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| Photo: Clément Morin/The Royal Court of Sweden |
Notes from Gert's Royals are in Bold.
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Dear Swedes, at home and abroad, and everyone in Sweden!
Now that Christmas is here and the year is coming to an end, many of us gather with family and friends. We light candles in the winter darkness and cherish old traditions. We look back, but we also look forward.
Despite conflicts, wars and terrorist acts in the world, we must hold on to hope for the future.
The resilience and will of the Ukrainian people to defend their country gives us hope that Ukraine's freedom and sovereignty will be respected. At the same time, it is important that we, in Europe, continue to give our full support to Ukraine.
During the year, I have visited, among other things, the Swedish military units in Latvia and the NATO headquarters in Brussels. I have also participated in the 80th anniversary of the UN in New York and in the COP30 climate conference in Brazil.
These meetings have strengthened my conviction that dialogue and cooperation between countries is the only path to stability and security. And that joint efforts are crucial to meeting one of the greatest challenges of our time: climate change. As we all know, climate does not respect national borders.
Sweden has good opportunities to contribute and be an example in international cooperation, not least through our commitment to peace, sustainable development and human rights.
Let us hope for a lasting ceasefire in Gaza and peaceful development in the Middle East. Even though uncertainty is great and contradictions remain. Wanting peace is a first step. Creating lasting peace requires dialogue and reconciliation.
Hope is also born from new discoveries, and science is making great progress.
Sweden has long cherished research and innovation. One example is the Nobel Prize, which annually recognizes scientific breakthroughs worldwide. These successes are largely made possible by global knowledge exchanges between universities and colleges.
When the Queen and I welcomed the President of Iceland last spring and were in Canada on a state visit last fall, it became clear how our countries are united in their belief in education and research. And the realization that knowledge is the key to human development.
Dear Swedes,
At the beginning of the year, Sweden and Örebro were hit by a terrible act. Eleven people lost their lives and many were injured. This terrible event will be with us for a long time, especially for the survivors, and the relatives and friends of the victims.
[Örebro is a city in Sweden. In February 2025, there was a school shooting there that killed 11 people. This was the deadliest terror attack in Sweden.]
But out of the grief, something grew - a sense of community and a desire to help. All of Sweden rallied behind the police, emergency services, and medical personnel, who worked hard to save lives. People supported each other and showed that humanity is a sustaining force even in difficult times.
That force is everywhere in our country:
In volunteers, who get involved in different organizations. I am thinking, for example, of the Scout Movement, where the guiding principle is that every person can make a difference. That even a small good deed has significance. With courage, consideration and action, we can change a lot.
We also find that humanity in neighbors who help each other.
In teachers who inspire their students daily.
In classmates who support those who feel left out.
In colleagues who extend a helping hand.
In elders who share their life experiences.
And in a hug or a warm word along the way from a good friend.
In those moments, there is the warmth and care that the world needs more of.
Dear Swedes,
The message of Christmas is hope and reconciliation, that darkness never has the last word. For in darkness lies the light.
Right there, in the midst of the difficult, something new can begin to grow. Right there, a candle can be lit.
With those words, I, along with my family, would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2026!
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