Marshal of the Realm (Sweden)

Official post

His Majesty's Marshal of the Realm

Hans Majestät Konungens riksmarskalk

Coat of arms of the Marshal of the Realm

Incumbent
Fredrik Wersäll

since 1 September 2018

Royal Court of Sweden
Style| His Excellency
Appointer| The Swedish monarch
Term length| At His Majesty's pleasure
Inaugural holder| Göran Claesson Stiernsköld
Formation| 1607
Website| http://www.kungahuset.se/

His Majesty's Marshal of the Realm (Swedish: Hans Majestät Konungens riksmarskalk) who heads the Office of the Marshal of the Realm (Swedish: Riksmarskalksämbetet),[1] is the highest official in the Royal Court of Sweden. The Marshal of the Realm is appointed by the monarch and is directly responsible for the organization and affairs of the court, and for maintaining liaison arrangements with the Riksdag and the Prime Minister/Government. Press releases and official statements from the Swedish royal family to the press and the public are typically released through the Marshal of the Realm.

## History

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The office was created in 1607 during the reign of Charles IX, and until 1936 during the reign of Gustaf V, with the appointment of Axel Vennersten, it had always been held by a member of the Swedish nobility. The incumbent is in formal writing entitled to the style of Excellency, and is today, apart from Swedish ambassadors, the only officeholder to use this style. Until the 1970s, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs also used this style, but it has since fallen out of use. The Marshals of the Realm were also in the past, until the reform of the state orders of chivalry in 1975, appointed as Knights of the Royal Order of the Seraphim, but since then Swedish citizens other than members of the Royal House are no longer eligible.

By convention former Marshals of the Realm are appointed as Chancellor of the Royal Orders upon their resignation, a position they hold until the next Marshal of the Realm resigns and themself assume the role.

The present officeholder, Fredrik Wersäll has been the incumbent since September 1, 2018.[2]

## List of Marshals of the Realm since 1607

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Axel Vennersten wearing the uniform of the Marshal of the Realm and the chain of the Order of the Seraphim. Svante Lindqvist, with wife Catharina, on the way to the Royal Chapel in Stockholm before the wedding of Princess Madeleine and Christopher O'Neill on June 8, 2013. | Name | Image | Lifetime | Term of office

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1. | Göran Claesson Stiernsköld |  | 1552–1611 | 1607–1611
2. | Henrik Carlsson Horn af Kanckas |  | 1578–1618 | 1611–1618
| vacancy |  |  | 1618–1634
3. | Axel Gustafsson Banér |  | 1594–1642 | 1634–1641
| vacancy |  |  | 1641–1643
4. | Åke Axelsson Natt och Dag |  | 1594–1655 | 1643–1651
5. | Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie |  | 1622–1686 | 1651–1653
6. | Adolph John I, Count Palatine of Kleeburg |  | 1629–1689 | 1653–1654
7. | Johan Oxenstierna af Södermöre |  | 1611–1657 | 1654–1657
8. | Gabriel Oxenstierna af Korsholm och Wasa |  | 1619–1673 | 1657-?
9. | Johan Gabriel Stenbock |  | 1640–1705 | 1673–1705
10. | Carl Piper |  | 1647–1716 | 1705–1716
11. | Nicodemus Tessin the Younger |  | 1654–1728 | 1717–1727
12. | Magnus Julius De la Gardie |  | 1669-1741 | 1727–1741
13. | Samuel Åkerhielm af Margrethelund |  | 1684–1768 | 1741–1747
14. | Wilhelm Ludvig Taube af Odenkat |  | 1690–1750 | 1747–1750
15. | Claes Ekeblad the Younger |  | 1708–1771 | 1750–1761
16. | Adam Horn af Kanckas |  | 1717-1778 | 1761–1769
17. | Nils Adam Bielke |  | 1724-1792 | 1769–1772
18. | Hans Henrik von Liewen d.y. |  | 1704–1781 | 1772–1781
19. | Göran Gyllenstierna |  | 1724–1799 | 1781–1788
20. | Carl Bonde af Björnö |  | 1741–1791 | 1788–1791
21. | Johan Gabriel Oxenstierna |  | 1750–1818 | 1792-?
22. | Axel von Fersen the Younger |  | 1755–1810 | 1801–1810
23. | Magnus Stenbock |  |  | 1810
24. | Hans Henric von Essen |  | 1755–1824 | 1810–1824
25. | Claes Adolf Fleming |  | 1771–1831 | 1824–1831
26. | Magnus Brahe |  | 1790–1844 | 1831–1844
27. | Arvid Mauritz Posse |  | 1792–1850 | 1845–1849
28. | Mauritz Axel Lewenhaupt |  | 1791-1868 | 1849–1860
29. | Nils Gyldenstolpe |  | 1799–1864 | 1860–1864
30. | Gustaf Sparre |  | 1802–1886 | 1864–1886
31. | Gillis Bildt |  | 1820–1894 | 1886–1894
32. | Fredrik von Essen |  | 1831–1921 | 1894–1911
33. | Ludvig Douglas |  | 1849–1916 | 1911–1916
34. | Otto Hack Roland Printzsköld |  | 1846–1930 | 1916–1930
35. | Eric Trolle |  | 1863–1934 | 1930–1934
36. | Oscar von Sydow |  | 1873–1936 | 1934–1936
37. | Axel Vennersten |  | 1863–1948 | 1936–1946
38. | Birger Ekeberg |  | 1880–1968 | 1946–1959
39. | Nils Vult von Steyern |  | 1887–1966 | 1959–1966
– | Stig H:son Ericson (acting) |  | 1897–1985 | 1966–1969
40. | Stig H:son Ericson |  | 1897–1985 | 1970–1976
41. | Gunnar Lagergren |  | 1912-2008 | 1976–1983
42. | Sten Rudholm |  | 1918-2008 | 1983–1986
43. | Per Sköld |  | 1922-2008 | 1986–1996
44. | Gunnar Brodin |  | 1931–2009 | 1996–2003
45. | Ingemar Eliasson |  | 1939– | 2003–2009
46. | Svante Lindqvist |  | 1948– | 2010–2018
47. | Fredrik Wersäll |  | 1951– | 2018–

## See also

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* Lesser Officers of the Realm
* Governor of Stockholm
* Reichsmarschall

## References

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1. ^ "Office of the Marshal of the Realm". Royal Court of Sweden. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
2. ^ "Press release from the Royal Court on January 15, 2018: Fredrik Wersäll new Marshal of the Realm". Archived from the original on August 23, 2018. Retrieved April 1, 2025.

## External links

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* Official website