EXCLUSIVE: A chance encounter between a German-Brazilian interpreter and Swedish Crown Prince is the inspiration for Queen Silvia, a glossy drama series for Prime Video. Cameras are rolling on the big-ticket production, about one of Europe’s iconic royal love stories. Prime Video has the show for Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Nordics. SAT.1 will show it free-to-air in Germany. Beta Film has international sales.
Silvia Sommerlath was the interpreter in question. She met Sweden’s young Crown Prince Carl Gustaf by chance while working at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich. Swedish mega-group ABBA’s ‘Dancing Queen’ is strongly associated with the couple’s story given the first performance of the hit was at an event in their honor and performed as part of their wedding celebrations.
The series will be The Crown-esque in that it is a dramatization of headline-making real-life royal relationships and events. As such, the casting of Queen Silvia (working title) is sure to generate a lot of interest.
German actress Alicia von Rittberg (Call My Agent! Berlin) has landed the plum role of Silvia. Swedish actor Edvin Endre (Vikings) takes on the part of Carl Gustaf. The series is set between Munich, Stockholm, and the French Riviera.
Miguel Alexandre (Gran Paradiso) directs from a screenplay he penned with Lisa Hofer (Black Island) and Pauline Wolff (VAKA). The showrunner is Carsten Kelber. Germany’s Pyjama Pictures and Sweden’s Unlimited Stories share production duties on this one. Beta Film has boarded and is across distribution. The announcement is timely given drama buyers are convening on Lille this week for Series Mania.
The series will tell the story of how a young woman, Silvia, who was working at the Munich Olympics, met Carl Gustaf, the Crown Prince of Sweden, a playboy and the guest of honor at the Games.
“Queen Silvia is not just another royal drama,” said Justus Riesenkampff, EVP Nordics & Benelux, Beta Film. “It tells the unique story of two people who come from completely different worlds..
Carsten Kelber, Producer, Pyjama Pictures, added: “This is one of the biggest love stories of our time – not only between two people, but also between two countries. Putting the relationship in focus and telling it in a grown-up way is magical and modern at the same time!”
Frida Wallman, Producer, Unlimited Stories said: “Being part of the first dramatized series about our Swedish Royal couple is both a privilege and a thrill. With the depth of research woven into the scripts and the remarkable collaboration between Sweden and Germany in this production, we simply cannot wait for audiences everywhere to see what we have created.”
Beta Film has some royal lineage, with Dutch series Máxima proving popular. Spin-off The Other Royals – A Máxima Story is coming soon, as is Ludwig, about King Ludwig II, underscoring international buyers’ continued appetite for regal tales. The Beta team will be on hand to talk about their latest royal offering at Series Mania – with the industry-facing Series Mania Forum starting in earnest today, Tuesday.
