This Sunday, December 15, the Swedish royal family was gathered in sorrow in the church of Drottningholm Castle. King Carl XVI Gustaf was surrounded by his family to attend the funeral of his sister, Princess Birgitta. As tradition dictates, a funeral ceremony was celebrated in parallel by the order of the Seraphim.
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Swedish royal family attends Princess Birgitta's funeral
Princess Birgitta of Sweden is the first of King Carl XVI Gustaf's four sisters to depart. The princess died at the age of 87, following an accident which caused several fractures from which she did not recover, in Majorca. Princess Birgitta had lived in the Balearic Islands for almost two decades. Before moving in a different direction from her husband, she lived in Germany, the country of her late husband. This Sunday, December 15, the funeral and burial of Princess Birgitta took place. Both ceremonies took place in private.
Princess Birgitta had expressed the wish to be buried in Sweden, her country of origin, where she had very rarely returned in recent years. Passionate about sport and holder of a gymnastics diploma, Princess Birgitta had become a true fan of golf which she practiced daily in Majorca. However, it was with her family that the eccentric princess wanted to be buried.
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King Carl XVI Gustaf was surrounded by his wife, Queen Silvia, this Sunday in the church of Drottningholm Palace to say goodbye to his sister. Princess Birgitta was next to her brother when he met Silvia Sommerlath's eyes for the very first time in Munich in 1972. Silvia and Birgitta subsequently became very good friends. Queen Silvia told the press that she had spoken to her sister-in-law on the phone again a few days before her disappearance. The announcement of his disappearance was therefore a real shock for her.
The three children of the King and Queen of Sweden were present at the religious service celebrated in the church at the royal couple's home. Drottningholm Palace is the official residence of the sovereigns. After the private religious ceremony, the royal family visited the royal cemetery in Haga. This cemetery is located in Solna, on the royal estate where Haga Castle, the residence of the heir couple, is also located. It was in this castle that Princess Brigitta, her three sisters and her brother grew up, as children of the heir couple at the time.
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Funeral ceremony of the order of the Seraphim
The order of the Seraphim has the tradition of celebrating a religious funeral service on the same day as the funeral of one of its members, in the church of Riddharolmen. Since the 19th century, this church, located on an islet in Stockholm, has been designated as the ceremonial place of the order. Princess Birgitta was a member of the Order of Seraphim. When a person joins the order, their coat of arms is painted on a black shield and when they disappear, the date of their death is added to the shield. The shield then leaves the royal palace, where all the shields are kept, and joins the church of Riddarholmen for the ceremony.
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A procession of the Royal Guard, drums beating, escorted Princess Birgitta's shield from the royal palace in Stockholm to the heart of the church, where it was presented next to a table where a photo was placed of the deceased. Then, a representative of the king announces the disappearance of the deceased and at the same time recites some brief biographical information about her. A department of the Swedish Armed Forces also takes part in the ceremony. During the entire ceremony of approximately one hour, usually open to the public, the church bell rings continuously.
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