Thirteen citizens received orders of chivalry by the King of Sweden for the first time in half a century, including the group ABBA

This May 31, 2024 is a historic day in Sweden. For the first time since 1974, Swedish citizens were accepted into knighthoods by King Carl XVI Gustaf. These ancestral orders were recently reinstated, after being dormant for half a century. The King of Sweden received the new knights of the orders of the Sword, the North Star and Vasa, during a unique ceremony at the royal palace in Stockholm.

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Sweden resurrects orders of chivalry for citizens

In 1974, the Swedish government decided to shelve the orders of chivalry, established in the 18th century. At the time, the young King Carl XVI Gustaf had only just succeeded his grandfather to the Swedish throne. Only a system of medals remained to reward deserving citizens. In December 2022, by ordinance, the Swedish government decided to restore these orders in order to highlight the merits of exceptional citizens. Decision then validated by parliament. Since then, the Swedes themselves have been able to submit name proposals, which have been examined by the various authorities. The government has proposed its final list and the sovereign recently validated the names of the first 13 recipients.

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This Friday, May 31, 2024, the first ceremony for the presentation of royal orders of chivalry took place. This is a new state ceremony for which a whole protocol and ritual have been put in place. The ceremony took place at the Vita Havet, the White Sea Lounge, a state apartment in the Royal Palace in Stockholm, used for major receptions.

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ABBA members among first recipients of Order of Vasa

Among the first recipients, we find the four singers of the group ABBA. Benny Andersson, Agnetha Fältskog, Anni-Frid Reuss and Björn Ulvaeus received the insignia of Commander First Class of the Order of Vasa for their “outstanding contribution to Swedish and international musical life”. The Vasa order was established in 1772 by Gustav III in order to reward the Swedes in a certain number of areas not yet covered by the other two main orders of the time.

Recipients of this order, which is named after the first ruler of the independent Kingdom of Sweden, wear insignia with a green cord. The badge in the shape of a white enameled cross includes a gold vase in its center. The order includes five ranks: knight, knight first class, commander, commander first class, commander grand cross. The recipients of the last two also receive a green cord to wear as a scarf and a star badge to wear on the waist.

In addition to the four members of the ABBA group, King Carl XVI Gustaf presented the insignia of the rank of Commander Grand Cross of the Order of Vasa to businesswoman Antonia Ax:son Johnson, belonging to one of the most big families in the business world. Forbes magazine ranked her as the third richest billionaire in Sweden. The actress and singer Eva Rydberg was awarded the rank of Commander of the Order of Vasa, the sociologist Bettan Byvald was awarded the rank of Knight First Class and Thomas Sjöström became a Knight of this order.

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Presentation of the Order of the Polar Star

Professor Svante Pääbo received the insignia of Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star for his research, as did Anne L’Huillier Wahlström. The Franco-Swedish Anne L’Huillier is the winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2023 and Svante Pääbo won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2022. The diplomat Catarina Wingren was awarded the rank of knight of this order, notably for her work in negotiation in Mali.

The Order of the North Star was established in 1748 by King Frederick I and is intended to reward personal efforts in favor of Sweden or Swedish interests. Since the order was dormant half a century ago, the award could no longer be given to Swedes but continued to be given to foreigners who had worked for the interests of Sweden.

The insignia of the order is a black cord from which hangs a white enameled cross which includes a star in its center. The order’s motto is Nescit occasum (Which never declines, in Latin), which refers to the star which never sets. The order is divided into five grades, identical to those of the order of Vasa. Recipients of the two highest grades also receive a black cord to wear as a sash and a star badge to wear on the waist.

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Presentation of the Order of the Sword

The first two recipients of the Order of the Sword are Lieutenant General Dennis Gyllensporre, received at the rank of Commander Grand Cross, and Colonel 1st degree Ulf Henricsson at the rank of Commander. The first demonstrated exceptional command during his missions in Mali and the second led missions in former Yugoslavia.

The Order of the Sword was also established in 1748 by King Frederick I. The order of chivalry is intended to reward military personnel. It is also divided into five grades, identical to those of the Order of Vasa and the Order of the Polar Star. The cord is yellow with a blue border, reminiscent of the colors of the Swedish flag. The badge is a white enameled cross protected by swords surrounding it. Inside the cross we find a sword and three crowns. As with previous orders, recipients of the two highest ranks receive a ribbon to wear as a sash as well as a star badge.

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The fourth order of chivalry which is again awarded to Swedes is the Order of Seraphim. It is the highest award in the country. The order includes only one class, that of knight. The knights of the order receive their own coat of arms. This order is usually given to heads of state and members of the royal family. It was decided that this order could also be given to citizens from now on. No citizen obtained this privilege during the first awards ceremony.