50 facts on the Golden Couple

As King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia mark 50 years of marriage today, the Royal News Organisation has gathered 50 facts you might not know about the ‘Golden Couple.’

1. Crown Prince Carl Gustaf met Silvia Sommerlath at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich.
2. The couple were photographed together in 1973, but the media believed she was Margareta of Romania, as the King had been linked to her in the past.
3. The King said they “just clicked” when they met in Germany.
4. At the engagement interview, Silvia said, “I’m very happy.”
5. Carl Gustaf became King a year after they met.
6. While dating, Silvia snuck around Sweden wearing a blonde wig to avoid detection by the press.
7. To escape the Swedish press, the pair would spend time in Switzerland, France and Italy.
8. Silvia moved to Sweden in 1974 and lived in an apartment owned by the King’s older sister, Princess Christina.
9. Queen Silvia is close to 2.5 years older than the King.
10. Carl Gustaf waited to propose to Silvia until after his grandfather’s death. Gustaf VI Adolf was unwilling to waver on his firm belief that royals should only marry other royals.
11. His Majesty proposed with his mother Princess Sibylla’s engagement ring.
12. The King and future Queen waited to announce their engagement until Silvia was finished with her duties at Innsbruck’s Winter Olympic Games.
13. When Carl Gustaf was questioned on why he fell in love with Silvia, he said, “She is Silvia. You can see for yourself.”
14. Silvia renounced her German citizenship and became a Swedish citizen on 17 June 1976.
15. Their wedding was the first for a reigning Swedish monarch since 1797.
16. The wedding was the first Swedish royal wedding to be broadcast on television.
17. The King wanted the wedding to be as accessible to as many people as possible.
18. They were married by the Archbishop of Uppsala, Olof Sundby, in Stockholm Cathedral.
19. The church was said to be filled with the scent of lilacs and roses.
20. 1,200 people attended their wedding, with hundreds of thousands celebrating in the streets.
21. The Drottning Silvia rose was developed in her honour.
22. The couple married on 19 June 1976.
23. The King and new Queen travelled through the streets of Stockholm by carriage and via boat to greet the people.
24. The wedding reception took place at the Royal Palace.
25. Silvia’s wedding ivory silk duchesse gown was designed by Marc Bohan for Dior.
26. She had a small handkerchief on her wrist in case her emotions got the best of her during the wedding.
27. She wore the Swedish Cameo Tiara for her wedding.
28. About her wedding day, Queen Silvia said in the book Pictures from my life by Charles Hammarsten and Elisabeth Tarras-Wahlberg: “I was excited, but at the same time I felt an inner peace and harmony. It was as if I was alone in the world with my future husband. The surroundings did not exist.”
29. Queen Silvia is the first Swedish queen consort since 1965.
30. The King was also the first monarch to marry a non-royal in close to 400 years.
31. Queen Silvia wore the same wedding veil as the King’s mother for her nuptials. It dates back to Sweden’s Queen Sofia.
32. On the night before their wedding, ABBA debuted the song “Dancing Queen” in honour of Silvia during a gala.
33. Silvia wore a tiara for the first time during the gala and paid tribute to her late mother-in-law by wearing Princess Sibylla’s Tiara (also known as the Connaught Diamond Tiara).
34. They honeymooned in Africa and Hawaii.
35. The King and Queen have three children (Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Madeleine) and nine grandchildren (Princess Estelle, Prince Oscar, Prince Alexander, Prince Gabriel, Prince Julian, Princess Ines, Princess Leonore, Prince Nicolas and Princess Adrienne).
36. Their eldest child, Crown Princess Victoria, married Prince Daniel on their 34th wedding anniversary.
37. His Majesty was only present at the birth of his youngest child, Princess Madeleine, after he was unable to make it back in time for the births of her older siblings.
38. The Royal Family relocated to Drottningholm Palace in 1980 to live but continued to keep their offices at the Royal Palace.
39. The laws of succession were changed in January 1980 to allow for absolute primogeniture. As a result, their first child, Princess Victoria, became Crown Princess of Sweden. Their second child, Crown Prince Carl Philip, then became Prince Carl Philip.
40. Solliden Palace, where the family spends their summers, is the personal property of King Carl Gustaf.
41. Their first state visit was to Germany in October 1976.
42. Carl Gustaf is the longest-reigning monarch in Swedish history and the longest-reigning monarch currently in Europe.
43. The pair shares interests in nature and the outdoors.
44. They have a Bavarian Mountain Hound named Bonnie, who has appeared in royal photographs and videos.
45. Queen Silvia is half Brazilian and half German. She grew up in both countries.
46. She is passionate about protecting children and helping those with dementia. She has founded charities to support those initiatives: the World Childhood Foundation and Mentor International.
47. Queen Silvia is the longest-serving Queen consort in Swedish history.
48. She is also the first Swedish queen to have had a professional career.
49. Queen Silvia said of her relationship with Carl Gustaf, “Our love is reflected in our wonderful children and their families.”
50. An exhibit, “Gold! Together for Sweden for 50 years,” is now open at the Royal Palace to celebrate the pair’s 50th wedding anniversary.