Attention fans of The Crown! A Swedish version of the hugely popular Netflix series is officially in the works, set to tell the story of 74-year-old monarch King Carl Gustaf—and from what we know already, it’s going to be filled with plenty of royal drama to devour.
Sweden’s TV4 and streaming service C More is reportedly developing the six-episode limited series about King Carl XVI Gustaf’s life, from his childhood to his decades-long reign since becoming king in 1973 at the age of 27.
“I’ve personally never been a fan of the monarchy, but I remember reading the treatment of six or seven pages while I was on a flight. As I was reading those pages, I started crying because it was so strong,” said Josefine Tengblad, head of drama at TV4 and C More, according to Variety. “It’s a little bit like The King’s Speech in the way that it portrays someone who is being groomed to become someone he’s not and is having people trying to change him.”
But while it will tell the story of the royal family, Tengblad adds that the core of the series is about “human beings who have flaws that everyone can relate to and the challenges we all face to stay true to ourselves.”
Åsa Lantz, the author of Selma, will be co-writing the series, and according to Variety, it is a “passion project” for the writer who has been researching the royal for years.
“Other kings and queens are said to have had an impact on world events. The history of our King is something different. Not as highlighted internationally but at least as dramatic and fascinating,” Lantz said, per People. “And for many of us, completely unknown.”
And according to reports, unlike Netflix’s royal drama, the Swedish royal family has been informed and Margareta Thorgren, the Swedish Court’s Information Manager, met with Lantz to discuss the upcoming project.
“As we understand it, it is planned as a drama-documentary. When it comes to documentaries, it is important that they are as close to the truth as possible, and that the facts are presented correctly,” The Royal Court told Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter. “As for the dramatised part of the series, it is of course based on artistic freedom, something we have no control over.”
Below, a little bit to know about the Swedish royal family.
Who Is King Carl Gustaf?
King Carl Gustaf is the King of Sweden, having ascended the throne following the death of his grandfather, King Gustaf VI Adolf, in 1973 when he was just 27 years old.
The monarch is the youngest child and only son of Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten, and Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.
King Carl Gustaf’s father died in 1947 in an aeroplane crash in Denmark when he was just nine months old, while his mother died of cancer less than a year before he ascended the throne.
Who Is The Queen Of Sweden?
King Carl Gustaf married Silvia Sommerlath after the pair met at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, where she was working as an interpreter and host.
The wedding was held in June of 1976 at the Stockholm Cathedral, and Swedish group ABBA gave a performance of “Dancing Queen” as a tribute to the future queen at a Royal Variety Performance the evening prior to the royal couple’s nuptials.
Does King Carl Gustaf Have Children?
King Carl Gustaf has three children—Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Carl Philip, and Princess Madeleine—who have families of their own.
His eldest child, Princess Victoria, is his heir apparent, followed by her eight-year-old daughter, Princess Estelle.
What Scandals Could The New Series Delve Into?
Just like the British monarchy, there are plenty of royal scandals the six-episode limited series could use as inspiration in its writing room.
Prince Carl Philip of Sweden caused a stir after breaking up with his partner of 10 years and began dating model, Sofia Hellqvist. During her career as a model, Hellqvist worked as a glamour model, appearing in the pages of Swedish men’s magazine Slitz and (allegedly!) made out with adult film star Jenna Jameson on the set of reality show Paradise Hotel.
And in 2019, the King made some big changes that may have caused some family tension, deciding to denounce his grandchildren of their royal titles and duties.
The children of Princess Madeleine and her husband Christopher O’Neill, and Prince Carl Philip and his wife Princess Sofia, lost their official HRH (His/Her Royal Highness) titles, and while they retained their titles of Prince and Princess, future spouses or children do not have a right to them.
The change did not affect Crown Princess Victoria’s two children, Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar, as they are heirs to the throne and will continue to be part of the royal house.
When Will The Series Air And How Can You Watch It In Australia?
No word yet on when the series will begin production or whether it will come across to an Australian streaming service—so stay tuned for more updates!
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