Stockholm | Sweden
As the official Royal Residence to the Swedish Monarch, the Stockholm Palace sees an endless number of official engagements, traditional events, social gatherings, galas, balls as well as state and official dinners. The spectacular Palace was the setting for the recently held official dinner at the Royal Palace Stockholm.
Before the dinner all of the guests were received in the Vita Havet Assembly Rooms. Originally the rooms were two separate rooms, the Queen’s dining room and the Queen’s Guard’s Hall. The rooms were later joined and is traditionally used as a reception room before dinners. The room also doubles as a drawing room after the dinners have concluded. Guests to the dinner were received by His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf and his wife, Queen Silvia.
Also, welcoming guests were Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess Victoria with her husband Prince Daniel as well as Their Royal Highnesses Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia. Guests to the official dinner at the Royal Palace Stockholm included representatives from the Riksdag, various members of the Swedish Government, sport, business, culture and science as well as various people that the Swedish Royal Family met on visits.
Following the reception, guests were led to the dining room where the official dinner at the Royal Palace of Stockholm was to be held. The dinner was hosted in the spectacular, yet intimate Karl XI’s Gallery.
The seating arrangements
His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf accompanied Minister Margot Wallström to the table with Mrs Jenni Ahlin seated to his left.
Speaker Urban Ahlin accompanied Her Majesty Queen Silvia to the table, with Minister Ardalan Shekarab seated to her right.
Her Royal Highness The Crown Princess Victoria was accompanied to the table by Minister Gustav Fridolin and saw the Speaker of the Riksdag seated to her right.
Although seated to the left of the King, Mrs Jenni Ahlin was accompanied to the table by Prince Daniel, with Minister Lena Hallengren seated to his left.
Prince Carl Philip accompanied Croatia’s ambassador Anica Djamic to the table and saw The Minister for Foreign Affairs seated to his left.
Minister Ardalan Shekarabi accompanied Princess Sofia to the table with Kazakhstan’s ambassador Dastan Yeleukenov seated to her right.
The tableware
The official dinner at the Royal Palace Stockholm started with the first course and saw it served on a dinner service that was commissioned for King Gustav VI Adolf and Queen Louise from Upsala-Ekeby in 1954. The service was designed by Sven Erik Skawonius.
Each meat, fish and pudding plate were gifts from the Swedish Government and the Riksdag on The King’s 50th birthday in 1996. This particular service was designed by Karin Björquist and produced by the legendary Hackman-Rörstrand Gustafsberg.
The table linen was woven in 1990 by Scheitlin & Borner in Switzerland with the pattern consisting of ornamental leaves surrounding the King and Queen’s joint monogram.
Completing the setting saw the table silver used from the Brazilian silver service.
The menu
Duck liver terrine with honey-baked figs
and white raisin vinaigrette
Butter-fried pike-perch fillet from Hjälmaren with poached white asparagus,
potato purée with Västerbotten cheese, roe from Älvdalen and beurre blanc
Roasted loin of lamb with leg of lamb rillettes, baked pointed cabbage
and lamb gravy with rosemary and lamb sweetbreads
Rhubarb tartlet with lemon crème, sorrel ice cream,
poached rhubarb and rhubarb meringue
Images courtesy of Henrik Garlöv/Swedish Royal Court
