Speedy Swedish king exceeds limit

King Carl Gustaf denies racing his son

The King of Sweden has admitted speeding - after some of his subjects claimed to have seen him weaving in and out of traffic in a yellow Porsche.

A royal spokeswoman said King Carl XVI Gustaf had admitted driving at 120km/h (75mph) - 10km/h over the speed limit.

But she rejected the claim that the king and his son Prince Carl Philip were racing each other on a motorway.

The monarch - whose passion for fast cars is well documented - was returning from a day out with his family.

The tabloid newspaper Aftonbladet quoted two motorists as saying that the 57-year-old king was driving at 160 km/h (100mph) on Sunday, and was weaving through traffic.

'Reasonable' speed

The paper showed pictures of the monarch accompanied by Queen Silvia in the yellow Porsche Carrera, as they returned from a day of go-karting 250km (150 miles) from Stockholm.

It said the king's entourage, travelling in three dark BMWs, including one carrying 21-year-old Princess Madeleine, raced to keep up with him.

Another driver claimed to have seen Carl Gustaf racing 24-year-old Prince Carl Philip.

However royal spokeswoman Elisabeth Tarras-Wahlberg said the two men had returned to Stockholm at different times.

She told Swedish Radio that the king's security staff put his speed at 120km/h, "a speed which they deemed to be perfectly reasonable".