Marshal of the Realm (Sweden)


His Majesty's Marshal of the Realm who heads the Office of the Marshal of the Realm, 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.
The present officeholder, Fredrik Wersäll, was appointed in 2018.

List of Marshals of the Realm since 1607

NameImageLifetimeTerm of office
1.Göran Claesson Stiernsköld1552–16111607–1611
2.Henrik Carlsson Horn af Kanckas1578–16181611–1618
vacancy1618–1634
3.Axel Gustafsson Banér1594–16421634–1641
vacancy1641–1643
4.Åke Axelsson Natt och Dag1594–16551643–1651
5.Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie1622–16861651–1653
6.Adolph John I, Count Palatine of Kleeburg1629–16891653–1654
7.Johan Oxenstierna af Södermöre1611–16571654–1657
8.Gabriel Oxenstierna af Korsholm och Wasa1619–16731657-?
9.Johan Gabriel Stenbock1640–17051673–1705
10.Carl Piper1647–17161705–1716
11.Nicodemus Tessin the Younger1654–17281717–1727
12.Magnus Julius De la Gardie1669-17411727–1741
13.Samuel Åkerhielm af Margrethelund1684–17681741–1747
14.Wilhelm Ludvig Taube af Odenkat1690–17501747–1750
15.Claes Ekeblad the Younger1708–17711750–1761
16.Adam Horn af Kanckas1717-17781761–1769
17.Nils Adam Bielke1724-17921769–1772
18.Hans Henrik von Liewen d.y.1704–17811772–1781
19.Göran Gyllenstierna1724–17991781–1788
20.Carl Bonde af Björnö1741–17911788–1791
21.Johan Gabriel Oxenstierna1750–18181792-?
22.Axel von Fersen the Younger1755–18101801–1810
23.Magnus Stenbock1810
24.Hans Henric von Essen1755–18241810–1824
25.Claes Adolf Fleming1771–18311824–1831
26.Magnus Brahe1790–18441831–1844
27.Arvid Mauritz Posse1792–18501845–1849
28.Mauritz Axel Lewenhaupt1791-18681849–1860
29.Nils Gyldenstolpe1799–18641860–1864
30.Gustaf Sparre1802–18861864–1886
31.Gillis Bildt1820–18941886–1894
32.Fredrik von Essen1831–19211894–1911
33.Ludvig Douglas1849–19161911–1916
34.Otto Hack Roland Printzsköld1846–19301916–1930
35.Eric Trolle1863–19341930–1934
36.Oscar von Sydow1873–19361934–1936
37.Axel Vennersten1863–19481936–1946
38.Birger Ekeberg1880–19681946–1959
39.Nils Vult von Steyern1887–19661959–1966
– 1897–19851966–1969
40.1897–19851970–1976
41.Gunnar Lagergren1912-20081976–1983
42.Sten Rudholm1918-20081983–1986
43.Per Sköld1922-20081986–1996
44.Gunnar Brodin1931–20091996–2003
45.Ingemar Eliasson1939–2003–2009
46.Svante Lindqvist1948–2010–2018
47.Fredrik Wersäll1951–2018–