Queen Silvia of Sweden did not fly with her husband on Monday. King Carl XVI Gustaf will make his state visit alone to Singapore, due to the severe lung infection suffered by Queen Silvia. A change of program that “regret” truly the octogenarian queen.
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Queen Silvia prefers not to contaminate her guests
The state visit of King Carl XVI Gustaf, 78, and Queen Silvia of Sweden, 80, to Singapore, responding to the invitation of President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, had been planned for months. Unfortunately for Queen Silvia, she will ultimately not be on the trip. A statement from the royal palace in Stockholm was shared this Monday morning, before the royal couple flew to Singapore. The royal couple were due to begin their state visit on Tuesday November 19 but the flight lasts around 13 hours.
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“The Queen was delighted to visit Singapore and regrets not being able to accompany” King Carl XVI Gustaf, announces the press release. Svensk Dam magazine contacted Johan Tegel of the Royal Court to find out a little more. “The queen was the victim of a bad cold, but given the circumstances, she is doing well,” declared the head of the Court, while the official press release speaks of a “severe respiratory infection”.
Queen Silvia reportedly fell ill over the weekend and was waiting until the last minute to see if she should cancel her trip. In view of the progression of the illness, it was wiser for the queen to cancel her presence. “Given this serious respiratory infection, the Queen is not able to travel to Singapore,” wrote the Court. The decision was also taken with a view to not contaminating the people she was supposed to meet. The program of King Carl XVI Gustaf remains unchanged, while the Queen will be replaced, in particular by the wife of the Secretary of State who is on the trip.
