Carl XVI Gustaf
King of Sweden since 1973 / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Carl XVI Gustaf (Carl Gustaf Folke Hubertus; born 30 April 1946) is King of Sweden. He became the king when his grandfather, Gustaf VI Adolf died on 15 September 1973.
Carl XVI Gustaf | |||||
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King of Sweden | |||||
Reign | 15 September 1973 – present | ||||
Enthronement | 19 September 1973 | ||||
Predecessor | Gustaf VI Adolf | ||||
Heir apparent | Victoria | ||||
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Born | (1946-04-30) 30 April 1946 (age 77) Haga Palace, Solna, Sweden | ||||
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House | Bernadotte | ||||
Father | Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten | ||||
Mother | Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha | ||||
Religion | Church of Sweden | ||||
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He is the youngest child and only son of Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten, and Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. His father died on 26 January 1947 in an airplane crash in Denmark. Carl Gustaf was nine months old when his father died. The death of his father, made him second in line to the throne after his grandfather. When his great-grandfather, King Gustaf V, died in 1950, his grandfather became king and Carl Gustaf became crown prince and heir apparent to the throne at the age of four.
Shortly after Carl Gustaf became king in September 1973, the new 1974 Instrument of Government took effect. This removed all remaining executive power from Carl XVI Gustaf .After this, he no longer has many of the normal duties of a head of state. These include the appointment of the prime minister, signing legislation and being commander-in-chief of the military of the nation. The new instrument limited the king to ceremonial functions and to be regularly informed of affairs of state. As head of the House of Bernadotte, Carl Gustaf has also been able to make decisions about the titles and positions of the member of the house.
The King's heir apparent is Crown Princess Victoria. She is the oldest child of the King and his wife, Queen Silvia. Carl XVI Gustaf is the longest-reigning monarch in Swedish history. He became the longest serving after passing King Magnus IV's reign of 44 years and 222 days on 26 April 2018.[1]
Internationally, King Carl XVI Gustav is best known for presenting the Nobel Prizes every year.