In 1897, during the international congress of the press at Stockholm,
the king gave the editors a banquet at the Royal Castle at
Drottningholm, and mingled among them as "one of yourselves." He also
proposed a toast in most complimentary language.

Oscar II made many speeches, and upon occasions of great formality he
used manuscript, but generally spoke without notes, preparing himself
in advance by study and reflection. When he spoke from manuscript,
he invariably furnished copies to the press, and was never known to
request that part of his speech be suppressed.

Reporters are invariably admitted to state ceremonials. There is very
little secrecy about the Stockholm court, and intrigue is entirely
unknown in Swedish politics. There are no mysteries in the council
chamber and no skeletons in the royal closet. Hence the doors are
open, and the reporters can come and go as they please. As a natural
consequence comparatively little attention is paid to affairs at the
palace. There is an announcement every morning of the movements of the
king and the royal family and occurrences of public interest, but with
very little detail, and the newspapers depend upon the officials to
furnish the information voluntarily. Reporters are seldom sent to the
palace unless some special inquiry is necessary.

The story is told that once when Oscar II went to Gothenburg to attend
a dedication or opening of something or other, where he was expected
to make a speech, he was intercepted at the railway station by an
enterprising reporter who wanted a copy of his speech. The paper was
to be published that afternoon, and there would be no time for a
stenographer to write out his notes afterward. The king greeted him