Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden Biography

Gustaf VI Adolf was a Swedish king who ruled for nearly 23 years from 1950 to 1973. Aged 67 when he has crowned the king, he was the oldest monarch to be crowned at that time. Before he became the king he was the crown prince for nearly 43 years. During his reign, he was instrumental in approving the constitutional changes that went on to remove even the last traces of political power in the monarch. He was also an amateur archaeologist who was particularly interested in the ancient Italian cultures. He had excavated and written multiple papers on ancient Swedish monuments. He was also considered to be an authority on Chinese ceramics. His interest in archaeology was so deep that even at the age of 88, he was a part of an excavation in Italy. Gustaf was fluent in multiple languages, such as Swedish, English, French, and German. He could also read Italian and Latin. Apart from being an archaeologist, he was also an ardent sports enthusiast and a botanist.