Programme for State Visit from Iceland, 6–8 May 2025

Tuesday 6 May

Official welcoming ceremony

The King and Queen of Sweden meet Iceland’s Presidential couple at the Royal Stables for a procession to the Royal Palace.
Royal Stables

At the official welcoming ceremony in the Inner Courtyard of the Royal Palace, the President and the King inspect the Grenadier Guards of the Life Guards, and the two countries’ national anthems are played. The President and her spouse are then presented to representatives of the Riksdag and Government, while the King and Queen greet the Icelandic delegation. Members of the public are welcome to attend the official welcoming ceremony in the Inner Courtyard of the Royal Palace.
The Royal Palace

Following the welcoming ceremony, the King and President each deliver a press statement in Queen Lovisa Ulrika’s Dining Hall.

Meeting with the Speaker of the Riksdag

President Halla Tómasdóttir is received by Speaker of the Riksdag Andreas Norlén at the Riksdag.
The Riksdag

Barnahus

The Queen and Björn Skúlason visit Barnahus Stockholm, accompanied by Iceland’s Minister for Health Alma Möller and Swedish Minister for Social Services Camilla Waltersson Grönvall. Barnahus gives children who are believed to have been subjected to crime the opportunity to tell their story to specially trained staff in a safe and secure environment. Instead of being shunted around various authorities, children get to meet the police, prosecutors, social services, paediatricians and child and adolescent psychiatrists in a single location. Iceland was the first country to initiate the Barnahus concept. Since then, many countries have adopted this approach. In Sweden, there are Barnahus facilities in several locations around the country.

Lunch

The King and Queen host a luncheon at the Royal Palace, with several members of the Royal Family taking part. Concurrently, Sweden’s Minister for Foreign Affairs hosts a luncheon at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs for representatives of the Icelandic delegation.

Meeting with the Prime Minister

After lunch, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson receives President Halla Tómasdóttir at Rosenbad for bilateral talks. These are followed by a press conference in the Government’s press room. The press conference will be in English and will be webcast on the Government’s website.
The Government

Stiftelsen Silviahemmet

The Queen and Björn Skúlason visit the Stiftelsen Silviahemmet Foundation, accompanied by Iceland’s Minister for Health Anna Möller and Sweden’s Minister for Older People and Social Security Anna Tenje. Silviahemmet works to spread knowledge about dementia, and aims to give people living with dementia and their relatives the highest possible quality of life. The Queen initiated Silviahemmet in 1996. Today, its operations include specialised dementia care training for care staff at all levels. Ulrika Garnér, a specialist nurse in geriatric care with responsibility for international contacts and training, receives the guests and gives a presentation of Silviahemmet’s operations.
Silviahemmet

Swedish Coast Guard

The President and the King visit the Swedish Coast Guard’s surveillance ship KBV 313. Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir, Sweden’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard and Minister for Civil Defence Carl-Oskar Bohlin take part. Director-General of the Swedish Coast Guard Lena Lindgren Schelin hosts the visit and presents the Coast Guard’s operations, with a particular focus on maritime surveillance. The Swedish Coast Guard operates under increasingly complex maritime risk and threat levels, of which the shadow fleet, environmental risks and disruptions to vital public services are elements. The Swedish Coast Guard’s maritime surveillance system is presented on the vessel. One of the Swedish Coast Guard’s three aircraft, which play an important role in the maritime surveillance mission, demonstrates a flyover during the visit.
Swedish Coast Guard

Gala dinner

The State Visit’s first day concludes with a gala dinner at the Royal Palace.

Wednesday 7 May

Karolinska University Hospital

Wednesday’s programme begins with a visit by the Presidential couple and the King and Queen to Karolinska University Hospital. Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir and Minister for Health Anna Möller take part with Sweden’s Minister for Health Care Acko Ankarberg Johansson. President of the Executive Council for Stockholm Region Aida Hadžialić and Karolinska University Hospital CEO Christophe Pedroletti welcome guests on arrival. Introductory speeches are followed by a panel discussion on the benefits of innovation districts such as Hagastaden, involving representatives from Karolinska Institutet and the Swedish and Icelandic business sectors. Following this, a visit to the helipad where an ECMO-equipped helicopter is presented by Lars Falk, doctor and Medical Director of the ECMO Center Karolinska. ECMO stands for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and is a modified heart-lung machine that can oxygenate the blood outside the body through a membrane.
Karolinska University Hospital

Stockholm School of Economics

The Presidential couple and the King and Queen visit Stockholm School of Economics, together with Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir and Minister for Health Anna Möller, and Sweden’s Minister for Education Johan Pehrson. They are welcomed by Lars Strannegård, President of Stockholm School of Economics (SSE). After introductory speeches by the SSE President and Minister for Education Johan Pehrson, a conversation on the future of leadership – ‘Future-fit Leadership’ – takes place between President Halla Tómasdóttir and Emma Bell, SSE Professor in Leadership. Their discussion is followed by a Q&A session with SSE students and a panel discussion on leadership and entrepreneurship in a new era, moderated by Emma Bell.
Stockholm School of Economics

Luncheon at Stockholm City Hall

The City of Stockholm gives a lunch reception hosted by Chair of Stockholm City Council Olle Burell and Mayor of Stockholm Karin Wanngård. The lunch is attended by the Presidential couple, the King and Queen, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel, Prince Carl Philip and guests invited by the City.
Stockholm City Hall

Cybercampus Sweden, Royal Institute of Technology

After lunch, the Presidential couple and the King and Queen visit Cybercampus Sweden at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), where they are welcomed by President Anders Söderholm. Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir and Minister for Health Anna Möller take part with Sweden’s Minister for Civil Defence Carl-Oskar Bohlin. A panel discussion on cybersecurity, attended by representatives from academia, business, civil society and government agencies follows an introduction of Cybercampus Sweden by its Head of Department and Director David Olgart. The visit concludes with a presentation on how everyday items can be hacked, and discussions with students and start-ups with a focus on cybersecurity.
Cybercampus Sweden

Filmhuset – the Film House

The Presidential couple and King and Queen visit the Film House. Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir and Minister for Health Anna Möller take part with Sweden’s Minister for Culture Parisa Liljestrand. After welcoming remarks by the two hosts, the Swedish Institute’s Director-General Madeleine Sjöstedt and the Swedish Film Institute’s CEO Anna Croneman, props and items from earlier co-productions are presented. Film clips from Swedish-Icelandic films and TV series are presented in the Bio Victor cinema. The visit concludes with a panel discussion on current Swedish-Icelandic co-productions, with prominent representatives of the Swedish and Icelandic film industry participating.
Swedish Film Institute
Swedish Institute
Film in Iceland
Icelandic Film Centre

Presidential couple hold a reception

In honour of the King and Queen, President Halla Tómasdóttir and Björn Skúlason hold a reception at K-märkt.

Thursday 8 May

Torsåker Farm

The Presidential couple and the King and Queen visit Torsåker Farm, Axfoundation’s test farm and development centre for foods and materials of the future. At Torsåker Farm, sustainable materials and food systems are developed in collaboration with researchers, practitioners and companies from all over Sweden. Field crops and water go straight into the farm's Ladugården test kitchens for processing. An introductory presentation of operations is followed by a tour, with food samples from different projects on offer. The tour goes from the big kitchen through the plant tunnel and via the bakery to the Gästabudssalen foyer. At each stop, an Axfoundation project manager will provide a short introduction to the food samples on offer. Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir takes part, with Sweden’s Minister for Rural Affairs Peter Kullgren.
Axfoundation Torsåker Farm

Farewell

The State Visit concludes as the King and Queen bid farewell to their guests at the farewell ceremony at Rosersberg Palace.
Rosersberg Palace

In connection with the State Visit, bilateral meetings are also taking place between Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir and Sweden’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard; Iceland’s Minister for Health Anna Möller and Sweden’s Minister for Health Care for Acko Ankarberg Johansson; Iceland’s Minister for Health Anna Möller with Sweden’s Minister for Social Affairs and Public Health Jakob Forssmed; and Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir and Sweden’s Minister for Defence Pål Jonson and Minister for Civil Defence Carl-Oskar Bohlin.

The Icelandic business delegation, consisting of companies within the life sciences and health and medical care sector have a whole-day programme at Hagastaden on 7 May.