Ebba Larsdotter Sparre (1626 – 19 March 1662) was a Swedish lady-in-waiting, noblewoman and favourite of Queen Christina of Sweden.

[9][4][5][6] Ebba frequently played the part of Venus in the amateur ballets performed by the nobility at court,[9] and she soon acquired several suitors.

[12] Most of Christina's spare time was spent with "la belle comtesse", and she often called attention to her beauty.

She introduced her to the English ambassador Bulstrode Whitelocke as her 'bed-fellow', assuring him that Ebba's intellect was as striking as her body.

[13][14] When Raimondo Montecuccoli visited Sweden, Christina invited him to exclusive dances and paired him with Ebba.

[15]However, besides Ebba and a few other ladies of the court, notably Lady Jane Ruthven and Louise van der Nooth, Queen Christina did not show any interest in her female courtiers, and generally mentions them only to express contempt over their femininity and portray herself as more masculine than them.

[16] Gossip about Christina's female relationships existed during her liftetime, though it mainly came from her French enemies, who used accusations of lesbianism and general sexual profligacy to undermine her reputation.

[5] Berg and Stålberg state that Ebba and Jakob sought to marry, and possessed the mutual consent of their parents, but were not able to due to Christina's disapproval.

Ulfeld was Jupiter, Piementelli was Mars, and the Polish chancellor was Bacchus; the queen and courtiers appeared in shepherd's garb.

I belong to you in a way that makes it impossible for You to leave me, and it will never happen before the end of life, that I will stop loving You.

French artist Sébastien Bourdon, who was appointed First Painter by Christina,[32] painted a portrait of Ebba in 1652 or 1653.

[34] Historians have varying interpretations of Christina's sexuality, which has led to different perspectives on Ebba's relationship with her queen.

Sarah Waters criticised Goldsmith's biography for cherry picking evidence to suggest a sexual dimension to Christina and Ebba's relationship.

American actress Elizabeth Young portrayed Ebba Sparre in Rouben Mamoulian's 1933 biographical film Queen Christina.

[35][36] The Pre-Code film implies a relationship between Ebba and Christina by showing a chaste kiss between the two women.

[38][36] Betsy Erkkila notes that the scene is subtle enough to be missed by the censors, but "nevertheless succeeds in inscribing not only the queen's but Garbo's own bisexual nature".

[40] Ebba Sparre was portrayed by Anglo-Polish actress Ania Marson in the 1974 historical drama film The Abdication.

[49][50][51] In the film, Christina's affection for Ebba is manipulated by Swedish courtiers in a ploy to control the queen.