Behind the scenes in the museum

A new photo has been released to mark the 70th birthday of Queen Silvia of Sweden - she gets to blow out all those candles on December 23rd.  But at the same time as revealing the first portrait of the queen as she enters her eighth decade, we also get to see Silvia preparing for the historic shot.  In behind the scenes photos, the consort of Sweden is seen standing still in the middle of King Gustaf III's Antiquities Musseum Stockholm, among the marble and cool pillars of yesteryear as she prepares to stare for posterity into the future.

 

A queen among the relics of a royal past - Silvia of Sweden gets ready for her 70th birthday portrait

 

The result shows a queen at the height of her powers.  Silvia, born a commoner, is now the matriarch of Europe's most female monarchy and the mother of the first woman in the continent's history to be guaranteed to inherit her country's crown regardless of gender.  She is the grandmother of the first girl born to a girl who will rule.  And now her youngest daughter is about to make her a granny again - with another little girl reportedly on the way.  Appropriately, for a queen who has spearheaded a female assault on the throne of Sweden, Silvia is dressed in pink.  But the sugar shell masks a strong heart that has made her country's issues the monarchy's concerns during her husband's reign.  And the smile is one of a queen who knows she has changed her dynasty forever.

 

 

Queen Silvia of Sweden in a portrait, taken by Julia Hetta, released as she begins the celebrations for her 70th birthday.  She is the matriarch of a monarchy that has led the way in changing Europe's centuries' old succession laws.