golden couple will travel through the streets of Stockholm - specifically via Strandvägen, Birger Jarlsgatan, Stureplan, Kungsgatan, Sveavägen, Sergels torg and Hamngatan to Kungsträdgården.
The next highlight will then take place there starting at 3:00 p.m.: The royal couple is inviting all interested parties to a large free concert on the theme of love, featuring music from the past 50 years. Hosts Mark Levengood and Amie Bramme Sey will guide through the event, at which various artists and a gospel choir will perform.
In the evening, starting at 6:00 p.m., things will continue at the Opera House with a concert for the Golden Wedding. Tickets for this went on sale in mid-March. "The evening begins with a wedding march, followed by classics and popular opera pieces, featuring court singers Daniel Johansson, Karl-Magnus Fredriksson and Elin Rombo as soloists, among others", the Royal Swedish Opera announces. The Royal Ballet will also present several dance performances. There will be "a golden gift with some surprises" for the royal couple. Those who cannot be present in the hall can watch the broadcast on Swedish television.
After these cultural offerings, the royal couple will end the day with a private dinner among family members and friends. This is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. at the palace.
Exhibition and stamp
In addition to the big day of activities, there is also an exhibition at the palace in honor of Carl Gustaf and his Silvia. It is titled "Gold! - 50 Years Together for Sweden" and was opened on May 22. As the Royal Court announced, many memories such as photographs, wedding gifts and garments will be displayed in the State Hall, which "reflect five decades of shared history". A new stamp in honor of the couple was also released in Sweden on May 7. The stamp, designed by Daniel Bjugård, shows the couple in the park of Drottningholm Palace - the photo is by Elisabeth Toll - and is framed by a so-called mini-sheet with embossed and gilded details.
