The king has given an interview to Bengt Hansell from Sveriges Radio. It is a very extensive interview, the king speaks about his years as a king, prince Bertil's loyalty to Sweden and the royal house, his children marrying for love, order of succession and freedom of religion, the confidence people have in the royal house, work for children, terrorism, Victoria's family living in Haga and about that Victoria will be the queen in same day.
Some things the king said:
- Actually, I would perhaps like to travel more often in Sweden. But unfortunately it is very much this kind of business "in the house", very ordinary office job in any way. There are a lot of meetings, we prepare every trip and visit, it is surprising how much time goes to that kind of things.
About that to be in the order of succession one must be baptized
- I heard someone in the Swedish Church (Bishop Caroline Krook) has said that "It is easy to be born with Donald Duck, but it is not so easy to die with Donald Duck." I think it says absolutely everything, you need faith, you need something you can think about and that gives a strength and confidence.
About if he feels that the people have confidence in monarchy when he meets people
- I feel it very strongly in many situations when I'm travelling in Sweden in the country and meet people.
About that he grew up on Haga, and visiting there and seeing Princess Estelle playing there, does he get some childhood memories of Haga, from the playhouse there?
- I moved from Haga when I was four. But we had the opportunity to take advantage of the park and the house. The Palace was there, but we didn't use it. We were mostly out in the park and the garden and played when I was little and so I was back throughout my youth. It feels amazingly nice now to be able to see the crown princess and her family growing up there now in the same situation as I was, at the same age, four years. It feels right in some way.
About that at some point the crown princess takes over as queen. Can the king see it in front of him, what will happen? The world is changing so fast after all, the world is she into?
- Yes, that is what we will never know! One wonders, you can try to educate oneself and be open to things that come. But now, after all she has a completely different possibility, she is already much older than I was when I became King of Sweden. Hopefully I can have a good life and to avoid getting sick, it can give her a few more years, so she will have a completely different basis and chance, she stands on her feet, knows what she wants in a completely different way and has a completely different security and self-esteem, than what I had.
- I was relatively young, as people thought at the time. Or you might not think that one was so young at the time. I was after 27 years which is quite young at the moment, I think now.
- I was of course very uncertain. All the people were older. I was thinking about it the other day, out in the country, at Stenhammar, that I was always the youngest, wherever I went. Now I'm soon oldest wherever I go, the king laughs. It has changed a bit.
- It has done that you know all the people, you know the Swedish people, you know the places and you know most things, there is a tremendous security.
But it was tougher then, when the king came to?
- Yes of course. I was young and everything was new, I had to create something instead. To succeed my grandfather, he was 90 plus years. Before I realized that I can not change me, I am who I am and my potential and temperament, compared with my grandfather who was older and he had another area of interest which he had managed to grow over many, many years as crown prince.
- It was a completely different tempo in everything, when compared with now. It is much, much higher pace, it is completely different, says King Carl Gustaf.
One can listen to the interview here:
Kungen i exklusiv intervju med Ekot om 70-årsdagen 28 april kl 05_00 - Kungahuset _ Sveriges Radio
Translation
