Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel accepted the offer of a Swedish businessman to finance their recent honeymoon. There was no mystery about that – the services of the famous dragon lady were not required. However, there were complaints that this was a case of corruption. After due deliberations the authorities decided not to prosecute the couple on the grounds that the royal family cannot be held accountable for corruption.
Sweden’s Republican Association published this comment in Svenska Dagbladet: “This [decision] jeopardizes Swedish democracy. That allegations of corruption against the royal family may not be investigated is further proof that the price we pay for the monarchy is the decline of democracy. The royal family stands above the law and our democratic society, with the result that there is no equality before the law or equality in Sweden. While the royal house inherits power and privileges, we must ask whether we want to go on paying the price with our democracy, our legal system and our system of equal rights. The monarchy is not only obsolete, it is also a threat to the strengths and openness of democracy.”
The Swedes deserve high praise for their mystery-writing but not for their sense of humour.
Eric Koch’s new book, The Weimar Triangle, is available at Indigo-Chapters and in your local bookstore. 
You are right, Swedes lack a sense of humour – who else would criticise a monarchy for not being democratic? As regards their sense of humour Danes were the first to recognize this deficiency. It cost us dearly in a succession of unfunny wars.
Yes, that was regrettable. The Danish monarchy has always been endearing. One of the recent kings died in a House of Joy in Hamburg, which did not amuse the queen. Another was a member of the musicians’ union – or was that the same one?