King of Sweden Honours ABBA Members with Order of Vasa for Outstanding Achievements in Music
In Sweden, the members of ABBA have been made Knights of the Royal Order of the Vase, one of the most prestigious knighthoods in Sweden, "for outstanding achievements in Swedish and international music".
This is the first time in almost 50 years that the Royal Knighthood has been awarded for exceptional services. April also marks the 50th anniversary of ABBA's victory at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974.
The members of ABBA were personally awarded by King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.
The list of all the recipients of the orders was published on 21 March on the website of the Swedish royal house.
The recipients of the awards are: Agneta Feltskug, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, Annie-Friede Lingstad.
The candidates were nominated by the public. On 21 March, the government approved the nominees, and the King approved the official decision to award the order.
Through a broad political agreement, the Riksdag decided that Swedish citizens could once again be awarded the four Swedish royal knighthoods. In December 2022, the government passed a new regulation on Sweden's highest merit awards. These awards include the four royal knighthoods, the Order of the Seraph, the Order of the Sword, the Order of the North Star and the Order of the Vasa. The new provision is aimed at enabling the state to recognise and reward merit that goes beyond what can be expected of an individual in the field in which that individual works. This could be, for example, a courageous attempt to save a life, a scientific achievement or an effort that is of great importance to Sweden.
The official ceremony will take place at the Royal Palace in Stockholm on 31 May.
ABBA is a Swedish musical quartet formed in 1972 in Stockholm, which is considered one of the symbols of Sweden and one of the most successful bands in the history of popular music. ABBA has sold over 380 million albums and singles worldwide.
The band officially disbanded in 1982 and performed in public for the last time in 1986. Despite this, the band members remained friends for many years afterwards. In 2016, Swedish media reported that ABBA sang together at a private party.
Among the band's most famous songs are Mamma Mia (1976), Dancing Queen (1976), Super Trouper (1980), and The Name Of The Game (1977).