Queen Silvia describes king’s defining trait as “wise” in golden wedding interview
Tuesday 9th June 2026 on 05:00 in
Sweden
Sweden’s Queen Silvia has described her husband King Carl XVI Gustaf’s most important quality as “wise” in an interview with public broadcaster SVT ahead of their golden wedding anniversary.
The royal couple, who will mark 50 years of marriage on June 19, spoke with SVT’s Pernilla Månsson Colt at their summer residence on Öland. When asked to name the king’s foremost traits, the queen paused before replying, “May I be personal?”—drawing laughter from the king.
Reflecting on their long marriage, the couple were asked whether their understanding had grown so deep it bordered on telepathy. The king acknowledged moments of silent communication, particularly when schedules clash. “Sometimes it’s hard to connect,” he said. “You have to get up, go somewhere, the clock is ticking. Then you try to pretend you have telepathic powers and stare a little extra—sometimes it works.”
The full interview, titled Kungaparets guldbröllop (The royal couple’s golden wedding), airs on SVT1 at 20:00 on June 9 and is available on SVT Play.
The king and queen married on June 19, 1976, in Stockholm’s Storkyrkan, following their widely publicised meeting at the 1972 Munich Olympics.