HRH Prince Carl Philip's speech of thanks at the Swedish Embassy's business dinner
Hannover, Cermany
(The spoken version shall take precedence)
Mister Ambassador,
Ladies and gentlemen,
First, let me thank our host, ambassador Per Thöresson, for a most pleasant evening and a rewarding discussion.
Germany and Sweden have strong ties – and have had so for centuries.
This is evident not least in my own family: My mother was born in Heidelberg. Her father, Walther Sommerlath, was German and worked for a Swedish company, Uddeholm. And on my father’s side, my grandmother, Princess Sibylla, was born in Gotha and became a Swedish princess. So there is definitely a part of me that feels at home here!
Our two countries are indeed strongly connected; not only by the past, but also by the present and, hopefully, the future. Germany is Sweden’s largest business partner today. About 11% of our export goes to Germany. And about 20% of our import comes from – Germany!
Sweden might be a small country, but it is a leader in smart industry. I hope this evening will lay the ground for further cooperation in this area.
Represented here tonight are some of Germany’s most important industries and some of Sweden’s most innovative start-ups. Bringing you together is a certainly a good idea. What you have accomplished in your companies is truly fantastic! But the really great ideas are the ones that you will come up with together, as partners.
I look forward to hearing more about those ideas in the future and taking part of your journey.
Thank you.