An update on Princess Madeleine’s wedding

Princess Madeleine and Christopher O’Neill. Photo: Patrick Demarchelier/The Royal Court.

The Royal Court has today issued several updates on the coming royal wedding between Princess Madeleine and Christopher O’Neill on 8 June. They have also published a special wedding section on their website and made a more thorough official biography of Christopher O’Neill available.

Christopher O’Neill’s title

The Marshal of the Realm, Svante Lindqvist, today issued a press release announcing that Christopher O’Neill will not receive a title subsequent to his marriage with Princess Madeleine. The wording of the announcement, translated from Swedish by me, reads:

Mister Christopher O’Neill is and remains an American citizen, and he intends to continue his business activities as before after he has entered marriage with H.R.H. Princess Madeleine. According to the policy of the Royal House a member of the Royal House should be a Swedish citizen, and not hold a position of responsibility in the business world.

This means that Mister Christopher O’Neill – according to these principles – cannot bear the title H.R.H. Prince of Sweden or Duke of Gästrikland and Hälsingland.

With reference to these demands Mister Christopher O’Neill has respectfully requested to remain a private citizen and not be bestowed with royal dignity.

The title announcement is perhaps not very surprising in my opinion; I really hadn’t expected anything else. What remains to be decided and announced is how they will handle the couple’s future children. The Swedish Act of Succession states that princes and princesses should be brought up in Sweden, the question is what legals experts would argue that it entails in today’s world. Princess Madeleine will not give up her H.R.H. or lose her position in the Royal House after the marriage.

Princess Madeleine & Christopher O’Neill’s monogram by Vladimir A Sagerlund.

Joint monogram

The heraldic artist at Riksarkivet (The National Archives) Vladimir A Sagerlund has composed the couple’s monogram. It consists of their intertwined and mirrored initials with a ducal crown adorned with Vasa vases and sceptres resting above the M.

Lysning

Lysning, the traditional announcement of an impending marriage in the church, will be held for Princess Madeleine and Christopher O’Neill this coming Sunday 19 May in the Royal Palace Church at 11 AM. The lysning announcement will be made during the Royal Court Parish’s weekly Sunday service but afterwards a reception for invited guests will be held at the Royal Palace at 2 PM.

Wedding celebrations

On Friday 7 June a wedding dinner will be held at Grand Hôtel which lies opposite the Royal Palace, just across the water. This will be a private dinner for family and friends.

On Saturday 8 June the wedding will take place in the Royal Palace Church at the Royal Palace at 4 PM. The Chief Court Chaplain Lars-Göran Lönnermark and the Pastor of the Royal Court Parish Michael Bjerkhagen will be officiating.

The Prime Minister and parliamentary party leaders are invited to the wedding.

After the ceremony is over a salute of 21 rounds will be shot from Skeppsholmen near the palace. The bridal couple have not announced a balcony appearance but will travel from the palace to Skeppsholmen in a cortège with military lining the route. From Riddarholmen the couple and invited guests will travel to Drottningholm by boat.

At Drottningholm a wedding dinner will be held, responsible chef is the court’s usual choice Stefano Catenacci from Operakällaren in Stockholm.

Sveriges Television (SVT) will air the wedding ceremony but not the dinner. It has not (yet) been announced if they will be allowed to film anything from the inside at Drottningholm, such as the speeches, but they will cover the arrivals there.

Abdication buzz is all around, is it really a good idea? Why I remain a supporter of monarchy as it is!

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One charm of having a monarchy and Royal Family: many generations together, here King Gustaf VI Adolf, King Gustav V, Princess Sibylla, King Carl XVI Gustaf

In the wake of the recent abdication and a new monarch taking over in the Netherlands it feels like it’s just not the media that has been discussing royal abdications, but also monarchists and royal watchers. But after so many centuries of hereditary monarchies and relatively few abdications in Europe, why are so many discussing the occurrence and its pros and cons now?

I think it’s simply the times we live in; a global media world which is very age-fixated, prone to surface and image, used to multiple-choice and voting out what is not liked. That’s why, in some countries, a few people (and maybe mainly media, who want to sell more) are beginning to question ageing monarchs and seeing better options in their young, attractive heirs with their often glamorous spouses and young children. Some are even questioning the health and mental abilities of older people; others are trying to suggest that monarchs should be retired to a peaceful and private existence for those last golden years of life.

All of this discussion even went so far that I myself began pondering on what I really thought about it, after once deciding that constitutional monarchy was my preferred political system and basing most of my royal interest on that decision. Would it really be so bad to introduce a system of abdication in more countries, modelled after the Netherlands where an ageing monarch retires and lets a new generation take over?

After much thought my answer is yes, it would really be so bad. We have monarchies for a reason and if we begin to fiddle with them too much then they lose what is good about them in the first place. For me a constitutional monarchy is the preferred model of government and apart from my favourite argument that it gives a country a non-political and uniting figurehead, which in these times should carry some weight, I also cherish the continuity, stability and tradition that a monarchy entails.

Abdications might work in the Netherlands and Luxembourg where the monarchies have that tradition since a long time (and they are still constitutional and hereditary, mind you), but introducing it elsewhere in the 21st century would only turn the other European monarchies into popularity contests. The idea of a monarchy (in the form we have) is that it’s hereditary and provides continuity in an otherwise uncertain world and we must let monarchs thrive in their positions no matter what their age is. In most countries there is legal room for regencies if a monarch is incapacitated, but that’s another issue altogether.

Modern monarchies are already enough focused on personalities and receiving mostly only very superficial coverage by the media, we don’t also need the institution of the monarchy to turn into a new version of docu-soaps where we vote out the least liked people from the house or island and go for the most attractive and/or attention-grabbing person. That’s not what a monarchy is about and if that’s what the media and/or some people want then they should go for another form of government.

There is no doubt that the remaining monarchies of the world will face enormous challenges in the future, and that some challenges are already presenting themselves in plentiful for some of them. Apart from some scandals and rocky years that have come and gone in recent years, there are larger issues at bay for the monarchs and the future generations of family. Questions such as how will they be able to imprint the same kind of service and duty attitude that they themselves were brought up with in the old royal world, in a time where royals are no longer raised apart from the rest of the people and have the same kind of requirements for keeping their status? And how can being a monarch or a royal be a calling and not a job? How can the younger generations learn not to take things for granted? And how can they keep royals from becoming too much like celebrities?

These are some of the issues for both present time and the future, but no matter what I hope that we can allow all people, monarchs or not, to be seen as equally useful and productive no matter their age. Personally I think that a long period of learning, preparation, freedom and time to raise a family is good, everyone should have the opportunity to amass some life experience before having to step up to something. An ageing monarch can simply scale back on their duties and let the family help more, if that’s what they need or wish to do, but age in itself should never be an argument for abdication. Monarchs like Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and King Bhumibol of Thailand are good examples that age is nothing but a number and that one is never too old to contribute and serve.

A few generations ahead, I hope that we will still be able to call the monarchy an anchor of the country, the guarantee for continuity, stability, and a connection to our history. The challenges are many but there is no reason why they can’t be met, and that’s why I remain a supporter of a constitutional, hereditary monarchy in its original form.

New exhibition: “Bilder av Kristina”

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Yesterday, on my birthday actually, a friend and I had the pleasure of attending the opening of a highly anticipated exhibition in Stockholm – “Bilder av Kristina” (“Images of Kristina”).

The plans for this exhibition took root in 2010 when the Vatican Library offered the Royal Armoury (Livrustkammaren) to borrow items from a collection that was started by Queen Christina and had been restored with the financial aid of The Marcus and Amalia Wallenberg Memorial Foundation.

The result of that offer and its subsequent plans has now become an exhibition and today, 324 years after the Queen’s death, the first Swedish exhibition about her life since Nationalmusem (The National Museum of Fine Arts) held one in 1966, has opened.

Princess Christina Mrs Magnuson The opening ceremony was held in the Hall of State at the Royal Palace of Stockholm. After introductions by Malin Grundberg, director of the Royal Armoury, and Magnus Hagberg, director general of the museum authority of which the Royal Armoury is a part, the word was given to Monsignor Cesare Pasini, prefect of the Vatican Library. Cellist Linnea Olsson performed and the Swedish Minister for Culture, Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth, held a quite general speech.

The actual opening of the exhibition was performed by Princess Christina Mrs Magnuson who, after a general short introduction to Queen Christina’s life, contributed with a personal anecdote.

Princess Christina told how she had the pleasure of visiting the exhibition at Nationalmuseum in 1966 and that her grandfather, King Gustaf VI Adolf, wanted to thank the pope personally for the cooperation the Swedish involved parties had received by the Vatican. To avoid attention and anyone noticing, not wanting it to be seen as an official visit, King Gustaf VI Adolf decided to deliver his greetings during one of his private stays in Rome. He and his grandchild Princess Christina were driven a back-way at the Vatican and discreetly ushered into the building where they then encountered Pope Paul VI in one of the corridors. After delivering his thank you message, King Gustaf VI Adolf and the pope sat down and talked for a good half hour, two learned men as they were, and Princess Christina remembers sitting in a corner and just listening, almost in awe.

After the opening ceremony, everyone had a chance to visit the exhibition in the armoury and the Stockholm Cathedral which shows two unique books from the Vatican. At the Royal Armoury they have divided the exhibition into sections focusing on different parts of Queen Christina’s life or aspects of her personality – it’s the warrior king’s daughter, the King Christina, the Minerva of the north, the catholic convert and queen without a land, the “queer” queen (questions of her identity), the dead majesty (with the tomb opening), and the queen of many myths.

With these sections the Royal Armoury has put focus on the sides of Queen Christina which will probably always make her a fascinating topic for research and discussion, and a historical figure one will never fully be able to categorize and describe.

The Vatican Library has contributed with several items; the most unique of those is a pergament from the 9th century. Queen Christina started her collection of books and scripts as a young student in the early 17th century Stockholm, it was then added to through all her years via purchases, gifts and looting (war booty).

Later, before abdicating from the Swedish throne, Queen Christina made sure to ship the collections she wanted to surround herself with, out of Sweden. After the Queen’s death the pope acquired much of her collection which has since 1690 been placed in the Vatican Library. The collection has since been added to through the years.

Other items in the exhibition is the coronation mantle which only bears traces of the over 700 gold crowns that it was once embroidered with, the coronation throne canopy, the Act of Abdication and a special metallic mesh mail (see Wikipedia for explanation). It’s the mail that Marquise Monaldesco wore when Queen Christina had him executed in 1657 after suspecting that he was exposing her secret plans to become Queen of Naples with the help of France. The execution was long and bloody because of this protection. The piece is a loan from Palace of Fontainebleau.

Apart from objects like these there are many portraits on display from the different life ages of Queen Christina as well as on people who were important in her life, and a varied collection of books and documents. Accompanying the old historic objects are contemporary segments, namely video installations, a sound installation and a “norm tester” for the visitors to interact with.

All in all it’s a small exhibition (because of the museum’s limited space) that gives the visitor tiny glimpses of Queen Christina’s life. One risk, I would say, is that visitors without any pre-knowledge will only learn very limited information and run a risk of taking some of these “images” of the Queen, without really grasping them, and carrying them still into the future.

Accompanying the exhibition is a book, “Bilder av Kristina: Drottning av Sverige – Drottning i Rom” (“Images of Kristina: Queen of Sweden, Queen in Rome”), which is its biggest proceed. In the book twelve authors and authorities on Queen Christina have written one chapter each and there are photographs of the exhibition’s items. So far I have only had a chance to glance through the book but it looks very interesting; although I’m already quite sure that it will feel like they have been kept on a leech and could’ve been given a bit more room. But this book will make an interesting read and a lasting piece giving our time’s thoughts and research on Queen Christina’s life.

- Gustav II Adolf’s daughter has become a bridge between different cultures and an opportunity to cooperation, to understanding and also to friendship between Kristina’s two worlds, the one in which she was born and the one she decided to take to her heart, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone writes in one of its introductions.

Overview of one of the exhibition rooms. Photo: Erik Lernestål/The Royal Armoury (Livrustkammaren).

“Bilder av Kristna” (“Images of Kristina”) opened today and is open until 5 January 2014. The exhibition is made possible by financial contribution from The Axel and Margaret Ax:son Johnson Foundation and is a cooperation between the Royal Armoury (Livrustkammaren), the National Archives (Riksarkivet), the Stockholm Cathedral (Storkyrkan) and the Swedish embassy at the Holy See.

Härkeberga Church

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Situated a few miles north of Enköping municipality in Uppland County, Härkeberga church looks like a quite typical small Uppland-style church of which there are many dotted around its countryside that is rich in medieval remains.

But there is more to it than that humble greystone façade lets you know about; on the inside the church contains some of the best murals of Sweden’s most famous artist of the time it was built.

Härkeberga Church lies on a ridge in open countryside landscape, surrounded by a partly-medieval wall that has a roofed stone entrance. The construction of the church took place in phases; the nave, chancel and sacristy was built in the beginning of the 14th century while the weapon-house (porch/anteroom) and stone vaults were added in the 15th century. Five of the windows are from the early periods and also the doors between the weapon-house and the church as well as to the sacristy have survived from the original state.

The décor boasts with a beautiful 1791 pulpit by court sculptor Jean Baptiste Masreliez. There is also a crucifix from the early 14th century. The pews are from 1755, but uses material from the 17th century, and the current organ was put in place in 1811. The church is remarkably well maintained and not much has been done about it since a 1930′s renovation when also electric power was installed.

On to the murals! Immediately when you walk into Härkeberga Church, through the weapon-house over the doorstep that separates the two, your eyes start to wander over those wonderfully decorated walls. Lively medieval-style characters depicting stories from the Old and New Testament, often modelled on the Biblia pauperum, meets you. The murals are thought to be from around 1480 and are made with lime paint by Albertus Pictor, famous at his time and now. If you study the details of the paintings you can spot an eagle claw here and there, this was a signature for Archbishop Jakob Ulvsson (1435-1521) and signals that they were made during his tenure.

The murals of the vaults at Härkeberga Church are unique because they have never been covered nor restored; what meets your eyes today is also what met the eyes of churchgoers in the Middle Ages and they have witnessed both Catholic and later Lutheran ceremonials. The murals of the walls, however, were covered in the late 18th or early 19th century and were brought to the light and restored again during the 1930′s. Colour is the only thing that has changed about Pictor’s work; at the time they were made the colours were much stronger and made an even greater impact – what we today see as dark brown or black was red at the time. The kind of paint used for the red colour has simply oxidized with time.

Albertus Pictor (ca. 1440-1509, exact dating unknown) was probably born in the town of Immenhausen near Hessen in Germany but is known in Swedish records since 1465. He was a painter and embroiderer and has left a remarkable legacy in some 30-something churches in the counties of Uppland, Södermanland and Västmanland, though not all of them verified by lasting signatures.

To see more of my photos from Härkeberga Church, visit this set of mine on Flickr.

Obit: Baroness Elisabeth Palmstierna (1917-2013)