The four ABBA members received the prestigious Order of Vasa today from the hands of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.
All four members of the iconic pop group ABBA received a prestigious award in Sweden on Friday (May 31). Agnetha Fältskog (74), Björn Ulvaeus (79), Benny Andersson (77) and Anni-Frid Lyngstad (78) were all present at the Royal Palace in Stockholm to receive the award from the hands of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden (78) and his wife Queen Silvia (80).
Wasaorden for “outstanding achievements in musical life”
Fältskog, Ulvaeus, Andersson and Lyngstad received the Royal Order of Vasa as Commander 1st Class. This award, which is given for personal commitment to Sweden or Swedish interests, was presented today for the first time in 50 years. The public had the opportunity to nominate Swedish citizens. The Swedish government and King Carl XVI Gustaf then confirmed the ABBA quartet from the nominees at the beginning of this year.
The four ABBA members received the award “for outstanding achievements in Swedish and international music life”. And further: “ABBA is one of the greatest groups in music history and one of the few that has been successful on every continent. In the mid-1970s they were the world’s best-selling pop group.”
At the ceremony in Stockholm Palace, a total of 13 extraordinary Swedes were honored, including two Nobel Prize winners for 2023: the French-Swedish physicist Anne L’Huillier and Svante Pääbo (69), who received the coveted award for medicine.
At the award ceremony, King Carl XVI Gustaf presented the medals in a red box, while Queen Silvia presented the award winners with a diploma. “The medal you receive today is Sweden’s thanks for your extraordinary efforts,” said the monarch.
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
