January Meme: My favourite post Enlightenment Scandinavian Princess

[selenak]

As unfortunately I am not very well informed about Scandinavian princesses post Enlightenment (and only about a few pre-Enlightenment), I have to default to the one I do know something about, which is the current Queen of Sweden, Silvia, nee Sommerlath. Not so much because she hails from Heidelberg but because I met her, twice, both times on charity occasions, and she impressed me by not making the same speech (with just a few different local allusions) on said occasions but making a different speech, with both speeches being poignant and full of facts, not vague phrases. Now this may all be to the credit of her speech writer - I'm assuming she has one, though I don't know -, but she still was the one delivering those speeches, largely free style, looking into the audience, and later answering questions from said audience, which largedy consisted of representatives of other charity organisations, so they asked questions like "how do you deal with issue x", or "and what if in country y the government tries to do such and such", not paparazzi stuff.

Silvia founded the World Childhood Foundation, with a focus on child victims of sexual abuse, and that was the reason she spoke on the two occasions I participated in, and her work for it has been steady ever since its foundation, not just cutting ribbons but actual work, and therefore I found myself respecting and liking her.

(Incidentally, the reason why she's Queen of Sweden is because she worked as an interpreter and hostess at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, which brings us back to the subject of my entry two posts ago.)

The other days

Comments

[luzula]

Heh, you know more about her than this Swede does. I have nothing against her personally, though would in general prefer if my country was not still a monarchy!

[selenak]

I can understand that. My Dad is a fierce anti-monarchist, though, and even he (who was with me on both occasions) was impressed. (But then, he excuses himself from liking a royal by stating she started out as a Bürgerliche who worked for a living. :)

[luzula]

I think liking a royal person and being an anti-monarchist are compatible! I mean, royalty are just people and can be likeable and competent or not. Though if they are, I guess it lessens the chances of the monarchy being abolished...the current crown princess Victoria is generally seen as likeable and competent.

Honestly though, the monarchy comes pretty low down on the list of things I think should be changed in Sweden. There are greater problems (the dismantling of the welfare state, increased class differences, various environmental issues, etc etc).

[msilverstar]

That really is encouraging

[aella_irene]

I am mostly aware of Silvia as the purveyor of amazing tiara hair every Nobel Prize Day, and I keep forgetting about her very good work with the WCF, which her daughter, Princess Madeleine is now helping with. Thank you!

[selenak]

You're very welcome