Royal Honor

Abba members receive royal decorations

Royal honor for ABBA: On Friday, the Swedish royal family awarded royal orders to the members of the iconic band. At a ceremony at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, King Carl XVI Gustaf presented the so-called Order of Vasa to Benny Andersson, Agnetha Fältskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, and Björn Ulvaeus. 

The band members, who rarely perform together anymore, were honored for their “outstanding contributions to Swedish and international music.”

A special honor
This is the first time in 50 years that the royal orders have been awarded to citizens of the Nordic country. In 1975, Sweden had stopped awarding the honor to non-royal compatriots, as this was considered outdated.

Foreigners continued to receive the order. In 2022, however, the Swedish Parliament reinstated the practice.

50th Anniversary of the Eurovision Song Contest
Exactly 50 years ago, ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Waterloo.” The victory at the European music competition helped the musicians achieve their international breakthrough. Hits such as “Mamma Mia” (1975), “Dancing Queen” (1976), and “The Winner Takes It All” (1980). With catchy melodies and a unique style, ABBA embodied the disco phenomenon around the globe. The band disbanded in 1982.

All four singers are now over 70 years old. Over the past 50 years, they have sold more than 400 million albums. In 2021, after a long hiatus, the four Swedes released a new album.

Honors Also for Two Nobel Laureates
At Friday’s ceremony, a total of 13 Swedish citizens were honored for their achievements, including two Nobel laureates: geneticist Svante Pääbo and French-Swedish physicist Anne L’Huillier.