Sweden’s National Day

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Sweden's National Day - Michael Campanella Photography

I was on hand yesterday covering some of the ceremonies for Sweden’s National Day. Sweden celebrates it’s national day on the 6th of June. It was originally a holiday celebrating just the Swedish flag but in 1983 it was changed to be the national day. Sweden’s national day coincides with the day Gustav Vasa became king of Sweden in 1523.

I began my morning at the royal palace in Stockholm. Prince Carl Phillip and wife Pricness Sofia were scheduled to open the royal palace to the public at 10:00. I got there really early at about quarter to eight and I was already not the first photographer there. I was still early enough to get a really good position.

Sweden's National Day - Michael Campanella Photography
Sweden's National Day - Michael Campanella Photography

Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia made their very quick appearance at 10:00. They brought with them little Prince Alexander, which was not much of a surprise to us photographers.

Later in the morning there was a ceremonial changing of the guards which Prince Carl Philip participated in. The ceremony featured marching guards, marching bands, and even a horseback mounted marching band. It’s was incredibly warm and the ceremony seemed to drag on and on. To make it worse the prince was obscured behind canons for most of the time.

Sweden's National Day - Michael Campanella Photography
Sweden's National Day - Michael Campanella Photography
Sweden's National Day - Michael Campanella Photography
Sweden's National Day - Michael Campanella Photography
Sweden's National Day - Michael Campanella Photography
Sweden's National Day - Michael Campanella Photography
Sweden's National Day - Michael Campanella Photography
Sweden's National Day - Michael Campanella Photography
Sweden's National Day - Michael Campanella Photography
Sweden's National Day - Michael Campanella Photography

I finally wrapped the day up with a trip to Skansen. Skansen is sort of blend between an open air-museum and a small zoo. It features animals common to Sweden along with exhibitions on how life was in Sweden hundreds of years ago. For this event the entire royal family participated. They travelled to Skansen from the royal palace by horse and carriage.

Unfortunately the organization at Skansen did not seem to consider us photographers very well. We were roped off to the side of the stage underneath a TV crane. The entire arrival of the royal family was near impossible to get from our angle as all the spectators completely blocked our view of the actual carriage.

Sweden's National Day - Michael Campanella Photography
Sweden's National Day - Michael Campanella Photography
Sweden's National Day - Michael Campanella Photography
Sweden's National Day - Michael Campanella Photography
Sweden's National Day - Michael Campanella Photography

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