Royal Regalia Stolen in Sweden

Police tape blocks off an area near the Swedish cathedral where pieces of royal regalia were stolen on Tuesday (PONTUS STENBERG/AFP/Getty Images)

Sad news out of Sweden this week: around noon on Tuesday, thieves swiped a pair of crowns and an orb from a display at Strängnäs Cathedral.

The burial regalia of King Karl IX and his wife, Queen Christina; the crowns and one of the orbs were stolen this week (Police handout photo)

I’ve seen lots of sources describing the items as part of Sweden’s crown jewels, which isn’t precisely true. The crowns and orb were part of the funeral regalia used in the burials of King Carl IX of Sweden, a monarch from the Vasa dynasty who died in 1611, and his consort, Christina of Holstein-Gottorp, who died in 1625. The regalia was buried with the king and queen in their tombs at the cathedral, but the pieces were later exhumed and placed on display.

Police work following the theft of royal regalia in Sweden on Tuesday (PONTUS STENBERG/AFP/Getty Images)

In broad daylight, thieves stole the crowns and orb from their glass display case (which was alarmed) and escaped by boat. Authorities are still searching for the thieves and the stolen items. One police spokesperson told Aftonbladet, “It’s 1-0 to them right now. We want to spread information and pictures of these items so that they can be identified as stolen objects.” Here’s hoping the priceless objects turn up soon.