Peter Hägelstam started working for Björn Axén 1981. Just two days into his new job, he was presented to the Queen Silviaa. Then Peter was Björn’s assistant, but when Björn Axén died in 1993, Peter became Queen Silvia’s private hairdresser.
Peter Hägelstam. Image source: Henrik Montogmery/TT Bild
It is Peter who styles Queen Silvia for everything from Nobel dinners to trips and official missions. Over the years, he has seen his tools disappear and the electricity go out – all the while fighting against the clock to pull together a perfect hairstyle for the queen.
Peter is most satisfied with the hairstyle he did for Queen Silvia before Nobel in 1993, when the Queen wore a black and white dress from Italian Nina Ricci.
– It wasn’t made for me, but when I saw it I thought it was wonderful so I tried it on and it fit perfectly. It’s a dress that just is. It is of course special with all its frills and bows, but I thought it was very lovely and yes, bold, the Queen has said of the iconic dress.
Queen Silvia in Nina Ricci at the Nobel Festival 1993. Image source: Leif R Jansson/TT Image Queen Silvia’s hairstyle at the Nobel Festival 1993, signed Peter Hägelstam. Image source: Torbjörn F Gustafsson/TT BildPeter Hägelstam about Queen Silvia
At the castle, there is always a place for hairdresser Peter Hägelstam to work, and there he has almost everything he needs. He takes the rest with him in a small bag. When the Queen calls, Peter is there immediately if needed.
Peter recently visited Look Schultz and Ebba Kleberg von Sydows podcast Monarkerna, which is under the flag of Sveriges Radio. The theme of the episode is precisely the royal hair. Recently, Prince has William been rewritten for his new beard, but even the women of the European royal houses continue to enchant. From the princess Kate’s long swells to queen Mary’s loose hair and the princess Charlene’s very short blonde hair. Which is actually not all that different from the princess Diana’s iconic short hair.
Prince William. Image source: Hollie Adams/Pool via AP/TT Image
– Royal heads and hair serve another purpose, it must be added. They are also bearers of priceless jewels on all these festive occasions, says Ebba Kleberg von Sydow in the podcast.
In the podcast, Silvia’s hairdresser Peter Hägelstam is asked if he sometimes adds extensions to the queen.
– First of all, I am a gentleman and a gentleman never talks about such things. But it’s clear that sometimes it can be nice for your own hair to rest a little, so you can sort of solve a situation by adding a little extra, reveals Peter in Monarkerna.
Everyone in the Swedish royal family has their own unique styles that over the years have become their signature. The princess Madeleine likes to have her blonde hair out, while the princess Sophia not afraid to experiment with both loops and bangs.
Princess Madeleine likes to have her blonde hair down. Image source: Stella Pictures Princess Sofia has tested both bangs and curls over the years. Image source: Stella Pictures.
The crown princess is somewhat more conservative Victoria. Anyone who has leafed through a gossip magazine at the hairdresser’s over the years may have noticed that Crown Princess Victoria is almost never seen with her hair down.
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Therefore, Crown Princess Victoria has never let her hair out
The number of times Victoria has let her hair out in public is not many. At a few events and the occasional Nobel dinner, Victoria has let her hair down.
Crown Princess Victoria doesn’t often have her hair down, but at the Polar Prize in 2012 she let her hair down. Image source: Bertil Ericson/TT Image An unusual sight – Crown Princess Victoria with her hair down. Here at Nobel in 2008. Image source: Henrik Montgomery/TT Bild
But usually she has her hair in a knot at the back of her neck, a ponytail or if the occasion calls for it: a more advanced hairstyle. And so it has looked in recent years.
Crown Princess Victoria almost always has her hair up. Image source: Stella Pictures. Sometimes with a clip, sometimes with a knot or a ponytail. Image source: Stella Pictures. Crown Princess Victoria usually has a knot. Image source: Jessica Gow/TT Bild
The fact that Victoria has been so reluctant to let her hair out is something that fascinates the Swedish people, who actually sent questions to the podcast The Monarchs about Victoria’s hair in particular.
Ebba Kleberg von Sydow asks Peter Hägelstam if there is some kind of etiquette or code around the whole thing, which means that you so rarely see the crown princess with her hair down.
– First of all, I think she has a good taste for how she wants to look and with that also how she shouldn’t look. It is clear that the crown princess has curly hair, and then the weather takes care of it and it can look very private, a bit like anyone else, which she actually isn’t, says Peter Hägelstam in the podcast and continues:
– When she has her sleek style and all that, then I see her eyes, cheekbones and beautiful profile. I see that when she has a perfectly clean tail, it’s just like that: Yep!. She is beautiful in it. Then there are times where you see her with an open hair or private picture, it can be charming to see that too.
Titti Schultz and Ebba Kleberg von Sydow have the Monarkerna podcast. Image source: Claudio Bresciani/TT BildREAD MORE: The world celebrity’s daughter is best friends with Princess Estelle