Sweden's royal family unite for rare portrait ahead of King's milestone event

The entire Swedish royal family has come together to be photographed for the first time in years in celebration of the King's major milestone.

The rare family portrait was shared ahead of the Golden Jubilee for King Carl XVI Gustaf this weekend.

Royals from across Europe will soon travel to Stockholm for the event, marking a special moment in the country's history.

READ MORE: Three of Princess Diana's gowns sell for $2.5 million

One of the two new portraits includes the King and his grandchildren, who had their royal status revoked in 2019.

The monarch stripped five of his grandchildren of their right to be known as His/Her Royal Highness and the taxpayer-funded 'appanage' or allowance that is given to members of the royal house.

The children can still use their prince and princess titles, however.

READ MORE: Prince Harry beaten in TV shoot out during Invictus Games

The decision affected Prince Carl and Princess Sofia's three sons, Prince Alexander, Prince Gabriel and Prince Julian.

It also impacted Princess Madeleine's three children, Princess Leonore, Prince Nicholas and Princess Adrienne.

The only children who retained their titles were Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar, the children of Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel, who are in direct line to the Swedish throne.

In September 2022, Denmark's Queen Margrethe II followed suit by making similar changes to four of her eight grandchildren's royal titles.

Recently Margrethe II's eldest grandchild Count Nikolai, told 9Honey he was still coming to terms with the changes which he called a "touchy subject" and "weird".

READ MORE: Sweden's Prince Daniel addresses 'nasty, false rumour' about marriage

The changes to the titles in both Sweden and Denmark appear to be part of a broader trend among Europe's ruling houses to slim down their monarchies as they move into the future.

Sweden's royal family have reunited for the King's Jubilee this week, with Princess Madeleine and her family flying in from the United States.

They were expected to move back to Stockholm permanently in August but that has since been delayed until 2024 with no official reason given.

The second family portrait shows the King with his two immediate heirs: Crown Princess Victoria, 46, and her daughter Princess Estelle, 11.

The photographs were taken by photographer Clément Morin in the White Sea ballroom in the Royal Palace.

On September 15, King Carl XVI Gustaf will mark 50 years on Sweden's throne, making him the country's longest-reigning monarch of all time.

That night an anniversary gala will be held inside the Hall of State at the palace with a number of royals from across Europe attending.

They include Denmark's Queen Margrethe, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess MaryQueen Anne Marie of Greece, Norway's King Harald and Queen Sonja and Crown Prince Haakon and his wife Crown Princess Mette-Marit.

Others are expected to confirm their RSVP this week.

On Saturday the King and Queen Silvia will travel by horse-drawn carriage through the centre of Stockholm.