Marshal of the Realm (Sweden) explained

Post:His Majesty's Marshal of the Realm
Native Name:Hans Majestät Konungens riksmarskalk
Insignia:Coat of arms of the Marshal of the Realm (Sweden).svg
Insigniasize:130px
Insigniacaption:Coat of arms of the Marshal of the Realm
Incumbent:Fredrik Wersäll
Incumbentsince:1 September 2018
Department:Royal Court of Sweden
Style:His Excellency
Appointer:The Swedish monarch
Termlength:At His Majesty's pleasure
Inaugural:Göran Claesson Stiernsköld
Formation:1607
Website:http://www.kungahuset.se/

His Majesty's Marshal of the Realm (Swedish: Hans Majestät Konungens riksmarskalk) who heads the Office of the Marshal of the Realm (Swedish: Riksmarskalksämbetet),[1] is the highest official in the Royal Court of Sweden. The Marshal of the Realm is appointed by the monarch and is directly responsible for the organization and affairs of the court, and for maintaining liaison arrangements with the Riksdag and the Prime Minister/Government. Press releases and official statements from the Swedish royal family to the press and the public are typically released through the Marshal of the Realm.

The office was created in 1607 during the reign of Charles IX, and until 1936 during the reign of Gustaf V, with the appointment of Axel Vennersten, it had always been held by a member of the Swedish nobility. The incumbent is in formal writing entitled to the style of Excellency, and is today, apart from Swedish ambassadors, the only officeholder to use this style. Until the 1970s, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs also used this style, but it has since fallen out of use. The Marshals of the Realm were also in the past, until the reform of the state orders of chivalry in 1975, appointed as Knights of the Royal Order of the Seraphim, but since then Swedish citizens other than members of the Royal House are no longer eligible.

By convention former Marshals of the Realm are appointed as Chancellor of the Royal Orders upon their resignation, a position they hold until the next Marshal of the Realm resigns and themself assume the role.

The present officeholder, Fredrik Wersäll, was appointed in 2018.

List of Marshals of the Realm since 1607

Name Image Lifetime Term of office
1. 1552–1611 1607–1611
2. 1578–1618 1611–1618
vacancy 1618–1634
3. 1594–1642 1634–1641
vacancy 1641–1643
4. 1594–1655 1643–1651
5. 1622–1686 1651–1653
6. 1629–1689 1653–1654
7. 1611–1657 1654–1657
8. 1619–1673 1657-?
9. 1640–1705 1673–1705
10. 1647–1716 1705–1716
11. 1654–1728 1717–1727
12. 1669-1741 1727–1741
13. 1684–1768 1741–1747
14. 1690–1750 1747–1750
15. 1708–1771 1750–1761
16. 1717-1778 1761–1769
17. 1724-1792 1769–1772
18. 1704–1781 1772–1781
19. 1724–1799 1781–1788
20. 1741–1791 1788–1791
21. 1750–1818 1792-?
22. 1755–1810 1801–1810
23. 1810
24. 1755–1824 1810–1824
25. 1771–1831 1824–1831
26. 1790–1844 1831–1844
27. 1792–1850 1845–1849
28. 1791-1868 1849–1860
29. 1799–1864 1860–1864
30. 1802–1886 1864–1886
31. 1820–1894 1886–1894
32. 1831–1921 1894–1911
33. 1849–1916 1911–1916
34. 1846–1930 1916–1930
35. 1863–1934 1930–1934
36. 1873–1936 1934–1936
37. 1863–1948 1936–1946
38. 1880–1968 1946–1959
39. 1887–1966 1959–1966
(acting) 1897–1985 1966–1969
40. 1897–1985 1970–1976
41. 1912-2008 1976–1983
42. 1918-2008 1983–1986
43. 1922-2008 1986–1996
44. 1931–2009 1996–2003
45. 1939– 2003–2009
46. 1948– 2010–2018
47. 1951– 2018–

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Office of the Marshal of the Realm . . 16 September 2019.