The thirty-four year old Charles XV was crowned ceremonially as King of Sweden and Norway on May 3, 1860. He had actually been serving as head of state for some time. He had been appointed Regent on September 25, 1857 on the prolonged illness of his father and had taken the constitutional oath of office as monarch when his father died in July 1859. He ruled until his death in September 1872. (By John Osborne)