"Carl XVI Gustaf - The Reluctant Monarch" by T. Sjöberg (2010) & other books of T.S.

[Sonjapearl]

"Carl XVI Gustaf - The Reluctant Monarch" by T. Sjöberg (2010) & other books of T.S.

There's a new book on the King coming out in November. Svensk Damtidning is already calling it scandalous, though it doesn't give any details:

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It's called "King Carl XVI Gustaf - The Reluctant Monarch". What could be said about him that scandalous? If it is that bad, could the Swedish royal family survive it?

 

[nascarlucy]

I've read many books about royalty. The more modern day royals look like boy scouts or the guy who sings in the church choir if you compare them to Monarchs of the past. There is nothing nowadays that is scandalous or shocking since everything is pretty much out in the open. The public has heard it all, I think. 100 years ago it might be shocking but not so much today.

 

[mattep74]

There's a new book on the King coming out in November. Svensk Damtidning is already calling it scandalous, though it doesn't give any details:

Google Translate

It's called "King Carl XVI Gustaf - The Reluctant Monarch". What could be said about him that scandalous? If it is that bad, could the Swedish royal family survive it?

According to rumours it will reveal facts like this:
He really didnt want to become king
He has had numerous women on the side while married
He attended a brothel during one olympic
He isnt to intelligent and have trouble learning

My coworkers reaction to nr 1 when we spoke about this was "I think i heard it before" and to nr 4 "Thats no news"

The reaction from the people will depend on how much the media writes about it and sells it and that all boils down to if the court speaks out about it

 

[nascarlucy]

I've heard all 4 of these rumors and this was long before I was on royalty forums.

 

[Esmerelda]

And another article about the book on the King: http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article8057787.ab which comes out on Thursday so we'll probably find out more then.
I don't think being a 'reluctant monarch' is particularly scandalous.
It doesn't mention any extramarital affairs
It talks about two alleged visits to 'night clubs with a bad reputation: in Atlanta, US 1996 and Bratislava in Slovakia in 2008. Although the evidence for both is somewhat dubious.
And it also says that one of the authors has been fired from his job or something because of their involvement with the book.

 

[mattep74]

I read Aftonbladet a few minuts ago about the book

He is said to have an affair with a well known swedish actress during the 1990s and that he was a little bit in love with her and that Silvia knew about the affair.

He is supposed to have spent 10000 on a exotic danser in a private room for an houre and tipped 2000

His friends are mentioned and they all say when interwied that the incidents that they were to be involved in were not true.

The radiowoman was fired because she wrote the book, but never used the material for the benefit of the company she worked for.

Several sources the authors use nobody can find.

The Royal Court will read the book and then decide if they are to sue the authors. The book has been printed in 20000 copies and with all the free advertising its expected to sell good.

Jan Guillion(Hamilton and Arn-fame) that is a collumnist for Aftonbladet and not wery royalty said that the authors broke a secret barrier and who knows what scandalbooks about our celebs will come in the future.

No royal expert say that anything in the book is true

 

[PrincessJenni]

Kaarle XVI Kustaa kommentoi Carl XVI Gustaf - Den motvillige monarken -kirjaa - Ilta-Sanomat
I also read that the King is going to keep a media meeting about the book on Thursday when he's hunting.

 

[Esmerelda]

Kaarle XVI Kustaa kommentoi Carl XVI Gustaf - Den motvillige monarken -kirjaa - Ilta-Sanomat
I also read that the King is going to keep a media meeting about the book on Thursday when he's hunting.

He says he's going to read the book. Wonder if he gets a free copy...

 

[mattep74]

He says he's going to read the book. Wonder if he gets a free copy...

I think the royal court will get one "on the house". Its 380 pages and i have a feeling they will cut if apart and have people read the chapters individually.

 

[Maura724]

Wow, that's really rare that the King is going to read it and comment on it - royals hardly ever do that, do they?

 

[nascarlucy]

I remember several years ago a book was written about Prince Charles in which he cooperated with the author. From what I remember, he liked the book for the most part although he didn't agree with everything that was written out him.

 

[Esmerelda]

I remember several years ago a book was written about Prince Charles in which he cooperated with the author. From what I remember, he liked the book for the most part although he didn't agree with everything that was written out him.

I don't think this is the case here, though.

 

[nascarlucy]

No, it certainly isn't. From what has been said, I seriously doubt it. Unless it has been officially documented or documented in a way that the person involved can't deny or dispute it, people tend to avoid writing about or having someone else write about things like them having an affair. In Prince Charles's case, he couldn't get around this because it was well documented and proven by telephone conversations that he had an affair with Camilla.

 

[Iva]

It talks about two alleged visits to 'night clubs with a bad reputation: in Atlanta, US 1996 and Bratislava in Slovakia in 2008.

Bratislava is not such a big town. Eventhough Swedish royals are not very well known here, with how agressive our tabloids are they would for sure get a tip if he had been there and made photos.

As for the "I will read it" comment, I don't think he has done that, I think it was meant ironically. There are other people who have read it.

 

[efraimsdotter]

I've heard all 4 of these rumors and this was long before I was on royalty forums.

Me too. I actually believe there's some truth in this. The actress/singer who is mentioned as one of his mistresses did not deny it when asked about it yesterday.

Also, if I understood it correctly some of the king's three closest friends (which are mentioned in this book) were not invited to Victoria's wedding this summer. She has known them all her life, and I remember finding it strange and thinking that perhaps she doesn't approve of their lifestyle. That is only speculation of course.

 

[KittyAtlanta]

I remember the incident at the now GONE Gold Club in Atlanta. Dubious isn't a strong enough descriptive for the place. In 1999, the place was shut down (and the building razed) by the Feds, as it not only was it a "gentlemen's" club, but was involved in money laundering, racketeering and a load of other stuff. As far as the King being there, so what? He was a visitor and someone didn't do their homework about the place or someone isn't telling the truth about whether he was there or not (it was never proven) or whether he has a penchant for this type of activity. I'm certainly not going to judge him...If his wife isn't bothered, I'm not either.

 

[PrincessJenni]

In press conference the king said that he didn't have time to read the book yet. The titles in the newspapers have not been very nice, he said. He also said that he has discussed with his family and the Queen. He says: "Now we turn the page and go forward, because as far as I understood these things have happened a long time ago."

I somehow had a feeling that he doesn't deny anything.

 

[Esmerelda]

Maybe he shouldn't have commented before he read the book. I do think it's strange that he makes any statement at all about it.

 

[Catharina]

I agree with the media adviser Paul Ronge who comments in Expressen that the King shouldn't have commented this at all and holding a press conference so soon was a mistake.

Mediaexperten: Att kommentera boken var inte lyckat - Nyheter - Senaste nytt | Expressen - Nyheter Sport Ekonomi Nöje

I wonder what kind of advisers they have these days at court since they are constantly making mistakes. It seems they have gathered that they need to be more open and give out statements but this is just bad handling of a crisis situation. I guess HM decided that he did not want to comment after all but the damage was already done. Now it seems like he's not denying the rumors but he's also not saying anything.

I really do not like this kind of slanderous mud slinging that is so common these days. First you dig up dirt about someone, paint them as "bad people" and then try to pressure them to resign. I wonder is someone trying to make the King abdicate or something and why. I think it is unfair to call HM "not very intelligent" since he's dyslexic and I really do not see why it would be important to start digging around his sex life. It is between HM the King and HM the Queen and no business of anyone else.

Since I'm not Swedish (well, maybe partly but not born or lived there anyway), maybe I cannot form an opinion but IMO he seems like a good king. The family has been through so much in the past few years. They should be left alone already. After all, the royal family is one of the last, good things in Sweden there's left anymore.

 

[Elisheva]

In press conference the king said that he didn't have time to read the book yet. The titles in the newspapers have not been very nice, he said. He also said that he has discussed with his family and the Queen. He says: "Now we turn the page and go forward, because as far as I understood these things have happened a long time ago."

I somehow had a feeling that he doesn't deny anything.

I read that as an admission. Maybe not all parts of it, but a keen listener can hear he admits he cheated on his wife.

 

[Iva]

I don't think it was a good decision to say anything about the book until he had read it. But then again I don't know what's going on behind the courtains so maybe it was for the best to say at least something. He didn't say much, but as some of you, I've the same feeling that he admited cheating on his wife. Maybe not denying and at the same time not saying anything is not the best strategy in this case.

 

[suztav]

I read that as an admission. Maybe not all parts of it, but a keen listener can hear he admits he cheated on his wife.

I'm in public relations ... so, I agree ... he's pretty much admitting there is some truth to these stories. On the other hand, if I were dispensing public relations counsel to His Majesty ... I would have told him to say nothing at all!

 

[mattep74]

People hear what they want to hear. He hadnt read the book and i think his reaction is to the events that happened before he was married since he was talking about events from long time ago.

Its a good think Nina Eldh leaves the court in less than 2 months, somehow it all boils down to her ineffectivness to counter the PR-hysteria this book created.

And now he thinks that leaving the country for China will help him avoid questions. It does, from his family, not the press since China is about to be invaded by the swedish press(oh, i pitty the chinese)

 

[nascarlucy]

It sounds like what's been said is these things happened in the past, leave it in the past. The statement itself is quite telling even though nothing is being told.

 

[Esmerelda]

I really do not like this kind of slanderous mud slinging that is so common these days. First you dig up dirt about someone, paint them as "bad people" and then try to pressure them to resign. I wonder is someone trying to make the King abdicate or something and why.

I doubt it will go that far! Have any of our Swedish members had a look at the book?

 

[Zonk]

On one hand I don't understand why people cheat (whether you are in a committed relationship like marriage or not), if you don't want to be with someone...just end it. I realize that that statement is VERY NAIVE, simplistic in nature and some people for a variety of reasons can't divorce. I also, don't understand why people who are in certain positions and have a lot more to lose, decide to step out of their marriage and take that risk. But that type of thinking can lead us into a long out conversation about power, sex, the thrill of cheating and the high of taking risks. Whatever.

That being said, I am not sure I understand what the point of this book is...other than to embarass the King and Queen and possible wound the monarchy. If this is true, and by the King's statement/actions it might be, does the Queen need to relive this (if she didn't know before), do the children (although grown) need to be reminded of maybe a not so pleasant time of their childhood? Do we need to know this? And why?

Yes, the King is a public figure but is the purpose to show that he is human and not perfect? Or that he had a point in his marriage where all was not well but they survived it and their union is better now than before the hiccups, or that because of these hiccups the King is just like us, and therefore Sweden doesn't need the monarchy?

I don't get it.

 

[altagrace]

What is the purpose you ask?
To sell books, make money! nothing more!

Why else to bring this out now when as you say - it seems- all is well between the King and Queen? If there was something , they got over it. Some people choose to end their marriage, others manage to work on their marriage.

I will never forget that scene with the rose at the crown princess' wedding this summer! If that is not love and a good marriage, what is? [I said good not perfect, nothing is perfect]

 

[Maura724]

I'm sort of confused about the timing of the alleged affairs. Of course the King himself referred to it being in the past, but that's something I would expect him to say even if it happened two weeks ago. (Obviously it's much better than admitting, "Why yes, I've behaved terribly in the past, and I haven't changed at all!") But what exactly does the book accuse him of? Having a string of these episodes in, say, the mid-1980s, or does it accuse him of recent behavior in the past year or so?

 

[greenways]

No, he is not denying anything, probably best because that can cause people with an agenda to come out of the woodwork. Who knows what they would say. They may or may not contradict a denial.

 

[PrincessJenni]

I will never forget that scene with the rose at the crown princess' wedding this summer! If that is not love and a good marriage, what is? [I said good not perfect, nothing is perfect]

I also think that Carl Gustaf and Silvia have a happy marriage, and they seem to love each others really. That speech he held for his wife in the beginning of the speech to the bridal couple, it tells that they respect each others. And Silvia has been talking about Carl Gustaf very kindly in some tv documents, like "Familjen Bernadotte".

Victoria also loves her father. That she said in public in the speech on her father's 60th birthday. If Victoria had known about these things written in the book, I don't know if she would love her father that much. Victoria seems to value justice very high.

These are the only things that make me think that the stories in the book are not true after all.