Malvina De la Gardie


Malvina De la Gardie was a Swedish court official. She served as överhovmästarinna to the queen of Sweden, Sophia of Nassau, from 1880 to 1890.
She was the daughter of the nobleman Gustaf Reinhold von Platen and Christina von Stockenström. She married the courtier Överstekammarjunkare count Axel Jakob De la Gardie in 1845.
Malvina De la Gardie served as statsfru to queen Louise in 1863-1871. She became a personal friend of Sophia of Nassau when the latter arrived in Sweden in 1857, and was therefore appointed to the position of överhovmästarinna in 1880.
As senior lady-in-waiting, Malvina De la Gardie could represent the queen on minor social occasions and events, and as queen Sophia seldom participated in high society life after the 1870s, preferring to devote her time on charity and religion, De la Gardie was often assigned to represent the queen on balls and similar events in high society life. She also acted as the queen's secretary in Sophia's substantial charitable projects, reading and answering petitions to the queen on charitable issues. She as well as Märta Eketrä accompanied the queen on their journey to Constantinople in 1885.
Malvina De la Gardie were described as a kind and well tempered characther with a good humoured disposition, who very much enjoyed court life and her own position in it:
She retired for health reasons in 1890.