purple_platinum said:
is this an annual thing? how come for a 'solemn gathering', they have to wear a gala dress and a sash?
but she looks great with her hair down..
Picture by Fredrik Perssons/Pressens Bild via Aftonbladet
The Solemn Gathering is a very special occasion indeed, it is the only ”open” proceeding that the Swedish Academy holds – but it is only opened in the sense that only invitees are welcome. All other proceedings of the Swedish Academy are held behind closed doors and off limits to the media and the public.
As you can see in the picture that Lena posted, the Lady-in-Waiting behind the Crown Princess is wearing her Court Dress, something that is only done for very special occasions.
The gathering relays on tradition, things are done about as they always have. The Solemn Gathering was held in the Great Hall of the Stock Exchange House, and everything was done in a very old fashioned way. The gathered audience of course rose when the royals entered, but also when the members of the Swedish Academy entered the room to take their places in the middle – also the royals rose for them.
During the proceedings, Mr Englund, a member of the Academy, read an essay about Queen Kristina during which he quoted her:
- People marry because they don’t know what they are doing.
Aftonbladet noted that Crown Princess Victoria closed her eyes and smiled during the quote.
Aftonbladet calls the occasion “a mass for the word”, and pointed out that most attendees were Court people, academics and people alike.
Those of you who read Swedish can get the whole Aftonbladet article on this occasion
here.
