Swedish King and Queen Celebrate 50th Wedding Anniversary with Service and Concert

Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary, or golden jubilee, in Stockholm. The day began with a thanksgiving service at the Royal Chapel, followed by the royal couple boarding the gilded royal barge, 'Vasaorden.' Although their wedding date is June 19, 1976, the couple chose to celebrate six days early to avoid clashing with Sweden's traditional Midsummer festivities. Throughout the day, both invited guests and the public will have opportunities to see the royal couple. Later, they will attend a love-themed concert, with the celebrations concluding with a private dinner for family and friends at the Royal Palace. Princess Benedikte, Queen Margrethe's sister, is attending the morning service, along with her son and daughter-in-law. Queen Silvia, who is German-Brazilian, met King Carl Gustaf during the 1972 Munich Olympics. In a TV4 documentary, she recalled the challenges of her early years as queen, admitting she knew few Swedish words and felt uncertain about royal protocols. "It was a new chapter, you could say. And also an unwritten book. There are no rules, no one told me what to do, how to stand or walk," she shared. The couple has three children: Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Carl Philip, and Princess Madeleine.

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It was a new chapter, you could say. And also an unwritten book. There are no rules, no one told me what to do, how to stand or walk.