The Tsunami in South East Asia (Reactions of the Swedish Royals): December 26, 2004

[robby86]

How many are still missing? What a horibale thing that has happend.

 

[Dennism]

[font=verdana, arial]Swedish King Carl Gustaf Queen Silvia and Princess Madeleine attend a memorial sermon for the Tsunami victims in Uppsala Cathedral. The heavy storms in Southern Sweden cancelled Silvia´s trip to Lund.


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[GrandDuchess]

Thanks for posting the pictures Dennism, they are very nice. The Queen’s airplane couldn’t land at Sturup Airport when she was going to Lund’s Cathedral, because of the hurricane level storms, so she had to turn around and go back to Stockholm – and then went from there to Uppsala Cathedral. The Archbishop held a wonderful worship/devotion called “the God of all solace” during the service.

 

[Josefine]

thank you for the photos

first i thought madeleines throne look a bit grander as it was a high back but then i saw it was much thinner then the king and queens


any photos of victoria and carl philip

 

[loving silvia and carl gustaf]

Why is Madeleine sitting at the chair next to the king in some of the pictures, and in the rest of the pictures, Silvia is sitting next to Carl Gustaf, and Madeleine is sitting next to Silvia? I really can't understand...Can anyone explain?

 

[Dennism]

She arrived a little late because of the problems in Lund.

 

[rere]

Swedish Princess Victoria attends a memorial ceremony for the Tsunami victims in Uppsala Cathedral, Sweden on January 8, 2005. (Pictured: Princess Victoria) Photo by Niklas Larsson/Pressens Bild/ABACA </SPAN>

 

[Dennism]

Thanks for posting a photo of the Crown Princess. She was in Skara though. Photo agencies should know these things!

Perhaps for many but the Royal Court did announce this earlier in the week. Anyway, Skara is a town in Västergötland. It has a cathedral which has some parts which date to the 11th century. Very Gothic cathedral. Most of it dates from the 13th century. It is the oldest diocese in Sweden. The city itself was founded in the 10th century which makes it one of the oldest in Sweden.

 

[Genevieve]

Is it just me or has the Swedish media not been more outspoken about Victoria's behaviour during this entire situation? She makes her first appearance after 8 days of absence bows her head and cries a bit and everything is swept under the rug? She goes back to being the perfect little princess and back high on that pedestal she has been placed.

It would bequeath Victoria and her future role a lot if she could at least understand her error in this situation so that we don't experience a repeat.

Shame on the Swedish media for completely ignoring Victoria's mistake and her very apparent lack of consideration in this matter.

 

[mixer2002de]

yeah! Was is a lil bit strange. But maybe she just had the luck, that the press was not in the mood for stories about her or had some better things to write of...

 

[beeniebaby]

From the church in Uppsala 7th of January in honour of the tsunami victims.

One more from the tvshow.

Some more...

 

[Guess Who]

Pictures from the church.Sorry if theyve been posted before

 

[Josefine]

there is a memory cermony now on swedish TV that the royal family attends

 

[GrandDuchess]

The National Gathering for Reflection and Fellowship - the Programme:

Nacka Music Classes. Conductor Johan Holgersson. Trumpet Ivar Hedén Turesson. "A child". Text and music: Thad Jones.

Reading: Melinda Kinnaman. Poem "Nu föds ett barn" ('Now a Baby is Born'). Text: Barbro Lindgren.

Benny Andersson's Orchestra. "Tröstevisa" ('Comfort Melody'). Music: Benny Andersson.

Speech by HM King Carl XVI Gustaf.

Ale Möller with Shipra Nandy and Maria Stellas. "Dao bidaai / Livadhia". Text and music: trad. India and Greece, arr. Ale Möller.

Song: Rikard Wolff and accordion: Niklas Sundén. "Min Gud" ('My god'). Text and music: Michel Vaucaire/Charles Dumont.

Song: Louise Hoffsten with Benny Andersson's Orchestra. "Have a little faith in me". Text and music: John Hiatt.

Speech by Archbishop KG Hammar.

Ale Möller with song from Louise Hoffsten and Maria Stellas. "Varför skola männskor strida/Xanalego" ('Why do people fight', traditional Salvation Army song, combined with a Greek song). Text: V Dahlquist Musik: H Danks / Trad. Greece.

Reading: Melinda Kinnaman. Text: "Sorg" ('Grief') Text: Bodil Malmsten.

Song: Robyn and piano: Björn Yttling. "En dejlig rosa". Text and music: trad. Sweden.

Speech by Prime Minister Göran Persson.

Nacka Music Classes. Conductor: Johan Holgersson. "Bogoroditse Devo from Vesper". Music: Sergei Rachmaninoff.

 

[GrandDuchess]

Earlier today, a National Gathering for Reflection and Fellowship was in the City Hall in Stockholm. King Carl XVI Gustaf, Queen Silvia, Crown Princess Victoria, Princess Madeleine, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Lilian topped the guest list as the Prime Minister and whole Government, the Speaker of the Parliament, the Archbishop, representatives from the Diplomatic Corps and a total of about 1 150 guests gathered. This was not a mourning ceremony, which has been very emphasized by the Government - this was a ceremony for reflection and fellowship, supposed to provide a start when things go back to normal today. These pics are from Svenska Dagbladet:

 

[Lena]

Pictures from today from Fotomarktplatz:

 

[GrandDuchess]

More pictures from the National Gathering for Reflection and Fellowship today in the City Hall in Stockholm:

 

[GrandDuchess]

More pictures from the National Gathering for Reflection and Fellowship today in the City Hall in Stockholm:

 

[Dennism]

BBC

King Carl Gustaf of Sweden has led a national ceremony in Stockholm to remember the Swedish victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami. Sweden has suffered the greatest number of deaths per capita of any country outside the earthquake region. Fifty two Swedes have been confirmed dead in the disaster, with more than 600 still missing. The authorities have no information about another 1,000 people, who could have been in the affected region.

In a statement broadcast live on state-run television and radio, the king told survivors and relatives of those killed that he wished he could put everything right again like a fairytale king. But, he added, he was just another mourner.

"We are all just humans without clear answers," he said. "What can I say that could be helpful? It feels as though there are no more words or that they have never existed."

The survivors and relatives were joined by members of the government and royal family at the ceremony in Stockholm. Across the country people watched it on television. The BBC's Lars Bevanger says that Swedish children returning to school after the Christmas and New Year holidays, will find a number of empty desks. In some schools, teachers will be missing. Most schools do not know who are still unaccounted for, because the authorities have decided not to publish the names of those missing.

In other Nordic countries the number of missing people dramatically decreased when such lists were made public, as it became clear some of those listed had in fact returned safely home.

 

[Lena]

Article from the local:

Carl Gustaf: "Nobody dares to take responsibility"

On Monday King Carl Gustaf led a memorial service for the victims of the tsunami catastrophe in Asia with what Svenska Dagbladet called "a strong, personal speech". But earlier in the day another newspaper, Dagens Nyheter, carried a full-length interview with the king, in which he appeared to criticise the government's reaction to the disaster.

Representatives of the government and parliament, the palace and a host of other organisations gathered in Stockholm's Town Hall heard the king implore the young survivors of the tsunami to turn to Sweden's adults for help.

"We adults will listen to you, you who are children and young, to your stories of what you experienced and feel. Show us your drawings, your tears, sorrow and anger. We adults are here to protect and to help you."

Referring to the "many children who have lost one or both parents", the king reminded the audience in the town hall, as well as those watching live on television or listening on the radio, that he also grew up without a father.

"I believe I know what that is like. I myself have been such a child. My father died in a flying accident when I was very small. So I know what it means to grow up without a dad."

Svenska Dagbladet's Karin Thunberg was at the ceremony,

"I was most impressed with the king," she reported. "He came across as a very attentive and sympathetic person."

In the most moving passage of the speech, the king asked how "parents, siblings, relatives, teachers and leaders will manage to handle the loss".

"I wish I had a good answer. Imagine if I, like the king in the fairytales, could make everything all right and end the story with "and they all lived happily ever after". But I, like you, am just a grieving, seeking person."

Archbishop KG Hammar also spoke at the ceremony and told the audience that "our understanding of reality becomes more truthful if we take death into account".

"Sorrow shows the meaning of love," he added.

The last to speak was prime minister Göran Persson.

"Pain is all around us, in our country and throughout the world. But also consideration is growing and spreading between people and generations and across continents," he said.

"Thank you to everyone who has contributed, here at home and abroad. Thank you to all fellow human being, adults and children, for being there when you are needed most."

While both the king and the prime minister spoke of mutual support, the morning's papers brought signs of a rift between the palace and the government over the handling of the catastrophe.

"King criticises foreign office and Laila Freivalds" ran Expressen's headline.

Revealing that he had waited over 36 hours to be briefed on the tragedy unfolding in Asia, King Carl Gustaf said, "In certain circumstances it is better to act than to do nothing at all."

The source of the king's quotes was an in-depth interview in Monday's Dagens Nyheter, in which he described how his only source of information on Boxing Day had been news reports.

"We were at my sister's, Princess Christina, on the Boxing Day, as we are every year. And we all stood there in front of the TV and watched" he told the paper.

"Then we tried to get information from the foreign office... and after a lot of hassle we managed to get hold of cabinet secretary Lars Danielsson on the evening of the 27th."

The king also compared the Swedish reaction to the crisis with that of the Italians.

"We are northerners and Scandinavians. Italians are latin and react in a different way. And it is often rightly said in Sweden that we react slowly but when we do we are extremely effective and organised and go about it calmly and methodically."

But on this occasion the king hinted that in his view the Swedish approach was not necessarily the best one.

"It's better to ring the ambulance and then send it back if it's not needed. But here in Sweden it's often the case that nobody dares to take responsibility," he told DN. "People are afraid to get things going."

"I think it is important that people dare to take responsibility. Then you'll certainly be hung out to dry but it's better than passively standing by."

 

[Lena]

Here you can watch the speech of the king:
http://www.streaming.telia.com/startmedia/default.asp?k=95&n=Kungen_0501101627.wmv

 

[Alexandria]

Article from the local:

Carl Gustaf: "Nobody dares to take responsibility"

If it is possible, I am even more impressed with the King in light of this tragedy. His comments here are obviously very genuine, thoughtful and even critical of his own government but for the best of intentions.

He seems to genuinely be trying to connect with the young children who have suffered incredibly in losing their parents by sharing his own pain in having lost his own father -- and to me that speaks volumes that someone would dredge up past hurts in order to help others and to share with these children that they are not alone.

"We adults will listen to you, you who are children and young, to your stories of what you experienced and feel. Show us your drawings, your tears, sorrow and anger. We adults are here to protect and to help you."

I've never really thought of him as being a patient man, or what kind of a father he was to his children, but if this comment is any indications, he must've been a very patient, caring and protective father.

In the most moving passage of the speech, the king asked how "parents, siblings, relatives, teachers and leaders will manage to handle the loss".

"I wish I had a good answer. Imagine if I, like the king in the fairytales, could make everything all right and end the story with "and they all lived happily ever after". But I, like you, am just a grieving, seeking person."

A very human statement; you can sense how truly helpless he feels in this entire matter. That for all the riches in the world, for all the grandeur and luxury of his various palaces and all the glitz and glamour of all the galas and events he attends, he is still like the rest of us and can't wave any magic wand to make everything right and whole again for all these children.

Revealing that he had waited over 36 hours to be briefed on the tragedy unfolding in Asia, King Carl Gustaf said, "In certain circumstances it is better to act than to do nothing at all."


"Then we tried to get information from the foreign office... and after a lot of hassle we managed to get hold of cabinet secretary Lars Danielsson on the evening of the 27th."

The king also compared the Swedish reaction to the crisis with that of the Italians.

"We are northerners and Scandinavians. Italians are latin and react in a different way. And it is often rightly said in Sweden that we react slowly but when we do we are extremely effective and organised and go about it calmly and methodically."

But on this occasion the king hinted that in his view the Swedish approach was not necessarily the best one.

"It's better to ring the ambulance and then send it back if it's not needed. But here in Sweden it's often the case that nobody dares to take responsibility," he told DN. "People are afraid to get things going."

"I think it is important that people dare to take responsibility. Then you'll certainly be hung out to dry but it's better than passively standing by."

I wonder if heads will roll in light of this incident? While I can understand that when the tsunami first happened no one could've understood the magnitude of what was happening, 36 hours is a bit long to figure that out. (In a way I guess it partly -- but only partly, like 40 hours -- of Victoria's absence. Her parents wouldn't have thought to call her home if they themselves didn't understand how devastating things were. But after 48 hours that should've been sufficient to reach Victoria and make flight arrangments for her. That doesn't explain the six other days she was MIA.)

And speaking of Victoria, I wonder if she got any harsh words from Daddy when she finally came home. He seems to be critical of the Swedish government for taking so long to brief him -- he can't have been pleased that his heir apparent also took so long to come home.

 

[ursulajohanna]

Lena and Grand Duchess many thanks for posting the pictures from saturday and yesterday.

 

[GrandDuchess]

The King's speech (my translation) from the National Gathering for Reflection and Fellowship yesterday, in the City Hall of Stockholm:

We have gathered to honour those who have lost their lives and those who are missing after the catastrophe in South East Asia. We think of all the near and dear, who only a few days ago were a natural part of our family, circle of friends, school class or group of siblings, but who are no longer among us. We have gathered here today to support and try to help each other in this difficult time.

What can we say to each other and what can I say, that could be of help to you all? It feels as if there are no more words, or as if they have never existed, those words that were to formulate our grief, regret, powerlessness and anger. Silence feels like the only right language before this incomprehensible, superior and inexplicable.

Rather than to hold a speech, I would really like to, in a more obvious way, try to give warmth and a new safety for all those struck. I would like to be here for each and everyone who wants to tell about their horrible experiences from the paradise that suddenly turned into hell.

But it is with words that I can pass on to all of you struck, our wish to be with you now – now when the shock is still paralysing.

I wish that I in this way can infuse hope, that one day the pain will relieve and light will be cast on the way forward, that now lies in darkness.

With words we shall now try to reach each other.

Now a new term begins in the country’s schools, after a Christmas holiday that didn’t become what we wished for. In many schools, seats will be empty. They will never again be used by those children and youths who only a few days ago sat there, with living thoughts about present, future and life. We will never know what they would have been able to make of their lives. We will also never be able to thank them for the friendship, joy and joy of life that they spread around them.

How will we be able to bear that regret? How will you, that sit in the seat next to it and you parents, siblings, family, teachers and leaders, be able to handle the loss?

I wish I had a good answer. Imagine if I, like the King in the fairy tales, could make everything right and end the story with “and then they lived happily ever after”. But I am just like you, only a grieving, searching fellow human being.

Let us all help in this effort. We adults want to listen to you, which are children and young, on your stories about what you have experienced and feel. Show us your drawings, your tears, sadness and anger. We adults are here to protect and help you.

But you can also help us adults. You do that by being with is. Before the incomprehensible, we adults are also like children, who do not have answers to why such things happen that we do not wish for to happen.

Many children have lost one or both their parents. I think I know what that means. I have myself been a child like that. My father was killed in a plane crash when I was very young. So I know what it means to grow up without a father. Compared to many other children, I had a good life, but for a child – a lost parent is always irreplaceable. I know something about that loss.

I therefore would like to ask all you, all adults close to children, to be near these children and to be keen on what they say and signal. To give them what they ask for, carefully and with caution. Uncertainty can sometimes create more anxiety than knowledge.

I, just like many other men in my generation, is not used to showing feelings. But I wish to say to all that feels this way:
Dare to show weakness, warmth and emotions. Let us dare to help. We are all only humans, without sure answers to questions about why life, that can be so full of joy and lust, suddenly becomes cruel and incomprehensible.

But to only be a human is also something great. We can be of comfort to each other, in the hard stages of live. In the grief when hopelessness seems to have a firm grip of every minute. Let us then put our masks aside and dare to be fellow beings.

If we manage this - a new confidence, a new hope, a new fellowship and a new confidence in the future – can arise from all this terrible that has happened.

 

[Dennism]

I wonder if heads will roll in light of this incident? While I can understand that when the tsunami first happened no one could've understood the magnitude of what was happening, 36 hours is a bit long to figure that out. (In a way I guess it partly -- but only partly, like 40 hours -- of Victoria's absence. Her parents wouldn't have thought to call her home if they themselves didn't understand how devastating things were. But after 48 hours that should've been sufficient to reach Victoria and make flight arrangments for her. That doesn't explain the six other days she was MIA.)

And speaking of Victoria, I wonder if she got any harsh words from Daddy when she finally came home. He seems to be critical of the Swedish government for taking so long to brief him -- he can't have been pleased that his heir apparent also took so long to come home.

Thanks for the translation of the speech by the King. Now with this film, I think it´s safe to say that admiration for the King continues to grow among me and my fellow TRF members. Yes, no doubt she did. The King was also upset with the government and no doubt with SÄPO as well. I mean the excuses about not being able to contact her are ridiculous. But then again the more important issue concerning Victoria is the 6 days MIA and not the lack of communication which appeared to be the government´s fault as well.

Is it just me or has the Swedish media not been more outspoken about Victoria's behaviour during this entire situation? She makes her first appearance after 8 days of absence bows her head and cries a bit and everything is swept under the rug? She goes back to being the perfect little princess and back high on that pedestal she has been placed.

It would bequeath Victoria and her future role a lot if she could at least understand her error in this situation so that we don't experience a repeat.

Shame on the Swedish media for completely ignoring Victoria's mistake and her very apparent lack of consideration in this matter.

This is one of the issues that has been completely ignored indeed by the Swedish media. Your points are quite right and the articles which I posted showed a strange summary of events. Like Alexandria noted, had one not been paying attention to what truly happened, one might have easily been fooled by Expressobladet´s accounts of the events of the week. Yet, we have heard no comment about this from the Swedish media. Tsk tsk tsk. And now they are lauding(Rightfully so) the King so the issue will now be pushed under the rug indeed.

 

[Emily]

Grand Duchess thank you for translating the King's speech. It was very moving to read his words. His sensitivity and compassion are so clear and his advice on approaching those who have sustained such a harsh and grievous loss(es) is excellent.

 

[Danielle]

Grand Duchess thank you for translating the King's speech. It was very moving to read his words. His sensitivity and compassion are so clear and his advice on approaching those who have sustained such a harsh and grievous loss(es) is excellent.

I couldn't agree more. The King has certainly been an inspiration in light of this tragedy. And thank you very much Grand Duchess for translating the articles. Most of us wouldn't understand anything if it wasn't for you.

 

[Dennism]

Thanks for translating this article. It´s always good to hear from the extended family. Interesting to hear her insights on her and the king´s childhood as well.

 

[susan alicia]

the swedish owned kamala bay garden resort in patong, has been transformed in to a temporary school for hundreds of children affected by the tsunami in thailand. air conditioned appartments have become classrooms for children who survived the quake. The happy children are allowed to use the hotel as their school for at least 3 months. On the bbc news this morning the swedish manager said "I have an empty hotel that is being rebuild and wanted to help them"

 

[Australian]

I know the people of Sweden have every right to be disappointed in Victoria regarding her lack of support for the Swedish people during this time of need. However, this is one of the first times shes blown it. Be thankful Prince Harry of Wales isnt part of the Swedish royal family, Victoria is an angel compared to Harry