In Sweden, there are three world-class labels: Volvo, Nobel Prize, and the Swedish Royal Family.
Every once in a while, the Swedish Royal Family becomes a hot topic, and the latest one was because of “poverty.”
How could a royal family in a developed country be poor? It’s not that simple, as little In found out after some searching.
Sweden is a developed country in Northern Europe with good welfare for its people. Its standard of living is among the highest in the world, and it has the smallest wealth gap globally.
The current King of Sweden, Carl XVI Gustaf, is said to have a net worth of 70 million US dollars, which is about five small goals.
Perhaps this number has become a symbol of “poverty” for the Swedish Royal Family, but the fact is that different national conditions have also created different styles for different royal families.
The Saudi royal family highlights their inhuman wealth, with big gold chains, watches, and convertible sports cars.
The British royal family has countless formalities and ceremonies, with endless gossip between in-laws, fathers and sons, and rumors that never end.
In comparison, the Swedish royal family is really too low-key.
News about showing off wealth, palace intrigue, and scandals are not that relevant to the Swedish royal family.
For example, when it comes to the Swedish Royal Family’s daily life, from Crown Princess Victoria’s wedding, Prince Philip’s wedding, to the official car used for the baptism of the next generation’s Princess Estelle, they are all Volvos.
In Little In’s opinion, the Swedish royal family’s low-key approach may be due to the fact that they are one of the oldest royal families in the world and don’t need to show off with luxury cars. Additionally, for Swedes, money is not the most important thing in life, so they don’t flaunt their wealth.
Therefore, the Swedish royal family’s choice of Volvo as their vehicle of choice is not only unremarkable, but this low-key style has gradually influenced the entire Europe, and other royal families have followed suit in rejecting extravagance and waste.
Of course, it should be noted that the Swedish monarch is only a nominal head of state, and the royal family is supported by the state and must pay taxes. The king’s annual income is only a few hundred thousand, and he must pay thirty percent in taxes.
The king says, “I pay taxes, I am honored.”
In terms of housing, the recently renovated Haga Palace is where the Crown Prince and his wife reside. As the future king, he lives in a two-story small building. There are no galleries or magnificent domes, just a low-key and warm atmosphere.
Compared to the British royal family, who collect jewels and jewelry from around the world, the Swedish royal family only has 13 crowns in total. Their jewelry is also limited, with many pieces accumulated over hundreds of years as dowries from queens.
The same piece of jewelry or crown may be worn by the queen today, the princess the next time, and then repaired and pieced together for the queen to wear again.
The Swedish royal family is not as economically wealthy as other royal families, and they are known for being secular pioneers, striving to adapt to modern society.
The Swedish royal family leads the way in modernization and humanization among global royal families.Firstly, they value equality.In 1980, Sweden amended its succession law to become the world’s first royal family to allow equal inheritance of the throne between men and women. The current heir to the throne and future queen of Sweden is a woman, Princess Victoria.
Moreover, the Swedish royal family does not have a noble air and allows intermarriage with commoners.The king’s wife, Queen Silvia, was originally a foreign translator, and the king went to great lengths to marry her. The relevant laws were also amended so that members of the royal family do not have to give up their status for love.
Princess Victoria’s husband was originally a well-known fitness coach who owned three gyms in Stockholm. The princess fell in love with him while struggling with anorexia and exercising.
Prince Carl Philip married a reality TV star, and the youngest princess chose to marry a financial professional.
Truly, the Swedish royal family is relatively free of aristocratic airs and is worthy of praise.
The Swedish royal family members without noble airs also took the initiative to “downsize” and streamline the royal family members, allowing everyone to choose their own path in life.
In 2019, the Swedish royal family announced that two of Prince Carl Philip’s children and three of Princess Madeleine’s children would no longer be members of the royal family. They would retain their titles as prince and princess, but would no longer be supported by taxpayers’ money.
Princess Madeleine stated on social media that the streamlining of the royal family had been planned for a long time. She believed that this would give her children a better chance to “shape their lives as individuals.”
Prince Carl Philip also stated that after leaving the royal family, “they can become whoever they want to be, including engaging in politics or business. They don’t have to be carefully ‘protected’ but can live a normal life.”
Swedish citizens were also happy about this decision, as it is rare for the royal family to downsize. With fewer members being supported by their tax money, they were even more supportive.
Now, only the core family members of the king, queen, and crown prince retain their royal status. Other members sometimes perform royal duties, but otherwise live ordinary lives.
Because they don’t take their noble status seriously, the royal family members are quite approachable and down-to-earth. The king himself drives to work every day and is often seen driving around with the queen.
Sometimes, when traffic is bad in the Swedish capital of Stockholm, people can even say hello to the king at traffic lights.
The Swedish royal family also places great emphasis on the personal development of its members and strives for excellence.
For example, Crown Princess Victoria graduated from Yale University, interned at the United Nations, and underwent two and a half years of military training.
Even during her pregnancy, she did not take a break and is considered the most hardworking member of the royal family.
Estelle, the daughter of Crown Princess Victoria and granddaughter of the King of Sweden, has excellent academic performance. She also attends national events, such as National Day, wearing a shirt and traditional dress, which makes her look especially cute. Due to her intelligence, grace, and good manners, she is known as the “real-life Elsa” by the public.
In addition to working hard on their studies, children in Sweden are encouraged to embrace nature, exercise, participate in public welfare, and engage in social affairs. In short, they are encouraged to develop themselves in all aspects, including morality, intelligence, physical fitness, aesthetics, and labor skills.
Every year, the Swedish royal family attends the most well-known event, the Nobel Prize ceremony. Almost all the princes and princesses attend the ceremony to experience the pinnacle of human wisdom, be inspired, and absorb some of the magical atmosphere.
In my opinion, the Swedish royal family may not be the most luxurious or eye-catching royal family in the world, but it is the most down-to-earth and relatable.
They may not have as many crowns or fancy clothes, but they don’t put on airs and strive for equality.
Rather than external labels like their royal status, they value personal inner cultivation.
While pursuing excellence, they prioritize people and their sense of security and self-development.
It’s no wonder that this kind of royal family is so popular with the people, with a support rate of around 70% year-round.
The pursuit of noble character by the Swedish royal family is reflected in every aspect of their daily lives, from clothing to food, housing, and transportation.
In addition to clothing and housing, the Swedish royal family’s mode of transportation naturally embodies these noble character traits.
Sweden has a long history of automobile manufacturing, and the Swedish royal family’s favorite car brand is their own luxury brand, Volvo.
The ideas of equality, people-oriented, and inner focus that are already ingrained in the Swedish national DNA are fully embodied in the Volvo brand.
And the flagship sedan model, the S90, is the culmination of these ideas.
In every detail, it embodies the ideals of equality, people-orientedness, and inner focus that the Swedish royal family values.
Firstly, there is equality.
In my opinion, Volvo is a car brand that truly treats every passenger in the car equally.
That may sound a bit empty, so let’s take a look at how Volvo does it.
Volvo has said that nothing is more luxurious than the safety and health of family members.
Therefore, while most car brands use crash test dummies modeled after adult males, Volvo has developed over 100 different gender and age-specific dummies.
From adults to 6-pound newborns in swaddling clothes, and pregnant women from 3 months to almost giving birth, they are all taken into account.
It’s important to note that each dummy is expensive to produce, with over 100 test points on each one, and this data helps Volvo develop safer cars.
Whether you’re a parent or a child, Volvo’s attention to detail gives every car owner an extra sense of security and peace of mind.
Another aspect to focus on is the interior.
Compared to other brands, Volvo prefers to put in a lot of effort in places that people can’t see.
You won’t see flashy, colorful interior lights or aggressive exterior designs that resemble nightclubs on the Volvo S90. Its exterior is sleek, rugged, and exudes an elite feel.
The S90 isn’t designed to please everyone based on its appearance, but rather it strives to care for the safety and health of everyone inside the car, such as using baby-friendly interior materials.
The interior of the car uses non-toxic and environmentally friendly materials, and all fabrics that come into contact with the skin are baby-friendly.
Some people with allergies have said that after driving for so many years, only Volvo’s new cars don’t make them uncomfortable.
What car owners feel is that Volvo’s new cars have no odor, and there are no harmful volatile substances in the car. Behind this is a very strict production process and standards.
Take a piece of sponge in a Volvo seat, for example. In order to be installed in a Volvo car, it needs to go through three tests:
When it is still a piece of sponge, it needs to undergo an emission test before it can be used to assemble the seat.After the seat is assembled, it needs to undergo another emission test before it can be installed in the car.
After being installed in the car, it still needs to undergo a third emission test – all to ensure that this seat can meet Volvo’s health standards.Volvo’s testing standards are far higher than its peers.
The staff will park the new car in a 65°C high temperature for up to 4 hours for air sampling analysis. This temperature is much higher than the international ISO and domestic 25°C testing temperature standards, making it the highest in the industry.
In addition to scientific data support, Volvo also has a “final defense line” – Volvo’s nose team.
In order to ensure that new cars leave the factory without any odor, Volvo not only uses instruments for testing, but also has a dedicated “nose team” – 8 staff members with sensitive sense of smell who use their own noses to smell the new cars.
Once, a member of the “nose team” smelled a faint strange smell during the overall vehicle inspection, although the professional instrument test showed that it was qualified, they still didn’t let it go.
After investigation, it was found that a batch of roofs had mistakenly been transported in a cargo hold that had previously carried seafood, and had picked up a fishy smell.
Subsequently, this batch of cars was sent back for reassembly, which shows Volvo’s strict production quality and care for the health of passengers inside the car.
While focusing on safety and health, the Volvo S90 also pays attention to comfort, hoping that car owners around the world can enjoy the same comfortable experience as the Swedish royal family.
For example, Volvo’s seats are developed by orthopedic doctors from the Royal Swedish Academy of Medicine and Volvo engineers, providing professional ergonomic support to ensure that passengers do not get tired even after long periods of sitting.
Engineers also collected over 4,000 simulated data points at the Gothenburg Concert Hall, just to ensure that the Bowers & Wilkins sound system in the car provides a concert-like experience.
Volvo passengers around the world can immerse themselves in the car and experience the same top-notch music hall effect as royalty.
Putting people first and selecting materials carefully is Volvo’s philosophy, which has won the favor of the Swedish royal family and led to its use in various large ceremonies and events.
It is not only a reassuring car, but also a display of warmth and emotion, showcasing infinite vitality and making people feel excited.
It is also an artwork created by focusing on people and details, engraved in the bones of the Swedish people. It is no wonder that Volvo has always been the first choice of the Swedish royal family.
Choose the Volvo S90 and experience the Nordic luxury of the Swedish royal family.
