Carl, Greve Bonde

Carl Bonde was the son of a noble landowner and an English mother. In 1894, he became a second lieutenant with the Life Regiment’s Hussars and became an equerry at the Swedish court in 1909. He discharged as a captain of the reserve. In 1916, Bonde was appointed Crown Equerry and kept this position for several decades. During World War I, was an inspector of prisoner-of-war camps in Siberia. He held numerous estates as a trustee, including Hörningsholm Castle in Södermanland, as well as Katrineholm and several others in Småland.

As early as in 1900, Bonde became chairman of the Stockholm Trotting Club. At the 1912 Olympic Games, he claimed the first ever gold medal in the individual dressage event on his horse Emperor. Sixteen years later, at the age of 56 in his second Olympic appearance, he won another silver in the team event. 1933-38, he served as vice-chairman and chairman of the Swedish Equestrian Federation. Bonde acted as a judge in equestrian events at four Olympic Games (1920, 1924, 1932 and 1948).

His first wife was Blanche Charlotte Eleonora Dickson from 1896 until 1919. Bonde remarried in 1920 Ebba Maria Saznitza Wallenberg and divorced her in 1941. With his first wife, he had three sons and one daughter, and with his second wife another two sons. Some of his sons later held high positions in the army and at the court. Bonde received a number of awards and distinctions: He was Commander of the Order of Vasa and Knight of the Order of the Sword in Sweden, Knight of the Russian Order of St. Anne, of the Belgian Military Cross and others from various countries.