HM The King's speech at Sveriges Riksbank's 350th anniversary
Stockholm City Hall
(The spoken version shall take precedence)
Your Majesty, Mister Speaker, Excellences.
Chairperson Eberstein and Governor Ingves,
Honourable guests,
Ladies and gentlemen.
It is a pleasure and an honour to be here tonight, celebrating the 350th anniversary of Sveriges Riksbank.
For three and a half centuries, there have been strong ties between the Riksbank and the Swedish monarchs. Granted, the bank and my predecessors have not always have agreed on all matters. But over time, independence has prevailed.
The Queen and I have had the opportunity to visit the Riksbank on several occasions. There, we have been informed of the economic situation and the work to safeguard Sweden’s financial stability. A stability that has been most important for the sustainable economic development of our nation, and that has made growth and prosperity possible.
Furthermore, I have also had the honour of lending my portrait to the Swedish coins. From what I have learned, this is an old tradition. For millennia, royal images have guaranteed the value of the money in people’s pockets.
According to popular saying, ”Cash is king”. I am not entirely sure whether that is still true today. But at least, the King is on the cash. And proudly so!
Ladies and gentlemen. On behalf of the Queen and myself, I would like to thank the hosts for a most pleasant evening.
Let me propose a toast – for the Riksbank and its 350th anniversary.
