Shortly after 7 p.m., the guests of the table of honor marched in to the organ and trumpet. The rest of the total of 1,250 guests had already sat down at the table in the Blue Hall in Stockholm City Hall.
The King, Queen, Crown Princess, Prince Daniel, Prince Carl Philip, Princess Sofia, Princess Madeleine and her husband Chris O’Neill are all in attendance.
Crown Princess Victoria sits next to chemistry laureate David Baker and the Royal Academy of Sciences’ permanent secretary Hans Ellengren has the queen at the table. The king has the Nobel Foundation’s chair Astrid Söderbergh Widding as his maid of honor.
This year’s Nobel chef Jessie Sommarström, together with pastry chef Frida Bräcke, has composed a menu with, among other things, goat cheese, quenell on chicken, Swedish apples – and porridge.
The latter element has attracted attention, and is described as a “modern culture porridge on cut barley, wild and cultivated mushrooms”.
During the evening, entertainment or divertissement as it is called in the Nobel context is also offered. This year, the power of inspiration is celebrated through dance and music in four acts. Laleh performs newly written music together with dancers from Base23 and solo musicians. Bo Wastesson has also contributed with newly written music.
The award recipients’ speeches will begin at 10.35 p.m., if the schedule is kept. At 11 p.m. the table is broken, whereupon the guests move from the Blue Hall to the Golden Hall where there will be dancing.