Soldier is seriously injured after slipping and impaling himself in the head with his bayonet while guarding the Swedish royal family
A Swedish soldier seriously injured himself after slipping and impaling himself in the head with his own bayonet while guarding the royal family.
The soldier, whose name has not yet been released, reportedly slipped and fell on his own bayonet, causing it to enter his head behind his ear as he stood guard outside Stockholm’s palace on Saturday.
Although his injuries were initially assessed as life-threatening after he was taken to hospital, he is now in a stable condition following surgery.
Since the near-fatal incident, the Swedish Royal Guard has temporarily asked its soldiers to loosen their bayonets from their rifles.
P4, a local radio broadcasterreported that the force has also increased efforts to gravel paths to minimize the risk of slips.
Richard Beck-Friis, the head of the Commander’s Staff, said there is no reason to completely stop using bayonets.
Sweden’s King Carl Gustaf and his wife, Queen Silvia, sent flowers to the injured man on Monday.
Gustaf told it Express: ‘I haven’t heard the latest news today about how he is doing, but the doctors have been fantastic. I hope this doesn’t harm him.’
A Swedish soldier seriously injured himself after slipping and impaling himself in the head with his own bayonet while guarding the royal family (File Image)
The soldier, whose name has not yet been released, reportedly slipped and fell on his own bayonet, causing it to enter his head behind his ear as he stood guard outside Stockholm Palace (File image)
He added: ‘I’m keeping my fingers crossed that guy is doing well.’
Soldiers of the Swedish Royal Guard have protected the country’s royal family since 1523, making it one of the oldest military units in the world.
The title of oldest military unit in the world goes to the Spanish infantry regiment ‘Inmemorial del Rey’ No. 1.
The senior regiment in the Spanish army was founded in 1248 by King Ferdinand III of Castile.
Since 1862, all heirs to the Spanish throne have registered as honorary soldiers in the unit.
In 1997, King Felipe, the current monarch of Spain, followed this tradition and enrolled as a soldier in the unit.