The death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022 and the subsequent coronation of King Charles III eight months later, were international media events of historic proportions. People around the world observed, in close detail, how the UK’s royal institution consolidates its authority by using ritual to link to the past.
Over the weekend of September 15 and 16 2023, Sweden will celebrate its own royal occasion, the golden jubilee of King Carl XVI Gustaf. This represents a significant national moment. Several TV documentaries have been made. A plethora of books and magazines have been published. Podcasts have been recorded.
Since the 1970s, the Swedish crown has gained its legitimacy and popular support by being perceived as being above politics. This contemporary monarchy was the result of constitutional reforms implemented in the 1970s, which renounced extravagance and ritual.
