COPENHAGEN, Denmark — The 4 members of the Swedish pop quartet ABBA, who triumphed on the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with the upbeat love song “Waterloo,” received one in all Sweden’s most prestigious knighthoods from Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf on Friday.

The Vasa Order was awarded for the primary time in almost 50 years. Agnetha Faltskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad were awarded “Commanders First Class” of the order for “very outstanding services to Swedish and international musical life”.

Sweden has several orders, including the Royal Order of the Seraphim, which is awarded to heads of state and foreign royalty, and the Royal Order of the Polar Star, which is awarded to foreign residents and stateless individuals.

The Royal Order of Vasa, which is awarded in recognition of non-public services to Sweden or Swedish interests in addition to the successful performance of public duties and tasks, was dormant until the tip of 2022, when it was reactivated after the royal orders were reopened to Swedish residents through appropriate regulations.

At the start of the yr, the candidates were nominated by the general public and the Swedish government and the King confirmed the nominees, which included the 4 ABBA members.

The medals were awarded at a solemn ceremony within the royal palace within the gilded Vita Havet assembly halls. The monarch presented them with the medal in a red box, while Queen Silvia presented them with a diploma.

“The medal you receive today is Sweden’s thanks for your extraordinary efforts,” said the monarch before awarding medals to “13 extraordinary Swedes.”

Andersson, Faltskog, Lyngstad, who now uses the surname Reuss, approached with a stick, and Ulvaeus took the order at an event broadcast survive the Swedish media.

Coincidentally, the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest took place in southern Sweden. Swiss singer Nemo won the 68th contest with “The Code,” an operatic pop-rap ode to the singer’s journey toward a gender-neutral identity.

The Swedish band members haven’t performed live together for 4 many years, but released a comeback album, “Voyage,” in 2021. The digital “ABBA-tars” opened in London in 2022.

Two other winners were two Nobel Prize winners of 2023: the French-Swedish physicist Anne L'Huillier and Svante Pääbo, who received the coveted award in physics and medicine. Both received the Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Polar Star for “outstanding research achievements”.