by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2012
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The House of Bernadotte has reigned in Sweden since 1818 when Jean Baptiste Jules Bernadotte, a Marshal of France, assumed the throne as King Carl XIV John (Karl XIV Johan). His predecessor King Carl XIII was childless and the House of Holstein-Gottorp was becoming extinct. On August 21, 1810, the Riksdag (Swedish Parliament) made the decision to appoint Bernadotte as heir to the throne. The first four Bernadotte kings were Kings of Norway until 1905 when the union between Sweden and Norway was dissolved.
House of Bernadotte
- Carl XIV John, reigned February 5, 1818 – March 8, 1844
- Oscar I, reigned March 8, 1844 – July 8, 1859
- Carl XV, reigned July 8, 1859 – September 18, 1872
- Oscar II, reigned September 18, 1872 – December 8, 1907
- Gustaf V, reigned December 8, 1907 – October 29, 1950
- Gustaf VI Adolf, reigned October 29, 1950 – September 15, 1973
- Carl XVI Gustaf, reigned September 15, 1973 – present
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Riddarholmen Church
All photos of Riddarholmen Church and its tombs were taken by Susan Flantzer in August 2011. Please do not copy any photos that I have taken. If you wish to use a photo please contact me. Portraits and photos of sovereigns and consorts are from Wikipedia unless otherwise noted.
Riddarholmen Church – photo by Susan Flantzer
Riddarholmen Church is Stockholm’s oldest preserved building. It was originally built as a part of a Roman Catholic monastery in the late 13th century and is Stockholm’s only preserved medieval monastery church. During the Reformation, it was transformed into a Protestant church. Now it is used only as a burial place and a place for commemorative services.
Tomb of King Gustav II Adolf (Gustavus Adolphus the Great, first Swedish monarch to be buried at Riddarholmen Church; Photo Credit – Susan Flantzer
From the time of the funeral of King Gustav II Adolf (Gustavus Adolphus the Great) in 1634, Riddarholmen Church served as the royal burial church. Swedish monarchs from King Gustav II Adolf (died 1632, interred 1634) to King Gustaf V (died 1950) were buried at Riddarholmen Church except for Queen Christina who converted to Roman Catholicism, abdicated, and was buried at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
Interior of Riddarholmen Church – Photo by Susan Flantzer
The Bernadotte Chapel within Riddarholmen Church contains the tombs of the Bernadotte kings and their wives from King Carl XIV John to King Gustav V.
Bernadotte Chapel – Photo by Susan Flantzer
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Royal Cemetery in Haga Park
The bridge and gates to the Royal Cemetery in Haga Park; Credit – By I, Holger.Ellgaard, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2431763
Crown Princess Margaret, the first wife of the future King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden, was born a British princess and had a love for gardens and the outdoors. She expressed the wish not to be buried inside a church. In addition, Riddarholmen Church, the traditional burial place of the Swedish royal family was running out of space. Margaret and Gustaf Adolf picked a site for the future burial site for the Swedish royal family near Haga Palace whose park was situated on Lake Brunnsviken. The tip of a small cape was excavated to form Karlsborg Island where the new Royal Cemetery in Haga Park would be located. The entrance to the cemetery is accessible by a small bridge from the mainland part of Haga Park.
Karlsborg Island where the Royal Cemetery is located, in the winter
Sadly, Crown Princess Margaret died from an infection after a mastoid operation on May 1, 1920, at the age of only 38. She was eight months pregnant with her sixth child. The Royal Cemetery in Haga Park was not yet completed so Margaret was temporarily interred at the Storkyrkan (The Great Church) next to the Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden. In 1922, Margaret’s coffin was transferred to the Royal Cemetery at Haga Park, the first member of the Swedish royal family to be buried there. The Royal Cemetery in Haga Park in Solna Municipality in Stockholm, Sweden has become the usual burial place of the Swedish Royal Family, replacing Riddarholmen Church.
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Carl XIV Johan, King of Sweden and Norway (reigned February 5, 1818 – March 8, 1844)
Jean Baptiste Bernadotte was born on January 26, 1763, in Pau, France. His parents were Jean Henri Bernadotte, a tax collector, and Jeanne de Saint-Vincent. Bernadotte joined the French army as a private in 1780 and by 1794, he was a general. He distinguished himself in Napoleon Bonaparte’s army and served as Minister of War. When Napoleon became Emperor of the French, he created Bernadotte a Marshal of France. In 1810, just as he was about to start a new position as governor of Rome, the Swedish Riksdag elected him heir to the childless King Carl XIII. The Riksdag wanted a soldier to be king because of their worries over Russia. In addition, Bernadotte was popular in Sweden because of his considerate treatment of Swedish prisoners during the recent war with Denmark. Bernadotte became king on February 5, 1818, upon the death of King Carl XIII and reigned as King Carl XIV Johan.
On August 16, 1798, Bernadotte married Bernardine Eugénie Désirée Clary, the sister of Joseph Bonaparte’s wife Julie Clary. His wife was known as Désirée and had previously been engaged to Napoleon. Bernadotte and Désirée had one child, King Oscar I of Sweden and Norway.
King Carl XIV Johan died on March 8, 1844, in Stockholm, Sweden at age 81 and was buried at Riddarholmen Church.
Tombs of King Carl XIV John and his wife Désirée Clary – Photo by Susan Flantzer
Désirée Clary, Queen Desideria of Sweden and Norway
Born on November 8, 1777, in Marseille, France, Bernardine Eugénie Désirée Clary was the daughter of François Clary, a wealthy silk manufacturer and merchant, and Françoise Rose Somis. Originally engaged to marry Napoleon Bonaparte, Désirée married Jean Baptiste Bernadotte in 1798. The couple was often separated due to Bernadotte’s military duties. At times, Désirée did live with her husband in foreign countries during his military duties, but she loved Paris and always returned there. As Crown Princess, Désirée had difficulty adjusting to the Swedish court and despised the weather in Stockholm. She left Sweden in 1811 and did not return until 1823, five years after her husband became king. When she became Queen Consort of Sweden, she officially changed her name to Desideria, but she did not like the name and never used it personally. She did not learn to speak Swedish and was never happy in Sweden.
Désirée died at age 83 in Stockholm on December 17, 1860, and was buried at Riddarholmen Church.
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Oscar I, King of Sweden and Norway (reigned March 8, 1844 – July 8, 1859)
King Oscar I was born Joseph François Oscar Bernadotte on July 4, 1799, in Paris, France. Napoleon Bonaparte was his godfather. When he was 11, his father Jean Baptiste Bernadotte was elected Crown Prince of Sweden and he moved to Stockholm with his mother Désirée Clary. Oscar was given the title Duke of Södermanland, and, unlike his mother, quickly learned Swedish and adapted to life in Sweden. In 1823, Oscar married Princess Joséphine of Leuchtenberg. The couple had five children, including two kings of Sweden, Carl XV and Oscar II.
King Oscar I died on July 8, 1859, at age 60 in Stockholm, Sweden and is buried at Riddarholmen Church.
Tombs of Oscar I and his wife Josephine of Leuchtenberg to the left of the window – Photo by Susan Flantzer
Joséphine of Leuchtenberg, Queen Josefina of Sweden and Norway
Queen Josefina is wearing the Cameo Tiara which was originally made for grandmother Joséphine, Empress of the French, and was worn by her descendant Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden at her wedding in 2010.
Princess Joséphine of Leuchtenberg was born on March 14, 1807, in Milan, Italy. Her father was Eugène de Beauharnais, the son of Empress Joséphine (who was Napoleon’s first wife) from her first marriage to Alexandre, Vicomte de Beauharnais who had been guillotined during the French Revolution. Her mother was Princess Augusta of Bavaria, a descendant of Gustav I of Sweden and Charles IX of Sweden, thereby ensuring that future members of the House of Bernadotte were descendants of the House of Vasa which ruled Sweden from 1523-1654. Joséphine of Leuchtenberg brought to Sweden jewelry that had belonged to her grandmother Empress Josephine which is still worn by members of the Swedish and Norwegian royal families. She is known by the Swedish form of her name Josefina.
Queen Josefina died in Stockholm on June 7, 1876, at age 69. She remained Roman Catholic, was given a Catholic funeral, and was buried at Riddarholmen Church.
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Carl XV, King of Sweden and Norway (reigned July 8, 1859 – September 18, 1872)
King Carl XV was born at Stockholm Palace on May 3, 1826, the eldest son of King Oscar I and Joséphine of Leuchtenberg. On June 19, 1850, he married Louise of the Netherlands, niece of King William II of the Netherlands through her father and niece of William I of Prussia, German Emperor, through her mother. The couple had two children, Prince Carl Oscar, who died at age one, and Princess Louise who married King Frederik VIII of Denmark. Although no subsequent monarchs of Sweden have been his descendant, Carl XV’s descendants occupy or have occupied the thrones of Denmark, Luxembourg, Greece, Belgium, and Norway.
King Carl XV died in Malmö, Sweden on September 18, 1872, at age 46 and was buried at Riddarholmen Church. He was succeeded by his brother King Oscar II.
Tombs of Carl XV and his wife Louise of the Netherlands – Photo by Susan Flantzer
Louise of the Netherlands, Queen of Sweden and Norway
Princess Louise of the Netherlands was born on August 5, 1828, in The Hague, The Netherlands. Louise’s father was Prince Frederik of the Netherlands, the second son of King Willem I of the Netherlands, and her mother was Princess Louise of Prussia, daughter of King Friederich Wilhelm III of Prussia. In 1850, she married the future Carl XV and adopted the use of the Swedish equivalent of her name, Lovisa. The marriage was an unhappy one. Her husband found Lovisa shy and unattractive and was frequently unfaithful to her. The birth of her son Carl Oscar, who died when he was a year old, left Lovisa unable to have any more children and therefore unable to provide an heir to the throne.
Lovisa died in Stockholm on March 30, 1871, at age 42 and was buried at Riddarholmen Church.
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Oscar II, King of Sweden (and Norway until 1905), reigned September 18, 1872 – December 8, 1907
King Oscar II was born on was born at Stockholm Palace on January 21, 1829, the third son of King Oscar I and Joséphine of Leuchtenberg. On June 6, 1857, in Wiesbaden-Biebrich, Germany, he married Princess Sophia Wilhelmina of Nassau. The couple had four sons, including King Gustaf V who succeeded his father. Oscar was a writer, amateur musician, and a great supporter of Arctic exploration. His name and picture have been used on King Oscar brand sardines since 1902.
King Oscar II died on December 8, 1907, at age 78 at Stockholm Palace and was buried at Riddarholmen Church.
Tombs of Oscar II and his wife Sophia Wilhelmina of Nassau (on left) – Photo by Susan Flantzer
Sophia Wilhelmina of Nassau, Queen of Sweden (and Norway until 1905)
Sophia of Nassau was born on July 9, 1836, at Biebrich Palace in Wiesbaden-Biebrich, Germany. She was the daughter of Wilhelm, Duke of Nassau and Princess Pauline of Württemberg. Sophia married the future Oscar II in 1857 and was received enthusiastically in Sweden because Oscar’s older brother and wife could not have any more children.
Queen Sophia died at Stockholm Palace on December 30, 1913, at age 77 and was buried at Riddarholmen Church.
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Gustaf V, King of Sweden (reigned December 8, 1907 – October 29, 1950)
King Gustaf V was born on June 16, 1858, at Drottningholm Palace, the eldest son of King Oscar II of Sweden and Sophia of Nassau. On September 20, 1881, Gustaf married Princess Victoria of Baden in Karlsruhe, Germany. Victoria and Gustav had three sons, including King Gustaf VI Adolf who succeeded his father. Gustaf V became king in 1907 and reigned for nearly 43 years.
At age 92, King Gustaf V died on October 29, 1950, in Drottningholm Palace due to complications of the flu and was buried at Riddarholmen Church.
Crown Prince Carl Gustaf of Sweden (behind him are his sisters Christina and Birgitta) at the funeral of their great-grandfather King Gustaf V holding the hands of Queen Louise (left) and his mother Princess Sibylla (right)
Tombs of Gustav V and his wife Victoria of Baden – Photo by Susan Flantzer
Victoria of Baden, Queen of Sweden
Victoria of Baden was born at Karlsruhe Castle in Karlsruhe, Grand Duchy of Baden on August 7, 1862. Her parents were Grand Duke Friedrich I of Baden and Princess Sophie of Sweden. Sophie’s father was the deposed King Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden from the House of Holstein-Gottorp. With this marriage, future members of the House of Bernadotte now had descent from the two previous Swedish houses, Vasa and Holstein-Gottorp. Victoria suffered from poor health and spent much time away from Sweden in warmer climates. Her last trip to Sweden was in 1928 for her husband’s 70th birthday.
On April 4, 1930, Queen Victoria died at the age of 67 in her home, Villa Svezia, in Rome, Italy. She was buried at Riddarholmen Church.
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Gustaf VI Adolf, King of Sweden (reigned October 29, 1950 – September 15, 1973)
King Gustaf VI Adolf was born November 11, 1882, at the Royal Palace in Stockholm. His parents were King Gustaf V and Victoria of Baden. On June 15, 1905, Gustaf married Princess Margaret of Connaught at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. Gustaf and Margaret had five children, including Prince Gustaf Adolf who is the father of the present King of Sweden, Carl XVI Gustaf, and Ingrid who married King Frederik IX of Denmark. Margaret died in 1920 and three years later Gustaf married Lady Louise Mountbatten, but this marriage was childless.
King Gustaf VI Adolf died on September 15, 1973, at age 90 at Helsingborg Hospital, Sweden. He was buried at the Royal Cemetery in Haga Park, alongside his two wives. King Gustaf VI Adolf was succeeded by his grandson, Sweden’s present king, King Carl XVI Gustaf.
Grave of King Gustaf VI and his two wives Crown Princess Margaret and Queen Louise; Credit – Wikipedia
Margaret of Connaught, Crown Princess of Sweden
Princess Margaret of Connaught was born on January 15, 1882, at Bagshot Park near Windsor in the United Kingdom. Her father was Queen Victoria’s third son, Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and her mother was Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia. She married the future King Gustaf VI Adolf in 1905. The marriage was a happy one but was tragically cut short when Margaret died from an infection after a mastoid operation on May 1, 1920, at the age of 38. She was eight months pregnant with her sixth child.
Margaret left written, specific instructions for her burial. She requested to be buried in a simple coffin made from English oak, covered with British and Swedish flags, wearing her wedding dress and veil, and holding a crucifix. Initially, Margaret was buried at the Storkyrkan (The Great Church) next to the Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden. In 1922, Margaret’s remains were transferred to the Royal Cemetery in Haga Park in Solna Municipality in Stockholm, Sweden in a burial site she and her husband had chosen. She was the first person to be buried at the Royal Cemetery in Haga Park.
Lady Louise Mountbatten, Queen of Sweden
Lady Louise Mountbatten was born on July 13, 1889, at Heiligenberg Palace, Seeheim-Jugenheim in the Grand Duchy of Hesse. Her father was Prince Louis of Battenberg and her mother was Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, daughter of Princess Alice who was Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom’s second daughter. At the time of her birth, Louise was Her Serene Highness Princess Louise of Battenberg. During World War I, when King George V of the United Kingdom changed the family name from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor, he requested family members with Germanic names also change their names. Louise’s father had a successful career in the British Royal Navy and had been the First Sea Lord who is the professional head of the Royal Navy. Battenberg was changed to Mountbatten and Louis was created Marquess of Milford Haven in the peerage of the United Kingdom, and Louise came to be known as Lady Louise Mountbatten. Louise was a sister of Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, an aunt of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and was also a niece of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia.
Queen Louise, aged 75, died on March 7, 1965, at St. Göran Hospital in Stockholm, following emergency surgery. She had been severely ill for some time. Louise was buried at the Royal Cemetery in Haga Park.
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Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten
Prince Gustaf Adolf would have been King had he not tragically died in an airplane crash at age 40. He was born on April 22, 1906, at Stockholm Palace, the son of the future King Gustaf VI Adolf and Princess Margaret of Connaught. In 1931, Prince Gustaf Adolf married Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. The couple had five daughters and one son, King Carl XVI Gustaf, the current king.
Prince Gustaf Adolf was killed in a commercial airplane crash on January 26, 1947, at the Kastrup Airport, Kastrup, Denmark and was buried at the Royal Cemetery in Haga Park.
YouTube: January 26, 1947 – Plane crash in Copenhagen
Grave of Prince Gustaf Adolf and Princess Sibylla – Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Princess Sibylla of Sweden, Duchess of Västerbotten
Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was born on January 18, 1908, in Gotha in the Grand Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Her father was Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, a grandson of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Her mother was Princess Victoria Adelaide of Schleswig-Holstein. Sibylla married Prince Gustaf Adolf in 1931 and became a widow at age 39 when her husband died in an airplane crash. Her youngest child of her five children, the future King Carl XVI Gustaf, was only nine months old.
Princess Sibylla died of cancer on November 28, 1972, in Stockholm, Sweden at age 64. She was buried with her husband at the Royal Cemetery in Haga Park.
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