HM The King's speech at the Gala dinner on the occasion of The King’s 80th birthday

The Queen and I would like to welcome you all to the Royal Palace.

Many of you have travelled far, from Thailand and Europe, to celebrate my birthday and for that we are truly grateful. I hope you will enjoy these early spring days in Stockholm.

To our Nordic neighbours, including the Nordic Heads of State, your journey may have been shorter, but our appreciation is equally sincere.

And to our guests from Sweden: we are honoured that you have set aside your own traditional celebrations to join us this evening. As you may know, tonight is Walpurgis Eve when we gather around bonfires to mark the passing of winter.

Turning eighty invites reflection and perhaps also a certain amazement at how swiftly time passes. As the saying goes: time flies when you’re having fun, and in this wonderful company I have a feeling the evening will slip by all too quickly.

Honoured guests,

Just as at the time of my birth in 1946, we find ourselves in an era marked by change and significant challenges. While much is different today, the need to pursue common solutions in order to foster a safer and more humane future remains as great now as it was then.

That serves as a reminder of how close history truly is. The other day, I found myself thinking that when I was little, I sat on the lap of my grandfather, Gustaf V, who in turn sat on the lap of Queen Désirée, the spouse of Karl XIV Johan – the first Bernadotte in Sweden’s line of monarchs.

And when I reflected on time in that way, I also became aware of my own journey. I am now about three times as old as when I ascended to the throne. Growing older has at least one advantage: I can move with grace and style, at a dignified pace. One might even say…majestically! Which is another way of saying that I have had the privilege of serving Sweden for many years. And what a time it has been!

I am thinking especially of scientific breakthroughs, where Sweden has been – and continues to be – at the forefront. Breakthroughs that have not only deepened our understanding of the world but also laid the foundation for the technological development that shapes our lives today.

In just a few decades, this development has transformed how we communicate, work, and learn. From an internet that once seemed hard to grasp, to a world where smartphones and AI are an integral part of everyday life. What was recently the future is soon the past.

And thanks to outstanding research, we have, among other things, gained new opportunities to prevent and treat diseases – and we just keep getting older and older and older…

With continuous groundbreaking innovations come new possibilities. Who knows what discoveries will have been made by the time I am 100 years old? Reaching that age may seem likely to many here tonight. That surely says something about our trust in research and science! But perhaps we should tick off 90 first?

Dear guests,

This evening, I would like to thank representatives of official Sweden. Over the years, as the Queen and I have travelled across our country, we have been met with dedication, resolve and deep pride. Together with businesses, associations, and civil society organisations, your initiative and responsibility contribute to making Sweden a better place.

And of course I want to express my warmest thanks to our Queen, and our wonderful children and their families. Your love and support mean everything to me. You are my anchor, strength, and my greatest joy.

I would also like to thank all of you here tonight. For your friendship, cooperation, and the trust you have shown me over the years.

Dear guests,

This has been a truly memorable day. I feel both grateful and honoured and I very much look forward to continuing this evening together with you.
Please join me in a toast: to all of you. Skål!