The King

What is it like to be King? 

A unique portrait of a solitary monarch, award-winning filmmaker Karin af Klintberg’s documentary The King delivers an exclusive glimpse into the life of Carl XVI Gustaf, the King of Sweden.

When Carl XVI Gustaf’s father died, the crown prince was only nine months old, and he became the world’s youngest king, growing up with an inescapable obligation. 

For two years and over roughly two thousand emails, Karin af Klintberg courted the Swedish Royal Court and was eventually granted exceptional access. The first journalist ever to have the castle gates opened, Klintberg had the unique opportunity to closely follow King Carl XVI Gustaf and interview him. The film documents their meetings, in formal settings like state visits, and one-on-one at the Royal Palace or the King’s summer residence Solliden, intermixed with scenes from the spectacle that surrounds him. 

Taking us behind the castle’s well-polished façade, The King is a thought-provoking and poetic film about a monarch who is always in the spotlight, but never truly known.