Swedes in the News

Swedes in the News [ ] Swedish Women on the Ascent

Princess Sofia is Pregnant

Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia. Photo: Linda Broström/The Royal Court of Sweden

Swedish Prince Carl

Philip and Princess Sofia are expecting their third child at the turn of the month March-April 2021.

The Princess is reportedly feeling fine in her pregnancy despite her recent Covid-19 infection. Both Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia caught the virus in late November after having attended the funeral of Queen Silvia’s brother Walther Sommerlath. They went into isolation along with their children and were fully recovered a couple of weeks later.

First Female Chair of IMFC

Minister for Finance Magdalena Andersson has been selected as the new Chair of the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC). She will be the first woman ever to hold the position and the first Swede in 50 years. She started her three-year term on January 18, 2021, succeeding Lesetja Kganyago, Governor of the South African Reserve Bank, who has chaired the IMFC since 2018.

Andersson is the first woman to be Minister of Finance in a Swedish Social Democratic government, a position she has held since October 2014. Her previous positions include Deputy Director-General at the Swedish Tax Agency, State Secretary at the Ministry of Finance, and Political Advisor at the Prime Minister’s Office. Minister of Finance Magdalena Andersson. Photo: Kristian Pohl/ Government Offices of Sweden

Bruce Swedien Dies at 86

Studio engineer Bruce Swedien, or “Bruce the Viking” as he was sometimes called, recently passed away at 86 years of age in Gainsville, Florida. A 5-time Grammy winner and legend in the music industry for more than half a century, Swedien pioneered a recording technique called the Acusonic Recording Process. He was known for his work with Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney,

Grammy-winning recording engineer Bruce Swedien. Photo courtesy Roberta Swedien

Diana Ross, and many others. Swedien was born in Minnesota in 1934, but his grandparents came from Stöde in Medelpad and Bruce was very proud of his Swedish heritage. He studied Swedish for a few years at school and visited as often as he could.

Linde New OSCE Chair

Minister for Foreign Affairs Ann Linde. Photo: Kristian Pohl/The Government Offices of Sweden

Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Ann Linde recently assumed her position as Chairperson-inOffice of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), a position she will hold throughout 2021. The OSCE is the world’s largest regional security organization with 57 participating States. Activities include military arms control, human rights, rule of law and democracy.

“As Chair of the OSCE, Sweden will continue to work to restore respect for the principles upon which the European security order rests,” says Linde.

Meir to the Moon?

NASA astronaut Jessica Meir Photo: NASA

Swedish-American astronaut Jessica Meir could be the first woman on the moon. She is already the second Swedish citizen and the first Swedish woman ever in space. A few weeks ago, Meir was selected to join NASA’s Artemis Team, a group of nine men and nine women, who will work on NASA’s first manned moon mission since 1972.

Meir was born in Maine, but her mother Ulla-Britt is from Västerås, Sweden. On October 18, 2019, Meir and Christina Koch conducted the first allfemale spacewalk which lasted seven hours and 17 minutes.