Queen Silvia of Sweden is the longest serving consort in Europe right now and in her almost five decades as a royal, she’s created a sense of style all of her own. She’s raised her palace wardrobes to uncover lost gems (as you do) while her passion for a rewear is second to none. In 2024, the 80 year old queen was serving style like no other with some stand out moments.

The clashing colours consort

You’ve got to love a colour clash and there’s nothing not to love about Queen Silvia’s pick of pink and orange at the start of a State Visit from the King and Queen of Denmark.

It was a truly confident outfit with a dress of orange and pink checks with that pattern carrying on to the lapels of a bright fuchsia coat. Add in a pop of a pink hat and there was no missing Silvia which is a good job as she looked fantastic.

Queen of Roses

When you’re an actual queen and the star of a private banquet marking your 80th birthday, held just before your wedding anniversary, you need flowers and Silvia was festooned with them at a party just for her in June 2024.

The celebration was in honour of her completing eight decades in December 2023 and Queen Silvia chose a bright red evening gown, decorated with red fabric roses. She obviously had some left over because several ended up in her hair, as well, alongside an historic diamond brooch in the shape of a rose which originated in Brazil, the country of her maternal family and where she herself was raised for several years.

King Carl XVI Gustaf presented her with a real red rose, the ultimate symbol of love, at the banquet but when you’ve got an heirloom incarnation in gems already stuck behind your ear, that single flower has got its work cut out. That’s style.

A beautiful tribute to a lost princess

Soon after the unexpected death of Princess Birgitta of Sweden, at the start of December 2024, Queen Silvia spoke movingly of her sister in law, describing the fun they had together and how much she would miss her. Soon afterwards, she ensured that one of the most important moments in Sweden’s royal year also paid tribute to Birgitta.

The Nobel Prize ceremony in Stockholm is always an extravaganza of gala gowns and terrific tiaras for Sweden’s royals but in 2024, you couldn’t help but think that Queen Silvia had switched things up a little. Both she and her elder daughter, Crown Princess Victoria, wore dark shades with the Queen of Sweden in a deep navy sequinned gown by Shahla Namdar. Usually, this is a riot of colour but the muted shades seemed to indicate the most glamourous possible mourning for a much loved princess with a chic all of her own.

It was a classic end to a year of sophisticated style from Silvia, Queen of Sweden.