The London Lounge

The King of Sweden is visiting India and has caused something of a stir by carrying his own briefcase.

India agog as visiting King of Sweden carries his own bags

(The Times)

What struck me more than the fact that a clever and stylish royal personage has no need to impress anyone else by having flunkeys on tap to fetch & carry, was just how well dressed the King was after about 8 hours travelling economy class on Air India (really).



Okay, his equerry is well turned out too, but next time you see someone in the departure lounge wearing a onesie, neck pillow, and flip flops - you might deem it a public service to give them a lecture on how it should be done.

An interesting post. I agree that the King of Sweden sets an example for air travellers everywhere.

And now I shall play devil's advocate. I certainly would not presume to criticise HM for travelling so frugally but I do not think, either, that a more regal standard would be wrong in any way. Royalty in Europe has long ceased to govern and even their supposed role as constitutional guarantors, in a NW European democracy of Sweden's standing, is very diffiucult to to suppose necessary. They are, in fact, symbols, I would go as far as say they are ornaments upon the life of their nation.

I do not subscribe to the dreary modern rage for 'utilitarianism', I believe that ceremony and occasion and theatre and splendour are importat in our private lives and our shared, public ones. So I think that presidents, kings , ambassadors, etc. should be permitted, safe from churlish reproach, a bit of grandeur.

Luca wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 07, 2019 5:50 pm

I believe that ceremony and occasion and theatre and splendour are importat in our private lives and our shared, public ones. So I think that presidents, kings , ambassadors, etc. should be permitted, safe from churlish reproach, a bit of grandeur.

I would hasten to agree - to a point.

There is, however, an aspect to this matter that did make me smile when I read the Times article. It dealt mainly with an analysis of why Indian society found the King's behaviour so strange. India is a place where the delicately stratified layers of social class emerge in almost every interaction.

The article however gave little reference to why the King found himself in this situation other than to mention that the Swedish Royal plane was at the menders. It then suggested that (and this is what made me snort aloud) the King demonstrated 'humility' in carrying his own bags.

His Majesty may be a thoroughly modern monarch, but as well as being an exquisitely stylish man*, he is very much smarter than your average (European) Royal . He is entirely aware of both of those facts and, definitively, has nothing to prove; his behaviour is the very antithesis of insecurity - he seeks no approbation and asks no permission. I think an affectation of 'humility' would be as alien to him as surstromming might be to Indian tastes.

* In further evidence of stylishness, I offer a photo of the King as a young man with his P1800 - cars don't come much more stylish,,,:

You guys in Sweden are lucky to have such a stylish king.

I give you mine: king Willem-alexander of the house of Orange.

Anyway, you may not want to google that name.
He just wears suits, because he has to (and look at his shoes, he always wears the same pair because it's easy to slip out and in to them).



His wife on the other hand always looks stunning, but I think our king is a nice person. He just doesn't like suits (but i think it's better that he keeps wearing them because...)