Posted by M.Sjostrom on 12/8/2009, 19:02:33, in reply to "Sweden - predictions about progeny"
82.181.239.182
Sweden has long 'lost' use and styles of nobility in almost all life. Swedish counts -such exist also in everyday occupations and events- are not usually even noted as counts.....
If this happens also with these new royalty, then I guess the title gets 'buried' in most occasions.
For example, Jonas Bergström -if he continues the career of everyday lawyer- will in all likelihood NOT be addressed as 'Your Grace', or 'Herr Hertigen'.
[of course, there's a likelihood that he will be roped to act as a 'working royal', which might mean his lawyer practice will change a lot. He may even feel that itäs not a good idea to serve 'publicly' at all - his future as lawyer would possibly be a part-time activity as advisor and drafter of documents (possibly centered on the royal family's legal tasks in his father-in-law's chancery), not perhaps personal presences and legal representation grunt work in courts of law.]
I think it would be perceived as ridiculous -or even joking at his expense- were others to address him as 'hertigen' (or similarly) in his current occupation and its everyday engagements.
Almost the only path of life in Sweden, where titles and styles still are in some use, is social life of high class. Socialite events arranged by old-fashioned bodies, for example.
I am pretty certain that such old-fashioned bodies know that to address someone simply and directly as 'hertigen', is rude and against the customs of noble life.
Styles were and are for *addressing* persons. Not their simple titles.
To *mention* a person, perhaps even when introducing him to an audience, is almost the only situation where it might be protocol-acceptable to use 'hertigen'.
So, I can imagine (and accept) that if Jonas Bergström comes to a charity event (without his wife), he could be introduced by the hosts to the audience as "Jonas, hertigen av..."
But, surely, when and if he is directly addressed during such, or another, event, they should find an acceptable style for that: it looks to me ridiculous, were one to address him either 'du, hertigen' or 'Ni, hertigen'. A suitable (though not in any way legally prescribed) address imo could be 'Ers Nåde' (= Your Grace).
So, I really cannot see how a courteous, cognoscenti person could ever address Jonas Bergström directly to his face as 'hertigen'.
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