Longer summary of the Aftonbladet article today:
Just in time for the King’s 60th birthday next year, the famous and popular Swedish historian Herman Lindqvist has written a book (biography) about King Carl XVI Gustaf. The title will be “Carl XVI Gustaf – conversations with the times” and will be published by Ekerlids in time for the birthday.
The publishers are surprised that the news of the new book has not leaker out sooner, Bertil Ekerlid at the publishing house says that after all the author has been seen at the palace a lot lately. He is also very pleased with the book, according to him; the author has written the books in a very vivid way and with a personal touch.
The book contains several “news”.
To get information and backgrounds to the book, the author Herman Lindqvist and the King have had twelve long conversations that has taken place at the Royal Palace of Stockholm, in which the King has contributed his very personal views and experiences in life.
This is the first time the King will tell about how it was to become the world’s youngest King and in the book he says that he didn’t feel mature enough when he ascended the throne at age 27. In the book, the King also reveals that he took long walks together with his sister Princess Christina in 1973, before his accession to the throne. Together they made a strategy for the future – the King came to the throne in a politically turbulent time, and in the book he tells how hard it was to always be the youngest – younger than all the ministers for example.
The King also tells about his four year low key relationship with Silvia, which the author describes as a long hide and seek time – for example the future Queen even took the measure of wearing a wig in order not to be discovered.
Herman Lindqvist, the author, has also interviewed the Queen and the Crown Princess, which are a complement to the interviews with the King. He has had no restrictions in his work, there has been no censorship from the Royal Court – he has for example discussed the famous “Brunei scandal” together with the King. Also Elisabeth Tarras-Wahlberg, now Court Marshall for the Crown Princess’ Household, has written a few chapters. She writes about the King’s constitutional role and makes personal reflections of her 29 years working for the King. She says that the King doesn’t come to his right in short articles, and that this is the first time he has really been interviewed in a very deep way. She hopes that it will show that he is a more multi facetted person than what is known to the public.
Author Herman Lindqvist says that he thinks the King is very humoristic and open hearted, and that he has reached an age and maturity in which he can openly discuss his role.
The original & full article (in Swedish) can be found
here.
Pictures from the article:
1973, ascending the throne
1996, Victoria's graduation
1975, with Silvia in Berlin
1985, with the family
1973, with Silvia in his Porshe
1976, the wedding
1997, Herman Lindqvist (the author of the book) receives a medal
2004, at a concert (at the Palace's Court Yard)
2001 (2005 written by Aftonbladet), as "rumpnissar"
