Updated information on the Bernadotte bicentenary

With the Swedish royal wedding safely behind us it is perhaps time for an update on the many exhibitions and other events which are held this year to mark the other great royal occasion in Sweden, namely the bicentenary of the Bernadotte dynasty’s arrival in Sweden, which happened on 20 October 1810 after Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, Marshal of the French Empire and Prince of Pontecorvo, had been elected Crown Prince of Sweden on 21 August 1810. Here is a calendar of some of the events:

6 May-11 July: The exhibition “Sigvard Bernadotte – Inspiratör, entreprenör, designdirektör” is shown at the Swedish Institute in Paris.

7 May-10 October: The National Museum – Architecture in Oslo shows the exhibition “The Palace and Linstow: The Cornerstone of the New Capital”, which deals with the palace built in Oslo for Carl XIV Johan and the architect he chose for that commission, Hans D. F. Linstow.

13 May-28 November: “Kronprinsessan Victoria och Bernadotterna på frimärken”, an exhibition about stamps bearing the images of Bernadottes, is shown at the Post Museum in Stockholm. Oscar II was the first of the family to appear on a Swedish stamp, in 1885.

15 May-16 January: Örebro was the city where the Four Estates met two centuries ago to elect a new crown prince and on the occasion of the bicentenary Örebro County Museum holds the exhibition “Folkets väl – folkets val? Bernadotte och Örebro 1810”, which deals with the events of that year and the town as it was 200 years ago.

15 May-31 August: The exhibition “Spåren av Karl XIV Johan” (“Traces of Carl XIV Johan”) is held at Stjernsund Palace in Askersund, which he bought as a resting place when travelling between his two capitals.

19 May-3 October: The Royal Armoury holds the exhibition “Bröllop för kung och fosterland” about Swedish royal weddings during the last five centuries. This summer there are also photo exhibitions about royal weddings at the palaces Ulriksdal and Strömsholm.

28 May-28 November: “Karl Johan och folket” (“Carl Johan and the People”) is a folk art exhibition at the Nordic Museum in Stockholm featuring five paintings from Dalarna made in the traditional local style.

30 May-31 August: Eidsvoll Manor at Eidsvoll (Norway) holds the exhibition “Kongelige gaver” (“Royal Gifts”), mostly consisting of jewellery given by Carl XIV Johan to Betzy Anker, a Norwegian noblewoman and courtier.

2 June-19 September: Another exhibition on the design works of the late Sigvard Bernadotte, titled “Design Bernadotte”, is shown at Örebro County Museum.

5 June-4 September: “Royal gifts – Carl XIV Johan’s Rapiers of Honour” is an exhibition held at Falkenberg Museum showing the beautifully crafted and decorated weapons of honour presented by the first Bernadotte monarch to deserving civilians and military men.

6 June-11 July: At Bohr Manor one can see the art exhibition “Bernadotte Rules!”, the artist Liselotte Kronkvist-Höglund’s paintings of the seven Bernadotte monarchs.

15 June-3 October: Prince Eugen’s Waldemarsudde in Stockholm holds an exhibition related to the Bernadottes, which will include several portraits of members of the dynasty as well as works by Prince Eugen and Princess Eugénie.

16 June-23 January: “Bernadotter i svart och vitt” is an exhibition of black and white portraits of members of the Bernadotte dynasty held at the National Museum in Stockholm.

21 August: The actual 200th anniversary of the election of Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte will be commemorated in Örebro in the presence of King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Madeleine – possibly also the King of Norway and the President of France. There will be several events, including a mass in St Nicolai’s Church and King Carl Gustaf will make a speech at Järntorget (the Iron Square).

15 September-23 October: The exhibition “Sigvard Bernadotte – Inspiratör, entreprenör, designdirektör” will move from the Swedish Institute in Paris to the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Pau.

30 September-23 January: The highlight of the bicentenary exhibitions will no doubt be “Staging Power: Napoleon, Alexander and Charles John”, a huge exhibition at the National Museum in Stockholm. The exhibition will be opened by King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia on 29 September and will later be shown at the State Hermitage in St Petersburg.

1 October-27 February (preliminary dates): “Hemma på slottet”, an exhibition on the private and family life of Carl XIV Johan, is held at the Royal Palace in Stockholm.

20 October: The 200th anniversary of the future King Carl XIV Johan’s arrival in Helsingborg will be marked in that city. The day will begin across the Sound in Helsingør (Elsinore) in Denmark with a visit to the Swedish consulate before the royals will go by boat to Helsingborg, where they will step ashore at 1 p.m.
The exhibition “Konsten att bli kung” (“The Art of Becoming a King”) will be opened at Dunker’s House of Culture and an artwork will also be unveiled at Sofiero Palace. A service will be held in Maria Church and a dinner held at Wärdshuset Gamlegård, as well as several events in the streets of the city.
While it was said earlier that Crown Princess Victoria and her brother Prince Carl Philip would represent the royal family, it has now been confirmed that they will be joined also by the King and Queen, Prince Daniel and Princess Madeleine. I understand Queen Margrethe has also made known her intention to attend the celebrations and Count Carl Johan Bernadotte af Wisborg, who lives in nearby Båstad, can certainly also be expected to attend.