Queen Silvia of Sweden

Silvia (born Silvia Renate Sommerlath; 23 December 1943) is Queen of Sweden as the wife of King Carl XVI Gustaf. She has held this title since her marriage to Carl XVI Gustaf in 1976. The king and queen have three children: Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Carl Philip, and Princess Madeleine.

Childhood and parentage

Silvia Renate Sommerlath was born in Heidelberg, Germany, on 23 December 1943,<ref name=KungahusetTheQueen>Template:Cite web</ref> the only daughter of Alice (née Soares de Toledo) and Walther Sommerlath. Her father was German and her mother Brazilian.<ref name="weinraubnytimes">Template:Cite news</ref>

She has one older brother, Ralf Sommerlath (born 1929). Her other brothers were Walther Sommerlath, who died in 2020, and Jörg Sommerlath, who died in 2006. The Mother-Child House Jörg Sommerlath in Berlin, operated by Queen Silvia's World Childhood Foundation,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> is named after her brother.Template:Citation needed

She attended grammar school in Düsseldorf, finishing her Abitur in 1963; and attended the Munich School of Interpreting from 1965 to 1969, majoring in Spanish.<ref name=KungahusetTheQueen/>

She has some fluency in Swedish Sign Language, a national sign language used by the deaf community in Sweden.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She is a trained interpreter and Swedish is her sixth language. She speaks her native German, her mother's language of Portuguese, as well as French, Spanish, and English.<ref name="weinraubnytimes" />

Marriage and family

During the 1972 Summer Olympics, Sommerlath met Crown Prince Carl Gustaf. At the time, she was leading a marketing campaign for the city of Munich. Sommerlath and the other Olympic hostesses wore sky-blue dirndls to promote Bavarian cultural identity.<ref name="comeback">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="macht">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="horn">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="typisch">Template:Cite news</ref> After the death of King Gustaf VI Adolf on 15 September 1973, Carl XVI Gustaf succeeded to the throne.

He and Sommerlath announced their engagement on 12 March 1976 and were married three months later on 19 June 1976 in Stockholm Cathedral.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It was the first marriage of a reigning Swedish monarch since 1797. The wedding was preceded the evening before by a Royal Variety Performance, where the Swedish musical group ABBA performed "Dancing Queen" for the first time as a tribute to Sweden's future queen.<ref> Template:YouTube </ref>

The King and Queen have three children and nine grandchildren:

• Crown Princess Victoria, Duchess of Västergötland (born 14 July 1977), who is married to Daniel Westling and has two children
• Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland (born 13 May 1979), who is married to Sofia Hellqvist and has four children
• Princess Madeleine, Duchess of Hälsingland and Gästrikland, (born 10 June 1982), who is married to Christopher O'Neill and has three children

In February 2021, Silvia was taken to hospital after she fractured her right wrist in a fall.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Father's Nazi links

In July 2002, the Queen became the subject of international curiosity when an article published in the syndicalist newspaper Arbetaren reported that German state archives recorded that the Queen's father, Walther Sommerlath, joined the Nazi party's foreign wing, the NSDAP/AO, in 1934, when he was living in Brazil and working for a German steel company.<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Cbignore</ref> In December 2010, Queen Silvia wrote a letter of complaint to Jan Scherman, the CEO of TV4, the network that had aired a documentary about her father's alleged Nazi past.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Queen Silvia commissioned a report from World War II expert Erik Norberg, a choice that was criticised due to Norberg having ties to the royal family. In his report, Norberg said that the Queen's father had in fact helped the owner of the steel-fabrication plant, a Jewish businessperson, escape from Germany by taking over the factory.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In a December 2011 interview for Sweden's public service broadcaster Sveriges Television, Silvia called the media's handling of the information about her father "character assassination".<ref>Åter med kungafamiljen, SVT, 29 December 2011.</ref>

First Lady Michelle Obama and Queen Silvia of Sweden meet in the Yellow Oval Room of the White House.

First Lady Michelle Obama and Queen Silvia meet in the Yellow Oval Room in 2009.

Charity involvement

File:Kuninganna Silvia Gustav Adolfi Gümnaasiumis 92 (02).jpg

Queen Silvia visits Gustav Adolfi Gümnaasium in Tallinn, Estonia, in 1992.

Queen Silvia established Mentor International in 1994 in collaboration with the World Health Organization. Her vision was to offer mentoring as inspiration, empowerment, and motivation for young people to make healthy life choices and view their futures more positively. Mentor's work has been recognized by the United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime, the Organization of American States, and the Council of Europe. She is now an honorary board member of Mentor Foundation.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

She was also a co-founder of the World Childhood Foundation in 1999, having been inspired by her work as Patron of the first World Congress against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children held in Stockholm.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She has also been involved in the Global Child Forum, which she helped initiate, as a keynote speaker in several forums.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Her commitment to the work with dementia and the care of the elderly at the end of life is also well known and respected. On her initiative, Silviahemmet was established in Stockholm. It works to educate hospital personnel in how to work with people suffering from dementia, and also initiates research in the area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

She chairs the Royal Wedding Fund, which supports research in sports and athletics for disabled young people<ref name=kungahuset>Template:Cite web</ref> and the Queen Silvia Jubilee Fund for research on children and disability.<ref name=kungahuset/>

Queen Silvia holds honorary positions in the Swedish Amateur Athletic Association, the Children's Cancer Foundation of Sweden and Save the Children Sweden.<ref name=kungahuset/>

In popular culture

In May 2025, Queen Silvia made a surprise appearance on national television in Sweden to honor entertainer-designer Christer Lindarw in a program about Lindarw's life and career.<ref>Article by Benjamin Andrée in Expressen 2025-05-07</ref>

Honours and arms

National

• Template:Flag:
  • File:Order of the Seraphim - Ribbon bar.svg Member and Commander of the Royal Order of the Seraphim, in diamonds (LoKavKMOmbr)
  • File:Order of the Seraphim - Ribbon bar.svg Member of the Royal Family Decoration of King Carl XVI Gustaf
  • File:Order of the Seraphim - Ribbon bar.svg Recipient of the 50th Birthday Badge Medal of King Carl XVI GustafTemplate:Citation needed
  • File:Order of the Seraphim - Ribbon bar.svg Recipient of the Wedding Medal of Crown Princess Victoria to Daniel Westling
  • File:Commemorative Ruby Jubilee Medal of His Majesty The King (15092013).png Recipient of the Ruby Jubilee Badge Medal of King Carl XVI Gustaf
  • File:SWE King Carl XVI Gustaf Jubilee Medal III.png Recipient of the 70th Birthday Badge Medal of King Carl XVI GustafTemplate:Citation needed
  • File:Commemorative Golden Jubilee Medal of His Majesty The King (15092023).png Recipient of the Golden Jubilee Badge Medal of King Carl XVI Gustaf

Foreign

• Template:Flag: Grand Cross of the Order of the Liberator General San Martín
• Template:Flag: Grand Star of the Order of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Template:Flag: Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold
• Template:Flag: Grand Cross of the Order of the Southern Cross
• Template:Flag: Member of the Family Order of Laila Utama
• Template:Flag: Grand Cross of the Order of the Balkan Mountains
• Template:Flag: Grand Cross of the Order of Bernardo O'Higgins
• Template:Flag: Grand Cross of the Grand Order of Queen Jelena<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Narodne</ref>
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  • Knight of the Order of the Elephant (3 September 1985)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • Recipient of the Silver Anniversary Medal of Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik
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  • Grand Cross of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • Grand Cross of the Order of the White Star<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Swedish Royal Website Template:Webarchive (Swedish), Gala dinner with photos 1-6-7</ref>
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  • Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the White Rose of Finland
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  • Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
  • Member of the Decoration of Merit (Baden-Würtemberg)Template:Citation needed
  • Member of the Decoration of Merit (Bavaria)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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  • Grand Cross of the Order of the Legion of Honour
  • Grand Cross of the Order of National Merit
• Template:Flag: Grand Cross of the Order of Honour<ref>Gala dinner Template:Webarchive during the state visit of Greek President Karolos Papoulias (21 May 2008)</ref>
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  • Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Pope Pius IX
  • Recipient of the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice
• Template:Flag: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary
• Template:Flag: Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Template:Flag: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic<ref>Italian Presidency website, S.M. Silvia la Regina di Svezia Template:Webarchive, Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italian</ref>
• Template:Flag: Grand Cordon (Paulownia) of the Order of the Precious Crown
• Template:Flag: Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Renaissance
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  • Commander Grand Cros of the Order of the Three Stars
  • Grand Cross of the Order of Cross of Recognition<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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  • Grand Cross of the Order of Vytautas the Great<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • Grand Cross of the Order of Merit<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Template:Flag: Knight of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau<ref>Swedish Royal website Template:Webarchive, kungahuset.se; accessed 7 April 2016. (in Swedish)
  State visit of Grand-Dukes of Luxembourg in Sweden, gala dinner (15 April 2008)</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Template:Flag: Recipient of the Order of the Crown of the Realm<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Template:Flag: Grand Cross of the Order of the Aztec Eagle
• Template:Flag: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion of the Netherlands
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  • Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Olav
  • Recipient of the Silver Jubilee Medal of King Harald V
• Template:Flag: Knight of the Order of the White Eagle (2011)<ref>M.P. 2011 nr 73 poz. 718 Online</ref>
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  • Grand Cross of the Order of Christ<ref>Portuguese Presidency Website, Orders search form Template:Webarchive : type "RAINHA SÍLVIA" in "nome", then click "Pesquisar"</ref>
  • Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry<ref>Portuguese Presidency, King Carl XVI receives the Grand Collar of the Order of Saint James of the Sword and Queen Silvia receives the Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry : Photo.</ref>
• Template:Flag: Grand Cross of the Order of the Star of Romania<ref>Recipients of Order of the Star of Romania (Excel file) Template:Webarchive, canord.presidency.ro; accessed 7 April 2015. Template:In lang</ref><ref>PPE Agency Photo among gala dinner gallery, ppe-agency.com; accessed 7 April 2016.</ref>
• Template:Flag: Member of the Decoration for Exceptional Merits (2004)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Template:Flag: Grand Gwanghwa Medal of the Order of Diplomatic Service MeritTemplate:Citation needed
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  • Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic (15 October 1979)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • Dame Grand Cross of the Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III (16 November 2021)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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  • Dame Grand Cross (1st Class) of the Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao (2003)<ref>ราชกิจจานุเบกษา, ประกาศสำนักนายกรัฐมนตรี เรื่อง พระราชทานเครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์แด่สมเด็จพระราชาธิบดีคาร์ลที่ ๑๖ กุสตาฟ และสมเด็จพระราชินีซิลเวียแห่งราชอาณาจักรสวีเดน, เล่ม 120, ตอน 4 ข, 7 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2546, หน้า 1</ref>
  • Recipient of the Boy Scout Citation Medal (2009)<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
  • Recipient of the Commemorative Medal on the Occasion of the 60th Anniversary of the Accession to the Throne of H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej (2006)
• Template:Flag: Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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  • Member 1st Class of the Order of Merit
  • Member 1st Class of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise<ref>Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, zakon1.rada.gov.ua; accessed 7 April 2016.Template:In lang</ref>
• Template:Flag: Ellis Island Medal of Honor<ref>www.prnewswire</ref>

Awards

• Template:Flag: Grand Cross of the Social Order of the Amaranth<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Template:Flag: The National German Sustainability Award<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Template:Flag: Recipient of the Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Motherhood and Childhood Award (November 2016)Template:Citation needed

Honorary doctorates

Queen Silvia has been awarded a number of honorary doctorates, most recently for her work on dementia.

• 1990 – University of Turku<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• 1993 – Karolinska Institute<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• 1994 – Linköping University<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• 1999 – University of Gothenburg<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• 2023 – University of Stirling, UK<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

External links

• Biography of Queen Silvia – Official website of the Swedish Royal Court
• Ancestry of Queen Silvia of Sweden
• World Childhood Foundation – Official site
• The Mentor Foundation International – Official site
• The Swedish Royal Family Template:Webarchive – Information site with pictures, news etc.