The Swedish royal family spent Friday evening soaking up music and smiles at the annual Solliden Sessions. Every year, King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia head to this open-air event at Solliden Palace's park near Borgholm with a few of their children and grandchildren in tow.
Last year, it was Prince Carl Philip who was in charge of handling his two sons, Gabriel, 8, and Julian, 5. This time around, his wife Princess Sofia had Prince Julian on her lap all through the night.
© Getty ImagesThe royal family turned out for a Solliden Sessions set by E-Type, an artist who broke through in the '90s and has been churning out hits ever since, from "This Is the Way" and "Here I Go Again" to "Russian Lullaby," "Paradise," "Life," "Angels Crying," "Campione 2000," and more. Born Bo Martin Erik Eriksson, the Swedish musician brought a full dose of eurodance energy to the night. Who says royalty and electronic music don't mix?
According to the outlet Point de Vue, Princess Sofia kept her youngest son wrapped in her arms for most of the show, though he kept popping up to stretch his legs. Between songs, Prince Julian took the chance to whisper a few secrets to his mom, carefully covering his mouth with his hand so no one else could hear.
Meanwhile, the King and Queen were having the time of their lives, trading laughs and inside jokes all night. Following his grandson's lead, the King leaned over and whispered something to his wife that, judging by her reaction, cracked her up.
© @kungahusetA landmark 2026
On June 19, King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia hit 50 years of marriage. The couple decided to move the celebrations up, since that date falls right at the summer solstice, the eve of Midsummer, one of the biggest holidays on Sweden's calendar. So the festivities took place on Saturday, June 13, with a full-scale celebration where the King and Queen greeted the public and put a golden bow on half a century of marriage.
© Kungahuset/InstagramThe day was packed with events. Looking every bit as in love and connected as ever, the King and Queen walked hand in hand, surrounded by the guests who'd come to mark the occasion, among them their children, Victoria, Carl Philip, and Madeleine, and their grandchildren.
The King and Queen boarded the iconic royal barge Vasaorden in front of the Royal Palace and sailed across the waters of the capital, crossing the Stockholm canal from Skeppsbron to Djurgården. It was a callback to the route they took 50 years earlier on their wedding day, a "bridal procession" they recreated after five decades of shared memories, love, and life together.
© Iwi Onodera
