Abba reunite to collect prestigious Swedish knighthood from king

All four members of the Swedish pop quartet Abba were reunited on Friday to receive one of Sweden's most prestigious knighthoods from King Carl XVI Gustaf.

The Order of the Vasa was awarded for the first time in nearly 50 years.

Agnetha Faltskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad became "Commanders of the First Class" for their "very outstanding efforts in Swedish and international music life.”

Sweden has several orders, including the Royal Order of Seraphim for heads of state and the Royal Order of the Polar Star for foreign citizens and stateless persons.

The Royal Order of Vasa, recognising personal efforts for Sweden or Swedish interests and public duties, was reactivated in late 2022 when regulations reopened Royal Orders to Swedish citizens.

Earlier this year, the public and the Swedish government nominated candidates, who were then approved by the king.

The orders were awarded during a solemn ceremony at the Royal Palace's gilded Vita Havet Assembly Rooms. The monarch handed them the order in a red box while Queen Silvia presented a diploma.

"The order you get today is Sweden’s thanks for your exceptional efforts," the monarch said, awarding orders to "13 exceptional Swedes".

Abba members Andersson, Faltskog, Lyngstad (now Reuss), and Ulvaeus received the order at the event, aired live on Swedish media.

Abba's Eurovision victory turned them into a global sensation, selling hundreds of millions of records.

The musical Mamma Mia!, based on their songs, is 25 years old and inspired two movies.

The 2024 Eurovision, coincidentally, was held in southern Sweden, won by Swiss singer Nemo with "The Code," an operatic pop-rap ode to embracing a non-gender identity.

Though Abba hasn't performed live together in four decades, they released a comeback album, Voyage, in 2021 and their digital Abba-tars opened in London in 2022.

Other recipients included 2023 Nobel Prize winners: French-Swedish physicist Anne L’Huillier and Svante Pääbo, awarded Commander Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Polar Star for "outstanding research efforts".