Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf on May 31 awarded the Vasa Royal Medal to members of the legendary music group ABBA. This is the first time in the past 50 years that this honor has been given to domestic citizens.
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The medal awarding ceremony was solemnly held at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, with the participation of all members of this once famous music group, including: Benny Andersson, Agnetha Faltskog, Anni-Frid Reuss and Bjorn Ulvaeus – people who rarely appear in public together after the group disbanded.

All four members of ABBA were honored for their “outstanding contributions to Swedish and international music”. For ABBA, this year also marks the 50th anniversary of this group winning the Eurovision contest (in 1974) with the song “Waterloo” – the song that created the group’s international breakthrough.

The Royal Order of Vasa is awarded in recognition of an individual’s efforts towards Sweden or for the benefit of Sweden, as well as the successful performance of public duties and responsibilities. Sweden has temporarily stopped awarding the Vasa medal to domestic citizens since 1975, and only awarded it to foreign citizens. 

However, the Swedish Parliament decided to restore this practice in 2022 and the ceremony on May 31 marked the first time the Royal Vasa medals were again awarded to the country’s citizens in half a century.

A total of 13 Swedish citizens were honored for their achievements at this year’s ceremony, including two Nobel laureates: Geneticist Svante Paabo and physicist Anne L’Huillier.