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A beautiful map book from 1663 came into focus during the state visit today.
Finnish First Lady Suzanne Innes-Stubb got to see her hometown as it looked 361 years ago.
– It is a tradition to look up the visitors’ birthplaces on occasions like this, says Arvid Jakobsson, castle librarian at the Bernadotte Library.
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The pages of the old book have turned yellow and feel like dried maple leaves under your fingers. It rests on a soft pillow so as not to crack the back.
– It is allowed to touch the pages if you have washed your hands properly, but you must wear gloves if you are to hold the royal old photographs, says Arvid Jakobsson.
He shows the unique map to Queen Silvia and the First Lady in the Bernadotte Library at the Royal Palace.
The map is taken from “The Lord of the Rings” with painted mountains, forests and castles. There in the middle is the town of Solihull.
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full screenArvid Jakonsson, castle librarian at the Bernadotte Library shows an old map from 1663. Somewhere in the middle is the city of Solihull, which is the birthplace of Suzanne Innes-Stubbs. Photo: TT
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full screen The old map from 1663 is like taken from “The Lord of the Rings” with painted mountains, castles and forests. Photo: Jenny Alexandersson
The king’s books will be displayed
Suzanne Innes-Stubb was born in England but has lived in Finland for over 15 years. She married Alexander Stubb in 1998, has two adult children and an impressive career as a lawyer with a master’s degree in EU law.
Small particles of dust swirl in the sunlight as Arvid Jakobsson displays a book of watercolors painted by Gustav III in southeastern Finland. He tells us that there are over 100,000 books in the library. They are sorted by each regent.
Suzanne Innes-Stubb asks the Queen if the King is also a big collector of books.
The Queen smiles widely.
– Yes, he has many books.
Even Carl XVI Gustaf’s book collection will one day be stored and studied in the castle’s library.
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fullscreenQueen Silva and First Lady Suzanne Innes-Stubb met Arvid Jakobsson, palace librarian at the Bernadotte Library, on the first day of the state visit. Photo: TT
Want to be buried under a fir tree
The state visit naturally focuses a lot on defence, cooperation and NATO. But the ladies’ program leans towards culture and art. And it is easy to see that culture can create just as strong bonds between countries as military cooperation.
The Queen and First Lady spend part of the afternoon at Sven-Harry’s art museum, where Finnish artist Fanny Churberg’s paintings are shown side by side with Swedish landscape painter Carl-Fredrik Hill.
Fanny Churberg’s last wish was not to be buried under a tombstone. She wanted to lie under the roots of a fir tree to become part of nature’s cycle.
The Queen and Suzanne Innes-Stubb stop at a painting with fir trees and large root balls.
They chat for a long time.
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full screen The Queen and the First Lady in front of one of Fanny Churberg’s paintings at Sven-Harry’s art museum. Photo: TT