The King's duties are, according to the constitution, of a representative and ceremonial nature. He pays State Visits abroad and receives those to Sweden, opens the Annual Session of the Parliament, Chairs the Special Council held during a change of Government, holds regular Information Councils with Ministers, Chairs the meetings of the Foreign Affairs Council, and receives and signs credentials of foreign ambassadors to Sweden - and signs those of Sweden to other countries. The King holds the highest ranks in the three branches of the Swedish Armed Forces.

The King is passionate about the environment, technology, agriculture, trade, and industry. In 1994, he delighted Swedes by reportedly saying, in response to the clubbing of baby seals in neighboring Norway, that a prime minister who couldn't take care of baby seals couldn't be very good at taking care of a country. The Norwegian response was a comment on his well known interest in elk hunting. On his initiative, an international symposium on the environment is held regularly. He is the protector of the Swedish Royal Academies, and takes active part in the proceedings of a few of them.



He also is the Honorary Chairman of the World Scout Foundation, and often participates in Scout activities both in Sweden and abroad. He attended the National Scout jamboree in Virginia, USA in 1981 and was awarded the Bronze Wolf, the only distinction of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, awarded by the World Scout Committee for exceptional services to world Scouting, in 1982.

Worldwide, Carl XVI Gustaf is probably best known as the presenter of the Nobel Prizes each year. He also hands over the Polar Music Prize.

Like many members of the royal family the King has an interest in automobiles. In the summer of 2005 he was involved in a traffic accident in Norrköping. The accident was described as a "fender bender", with no serious personal injuries claimed. Nevertheless, the incident caused national headlines.