Marshal of the Realm (Sweden)

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), 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.

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, was appointed in 2018.

List of Marshals of the Realm since 1607

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
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

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

External links

• Official website