From Heidelberg - Silvia of Sweden turns 80

Queen - From Heidelberg - Silvia of Sweden turns 80

This is probably the closest Germany will ever get to a queen. Born in Heidelberg, Silvia of Sweden has not only been the woman at the side of Swedish monarch Carl XVI Gustaf (77) for half a century, but also something of a figurehead for Germany in the royal world. Full of meticulousness and discipline, the former Olympic hostess has redefined the office of Queen and turned it into a full-time job that involves much more than just being the smiling wife at the King's side. On Saturday (December 23), Silvia will be 80 years old - an age that you can hardly see or notice.

"She still has a phenomenal memory," reports royal household expert Leontine Gräfin von Schmettow, who recently interviewed the Queen at Drottningholm Palace near Stockholm for the ARD documentary "Silvia - Born to be Queen". Silvia is always extremely precise in her comments and can switch effortlessly between languages.

Long working days

Long working days don't bother the Queen, says von Schmettow. "It really is unbelievable: when we are exhausted in the evening after a long day with lots of programs and appointments, she still stands at a state banquet with a radiant face in her evening dress and responds attentively to the people. Perhaps she has been gifted with a lot of energy by the good Lord."

Perhaps it is also her family that continues to serve as a source of strength for the mother of three and grandmother of eight in her old age. For Crown Princess Victoria in particular, Silvia has an "incredibly important role model function", says von Schmettow.

Heidelberg, São Paulo, Munich and Stockholm

Silvia Sommerlath was born one day before Christmas 1943 in Heidelberg. The daughter of a German businessman and his Brazilian wife, she grew up in São Paulo for many years before returning to Germany with her family as a teenager. She developed an interest in languages at an early age - this talent later paved the way for her job as head hostess at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.

It was there that a prominent Olympic guest with an idiosyncratic sense of humor observed her at close range with binoculars: Sweden's current King Carl XVI Gustaf, then still Crown Prince. The two went out to dinner together and became a couple, marrying in Stockholm in 1976. In the years that followed, their children Victoria (46), Prince Carl Philip (44) and Princess Madeleine (41) were born.

Savior of the Swedish monarchy

For the awkward Carl Gustaf, the elegant Silvia was a real stroke of luck. When he became king in 1973, the Swedish monarchy was in a deep crisis. Politicians were thinking out loud about changing the system to a republic.

Silvia came at just the right time. "When the king married Silvia, the two of them charmed the Swedish people and the mood changed," says former Swedish Foreign Minister Jan Eliasson in the ZDF documentary "Silvia. Sweden's German Queen", for which filmmaker Julia Melchior also spoke to Silvia and many of her companions.

The documentary makes it clear that the Swedes' monarchy fatigue at the time was quickly blown away by the charismatic Silvia. The Swedish population welcomed her with warmth, support and acceptance, reports Silvia in an interview with royal family expert Melchior. Just a quarter of a century after the Second World War, this was certainly not a matter of course for a German.

Since then, Queen Silvia's discipline, modesty and determination have made her a role model for many in the Scandinavian country. Given her origins, she herself is often said to combine a Brazilian heart with a German head and a Swedish soul. She also benefited from the fact that there was no set of rules for the office of queen that she had to adhere to. "So I had the freedom to do what I thought was right and what my husband thought was right," says Silvia in the ZDF documentary.

Commitment to children and dementia patients

Silvia believed and still believes that charity work is the right thing to do, especially for dementia patients and children. Among other things, she founded the World Childhood Foundation in 1999, which supports children all over the world and in which her youngest daughter Madeleine is now her deputy as honorary chairwoman. In her private life, too, children are the greatest thing for Silvia. "With a growing number of grandchildren, spending time with her family is what the Queen loves to do most when the opportunity arises," the Swedish royal family writes about her.

Whether she is a family person or a professional queen, Silvia is always fully committed to what she does. "Silvia lives her role. She really has a very regal aura, a majestic aura," says Melchior. "She can also be very warm and very funny - but when you sit opposite her, you never forget that there's a queen sitting there." You can tell by her posture, her movements and gestures, and also by what she thinks and says.

Silvia remains true to her role as a role model and her kind heart even on her 80th birthday. Anyone wishing to give her a gift should first and foremost think of projects for children in Ukraine who are suffering from mental illness due to the Russian war of aggression in her country, the Queen wished in advance. In the run-up to her special day, she launched a fundraising campaign, among other things, in which donations can be made until the end of the year. According to the royal family, Silvia will ultimately celebrate her birthday in private - with her family, of course.