The new German TV series is being launched this week at the Mipcom TV fair in Cannes ahead of its premiere next year. In Sweden, the series will air on Prime Video and later on SVT (Swedish public broadcaster). But when news broke this spring that a TV series would cover the early years of King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia’s life together, the royal couple did not welcome it.
King Carl Gustaf was critical when asked about it by Dagens Nyheter in June.
“It’s strange that they make series about people who are still alive. It means that we may have to continue living with half-truths,” Queen Silvia also told DN in the same interview.
Ridiculed
Edvin Endre, who plays then-Crown Prince Carl Gustaf, tells TT that he understands the king’s reaction.
“It felt terrible when I read it, because I understand what he means. He has always been ridiculed when he has been portrayed before,” he says, adding:
“So I understand that they are concerned, but I can only tell him that that is not what I’m looking for. I have approached this with the utmost respect, and my goal is to portray him as human and authentic as possible.”
Edvin Endre feels a great responsibility to ensure that the king and queen are portrayed correctly in the series.
“Yes, we feel the responsibility and the pressure,” he says.
Bullying
“Queen Silvia” has been described as a variation on “The Crown” and depicts four years in the lives of Carl Gustaf and Silvia, from their first meeting at the Munich Olympics, where Silvia Sommerlath worked as a hostess for VIP guests, to their engagement in 1976. In between, Carl Gustaf becomes king in 1973.
Researching the role has given Edvin Endre a partly new image of the king.
“Here’s the thing: I feel like he’s been deeply unfairly portrayed his entire life. I have great sympathy for him, because during my research I found so many articles and interviews that border on outright bullying,” he says.
The series’ director, Miguel Alexandre, points out that there is a long tradition of portraying real people in theater and film while they are still alive.
“Why is that? Well, because people are inspired by it. And we felt that this love story is very inspiring.”
The six-part miniseries will premiere next year on Prime Video in Germany and Sweden, and later on SVT. Edvin Endre plays King Carl Gustaf, while Queen Silvia is played by German actor Alicia von Rittberg.
Several Swedish actors are in the series, including Samuel Fröler (Prince Bertil), Josefin Neldén (Princess Birgitta) and Hanna Ardehn (Princess Christina).
The series is a co-production between the German companies Beta and Pyjama Pictures and the Swedish company Unlimited Stories.
