Category Archives: Norwegian Royals

King Christian VII of Denmark and Norway

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2016

by Louis-Michel van Loo; Credit – Wikipedia

King Christian VII of Denmark and Norway was born on January 29, 1749, at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark. He was the only surviving son of King Frederik V of Denmark and Norway and his first wife Princess Louisa of Great Britain and a grandson of King George II of Great Britain. Among his first cousins were King George III of the United Kingdom; Christian’s wife Caroline Matilda of Wales, Queen of Denmark and Norway; and Willem V, Prince of Orange. Christian was christened two hours after his birth. His godparents were:

Christian had four siblings:

Christian also had one half-brother from his father’s second marriage to Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel:

When Christian was not quite two years old, his mother Queen Louisa died at age 27 due to complications from a miscarriage. The next year, his father made a second marriage to Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. Christian seemed to be an intelligent child and was taught Danish, German, and French. However, he had a nervous disposition and was poorly educated and terrorized by a brutal governor, Christian Ditlev Reventlow, Count of Reventlow.

Christian as Crown Prince by Louis Tocqué; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1766, Christian succeeded to the Danish and Norwegian thrones after the early death of his father at age 42. Since there was a connection between the British and Danish royal families and both families were Protestant, it was natural that a British bride should be sought for Christian. Even before the death of King Frederik V, negotiations for such a marriage were started. The preferred choice for a bride was initially his first cousin Princess Louisa of Wales, daughter of Christian’s deceased maternal uncle Frederick, Prince of Wales, but when the Danish representative in London heard of her ill health, her younger sister Princess Caroline Matilda of Wales became the prospective bride. The betrothal was announced on January 10, 1765.

Princess Caroline Matilda of Wales by Francis Cotes, 1766; Credit – Wikipedia

King Christian VII by Nathaniel Dance-Holland, 1768; Credit – Wikipedia

On October 1, 1766, a proxy marriage was held at St. James’s Palace in London, with Caroline Matilda’s brother King George III standing in for King Christian VII. Fifteen-year-old Caroline Matilda soon left England for Denmark with a large contingent of attendants and servants. When she crossed the Danish border, Danish envoys sent her English attendants and servants back and replaced them with Danish ones. Caroline Matilda arrived in Copenhagen on November 8, 1766, and married Christian in person later that day in the Christiansborg Palace Chapel in Copenhagen.

A copperplate engraving depicting the first dance of King Christian VII and Queen Caroline Mathilde of Denmark at their wedding at Christiansborg Palace; Credit – Wikipedia

Caroline Matilda and Christian had two children, but it is probable that Christian was not the father of Louise Auguste.

Engraving of the newborn Crown Prince Frederik with his mother Queen Caroline Matilda; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Louise Auguste as a child. Pastel by H.P. Sturz, 1771; Credit – Wikipedia

It was soon clear that Christian was not quite normal. It is unknown if Christian’s mental illness was caused by the brutal treatment of the Count of Reventlow, possible porphyria inherited from his Hanover mother, or schizophrenia. Christian’s behavior wandered into excesses, especially sexual promiscuity. He publicly declared that he could not love Caroline Matilda because it was “unfashionable to love one’s wife”. His symptoms included paranoia, self-mutilation, and hallucinations. Christian wandered the streets of Copenhagen visiting the city’s taverns and brothels with his favorite Count Frederik Vilhelm Conrad Holck. It was becoming clearer and clearer that Christian could not fulfill his role as king.

In May of 1768, Christian took a long tour of Europe, including stays in Altona (now in Germany, then in Denmark), Paris, and London. The trip had been arranged because it was believed that new environments could change Christian’s behavior. It was on this journey that he became acquainted with the physician Johann Friedrich Struensee. Struensee was the first person who understood that Christian was seriously ill. When Christian came home from the trip, Struensee accompanied him and was employed as Christian’s personal physician. Struensee could handle Christian’s instability, which was a great relief to the king’s advisers, and Christian developed confidence in him.

Johann Friedrich Struensee; Credit – Wikipedia

Because of Christian’s confidence in him, Struensee gained political power. In 1770, Struensee became Master of Requests and Minister of the Royal Cabinet. He also became the lover of the ill-treated Caroline Matilda, whose marriage was less than satisfactory. When Caroline Matilda gave birth to her daughter Louise Auguste, no one doubted that Struensee was the father of the princess, who was given the unflattering nickname la petite Struensee, although Christian VII officially acknowledged her as his daughter. Eventually, Queen Dowager Juliana Maria maneuvered a coup that would bring about the fall of Struensee and discredit Caroline Matilda.

Early on the morning of January 17, 1772, following a ball at the court theater at Christiansborg Palace, Christian was awakened and forced to sign orders for the arrest of Struensee, his friend Count Enevold Brandt, and Caroline Matilda. Caroline Matilda was immediately taken to Kronberg Castle in Helsingør, Denmark, immortalized as Elsinore in William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, to await her fate. She was allowed to keep her daughter with her, but the four-year-old Crown Prince Frederik stayed with his father. Upon hearing of Caroline Matilda’s arrest, Struensee confessed to his relationship with her, and eventually, Caroline Matilda also confessed. Struensee and Brandt were condemned to death and both suffered a brutal execution. In the presence of thousands of people, their right hands were severed first, then their bodies were broken on the wheel, and finally, they were beheaded.

Johann Friedrich Struensee and his companion Brandt are beheaded in Copenhagen on April 28, 1772; Credit – Wikipedia

Caroline Matilda and Christian’s marriage was dissolved on April 6, 1772.  She lost her title of Queen and was forcibly separated from her children whom she never saw again. Caroline Matilda was not quite 20 years old. Originally, it was decided that Caroline Matilda was to be held in custody for life at Aalborghus Castle in Aalborg, Denmark, but her brother King George III intervened. King George III sent Sir Robert Murray Keith, a British diplomat, to negotiate her release from Danish imprisonment. On May 28, 1772, Caroline Matilda was sent to Celle in her brother’s Kingdom of Hanover and lived the rest of her life at Celle Castle.

Celle Castle; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Caroline Matilda’s dowry was restored and she was able to live in comfort, but she missed her children terribly. Her imprisonment was not to last long. Caroline Matilda died of “a putrid fever and sore throat,” probably scarlet fever, on May 10, 1775, at the age of 23. She was buried at the Stadtkirche St. Marien in Celle next to her great-grandmother Sophie Dorothea of Celle who suffered a similar fate.

Caroline Matilda’s story was told in several novels including Norah Loft’s The Last Queen (1969) and Per Olov Enquist’s The Visit of the Royal Physician (1999) and also in the Danish film A Royal Affair (2012). Stella Tillyard also covers Caroline Matilda’s affair in her nonfiction book A Royal Affair: George III and His Scandalous Siblings (2006). King George III’s six daughters had very sheltered upbringings and they spent most of their time with their parents and each other. The living conditions of King George III’s daughters came to be known as “the Nunnery.” None of the daughters was allowed to marry at the age when most princesses would marry, and only three of the six daughters ever married. Perhaps this over-protection of King George III’s daughters was due to what happened to his sister Caroline Matilda when she married King Christian VII of Denmark.

After the fall of Struensee, Christian’s stepmother Dowager Queen Juliana Marie and her son, Christian’s half-brother Hereditary Prince Frederik reinstated the Council of State. Christian was only nominally king from 1772 onward. Between 1772 and 1784, Denmark was ruled by Queen Dowager Juliana Marie, Hereditary Prince Frederik, and Cabinet Secretary Ove Høegh-Guldberg. From 1784, Christian’s son, the future King Frederik VI, ruled permanently as a prince regent.

Christian VIi by Jens Juel, 1782; Credit – Wikipedia

Christian lived in isolation with a caretaker. When he was behaving too violently, he was locked up in his room or tied to his chair. His only involvement with the government was when he had to sign “Christian Rex” on formal papers. On March 13, 1808, in Rendsburg, Schleswig (then in Denmark, now in Germany) King Christian VII died from a stroke at the age of 59. He was buried in Frederik V’s Chapel at Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark.

Tomb of King Christian VII – Photo by Susan Flantzer, August 2011

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited
“Christian VII of Denmark.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 31 Aug. 2016. Web. 24 Sept. 2016.
“Christian 7.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Feb. 2013. Web. 24 Sept. 2016.
Susan. “Caroline Matilda of Wales, Queen of Denmark and Norway.” British Royals. Unofficial Royalty, 27 Oct. 2016. Web. 24 Sept. 2016.

Caroline Matilda of Wales, Queen of Denmark and Norway

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Caroline Matilda of Wales, Queen of Denmark and Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1751, Frederick, Prince of Wales, heir to the throne and son of King George II of Great Britain, died at the age of 44. He left eight children, including the future King George III, and a pregnant wife Augusta of Saxe-Coburg-Altenburg. Four months later, on July 22, 1751, at Leicester House in London, England, Princess Caroline Matilda of Wales was born.

Caroline Matilda had eight older siblings:

Family of Frederick, Prince of Wales painted in 1751 after the prince’s death; Credit – Wikipedia Front row: Henry, William, Frederick; Back row: Edward, George, Augusta, Dowager Princess of Wales holding Caroline Matilda, Elizabeth, Louisa

The new princess was christened Caroline Matilda, Caroline after her late paternal grandmother Caroline of Ansbach and Matilda after her Norman and Angevin ancestors, on August 1, 1751, at Leicester House in London by Thomas Hayter, Bishop of Norwich.  She was called Caroline Matilda to avoid confusion with her paternal aunt, one of her godparents.

Caroline Matilda’s godparents:

Caroline Matilda, age three; Credit – Wikipedia

Caroline Matilda, considered the most attractive of the four sisters, was educated with her elder sister by two years, Louisa. While Caroline Matilda loved being outdoors and riding, Louisa suffered from poor health and eventually died of tuberculosis at the age of 19. Caroline Matilda was well educated, as were all her siblings, and could speak French, German, and Italian. Her two eldest brothers George and Edward moved out of Leicester House to their own household when Caroline Matilda was five years old. Her sister Elizabeth, who also suffered from delicate health like Louisa, died in 1759 at the age of 18.

In 1760, Caroline Matilda’s grandfather King George II died and her brother succeeded to the throne as King George III. In 1764, her eldest sister Augusta married Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand, Hereditary Prince of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, and left for her new home. Certainly, Caroline Matilda knew that royal children did not marry for love and that only unmarried princesses such as her paternal aunts Princess Amelia and her godmother Princess Caroline stayed home in England. She certainly saw what it was like for Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, her brother George’s 17-year-old bride, when she arrived in England alone, terrified, and unable to speak English.

Caroline Matilda (seated) and her sister Louisa Credit – Wikipedia

Another of Caroline Matilda’s paternal aunts Princess Louisa had married King Frederik V of Denmark and Norway. Louisa had given birth to five children in five years before her death at age 27 due to complications from a miscarriage. In 1766, Caroline Matilda’s 17-year-old first cousin succeeded to the Danish throne as King Christian VII after the early death of his father. Since there was a connection between the British and Danish royal families and both families were Protestant, it was natural that a British bride should be sought for Christian. Even before the death of King Frederik V, negotiations for such a marriage were started. The preferred choice for a bride was initially Caroline Matilda’s sister Princess Louisa. However, when the Danish representative in London heard of her ill health, Caroline Matilda became the prospective bride. The betrothal was announced on January 10, 1765.

King Christian VII of Denmark and Norway, Credit – Wikipedia

On October 1, 1766, a proxy marriage was held at St. James’s Palace in London, with Caroline Matilda’s brother King George III standing in for King Christian VII. Fifteen-year-old Caroline Matilda soon left England for Denmark with a large contingent of attendants and servants. When she crossed the Danish border, Danish envoys sent her English attendants and servants back and replaced them with Danish ones. Caroline Matilda arrived in Copenhagen on November 8, 1766, and married Christian in person later that day in the Christiansborg Palace Chapel.

A copperplate engraving depicting the first dance of King Christian VII and Queen Caroline Mathilde at their wedding at Christiansborg Palace; Credit – Wikipedia

Caroline Matilda and Christian had two children but probably, Christian was not the father of Louise Auguste.

Engraving of the newborn Crown Prince Frederik with his mother Queen Caroline Matilda; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Louise Auguste as a child; Credit – Wikipedia

Caroline Matilda soon became a victim of the intrigues of Queen Dowager Juliana Maria, the second wife of Christian’s father, who coveted the succession for her son Frederik. Caroline Matilda also soon discovered that her husband was mentally ill. Christian was personable and intelligent as a child, but he was poorly educated and terrorized by a brutal governor, Christian Ditlev Reventlow, Count of Reventlow. It is unknown if Christian’s mental illness was caused by the brutal treatment of the Count of Reventlow, possible porphyria inherited from his Hanover mother, or schizophrenia. Christian’s behavior wandered into excesses, especially sexual promiscuity. He publicly declared that he could not love Caroline Matilda because it was “unfashionable to love one’s wife”. His symptoms included paranoia, self-mutilation, and hallucinations.

In May 1768, Christian VII took a long tour of Europe, including stays in Altona (now in Germany, then in Denmark), Paris, and London. The trip had been arranged because it was believed that new environments could change Christian’s behavior. On this journey, Christian became acquainted with the physician Johann Friedrich Struensee.  Struensee was the first person who understood that Christian was seriously ill.  When Christian came home from the trip, Struensee accompanied him and was employed as Christian’s personal physician. Struensee could handle Christian’s instability, which was a great relief to the king’s advisers, and Christian developed confidence in him.

Johann Friedrich Struensee; Credit – Wikipedia

Because of Christian’s confidence in him, Struensee gained political power. In 1770, Struensee became Master of Requests and Minister of the Royal Cabinet. He also became the lover of the ill-treated Caroline Matilda, whose marriage was less than satisfactory. When Caroline Matilda gave birth to her daughter Louise Auguste, no one doubted that Struensee was the father of the princess, who was given the unflattering nickname la petite Struensee, although Christian VII officially acknowledged her as his daughter. Eventually, Queen Dowager Juliana Maria maneuvered a coup that would bring about the fall of Struensee and discredit Caroline Matilda.

Early on the morning of January 17, 1772, following a ball at the court theater at Christiansborg Palace, Christian was awakened and forced to sign orders for the arrest of Struensee, his friend Count Enevold Brandt, and Caroline Matilda. Caroline Matilda was immediately taken to Kronberg Castle in Helsingør, Denmark, immortalized as Elsinore in William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, to await her fate. She was allowed to keep her daughter with her, but the four-year-old Crown Prince Frederik stayed with his father. Upon hearing of Caroline Matilda’s arrest, Struensee confessed to his relationship with her, and eventually, Caroline Matilda also confessed. Struensee and Brandt were condemned to death and both suffered brutal executions. In the presence of thousands of people, their right hands were severed first, then their bodies were broken on the wheel, and finally, they were beheaded.

Johann Friedrich Struensee and his companion Brandt are beheaded in Copenhagen on April 28, 1772; Credit – Wikipedia

Caroline Matilda and Christian’s marriage was dissolved on April 6, 1772.  She lost her title of Queen and was forcibly separated from her children whom she never saw again. Caroline Matilda was not quite 20 years old. Originally, it was decided that Caroline Matilda was to be held in custody for life at Aalborghus Castle in Aalborg, Denmark, but her brother King George III intervened. King George III sent Sir Robert Murray Keith, a British diplomat, to negotiate her release from Danish imprisonment. On May 28, 1772, Caroline Matilda was sent to Celle in her brother’s Kingdom of Hanover and lived the rest of her life at Celle Castle.

Celle Castle; Credit – Wikipedia

Caroline Matilda’s dowry was restored and she was able to live in comfort, but she missed her children terribly. Her imprisonment was not to last long. Caroline Matilda died of “a putrid fever and sore throat,” probably scarlet fever, on May 10, 1775, at the age of 23 at Celle Castle in Celle, Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg, now in Lower Saxony, Germany. She was buried at the Stadtkirche St. Marien in Celle next to his great-grandmother Sophie Dorothea of Celle who suffered a similar fate.

Stadtkirche St. Marien in Celle, Germany; Credit – Wikipedia

Caroline Matilda’s story was told in several novels including Norah Loft’s The Last Queen (1969) and Per Olov Enquist’s The Visit of the Royal Physician (1999) and also in the Danish film A Royal Affair (2012). Stella Tillyard also covers Caroline Matilda’s affair in her nonfiction book A Royal Affair: George III and His Scandalous Siblings (2006). King George III’s six daughters had very sheltered upbringings and they spent most of their time with their parents and each other. The living conditions of King George III’s daughters came to be known as “the Nunnery.” None of the daughters was allowed to marry at the age when most princesses would marry, and only three of the six daughters ever married. Perhaps this over-protection of King George III’s daughters was due to what happened to his sister Caroline Matilda when she married King Christian VII of Denmark.

The people of Celle raised money for a monument to Caroline Matilda which stands in the French Garden in Celle, now in Lower Saxony, Germany.

The Caroline Matilda Memorial in Celle; Credit – Wikipedia

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited
“Caroline Matilda of Great Britain.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 9 Sept. 2016. Web. 10 Sept. 2016.
“Christian VII of Denmark.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 31 Aug. 2016. Web. 10 Sept. 2016.
Hadlow, Janice. A Royal Experiment. New York: Picador, 2014. Print.
“Johann Friedrich Struensee.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 27 Aug. 2016. Web. 10 Sept. 2016.
Susan. “Sophia Dorothea of Celle, Electoral Princess of Hanover.” British Royals. Unofficial Royalty, 18 Dec. 2015. Web. 10 Sept. 2016.
Tillyard, Stella. A Royal Affair: George III and His Scandalous Siblings. New York: Random House, 2006. Print.
Williamson, David. Brewer’s British Royalty. London: Cassell, 1996. Print.

King Harald V of Norway: 25 Years on the Throne

Harald V_Sonja_Norway

Their Majesties King Harald and Queen Sonja. Photo: Jørgen Gomnæs / The Royal Court http://www.royalcourt.no/

25 years ago, on January 17, 1991, King Olav V of Norway died and his son became King Harald V of Norway.  The 25th anniversary of his accession to the throne was celebrated in Oslo, Norway with a Winter Festival at the Palace Square and a gala performance in the University Hall attended by members of the Norwegian royal family and Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden.
Royal House of Norway: Accession of the new monarch in 1991
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At the time of King Harald’s birth in 1937, his grandfather, King Haakon VII (born Prince Prince Carl of Denmark) was the monarch and his grandmother, Queen Maud (born Princess Maud of Wales, daughter of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom) was his consort. King Harald is closely related to several European monarchs: King Philippe of Belgium and Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg are his first cousins once removed, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and Queen Margrethe II of Denmark are his second cousins, and King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden is his second cousin once removed.  Harald’s mother Crown Princess Märtha, born a Swedish princess, died of cancer in 1954.  While Crown Prince, King Harald married a Norwegian commoner, Sonja Haraldsen.  The couple have two children and five grandchildren.

Read more about the Norwegian Family here.

Sofia of Nassau, Queen of Sweden and Norway

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Sofia of Nassau, Queen of Sweden and Norway – source: Wikipedia

Queen Sofia of Sweden and Norway was the wife of King Oscar II of Sweden. She was born Princess Sophia Wilhelmine Marianne Henriette of Nassau on July 9, 1836, at the Biebrich Palace in Wiesbaden, Duchy of Nassau, now in Hesse, Germany, the youngest of three children of Wilhelm, Duke of Nassau and his second wife, Pauline of Württemberg.

Sophia’s full siblings were:

Sophia also had eight half-siblings from her father’s first marriage to Princess Louise of Saxe-Hildburghausen:

Sophia was an intelligent child and was educated privately by tutors. She was most interested in languages, history, and religion, three subjects that would serve her well later in life. She spent some time at the Russian court to learn about life in a grand court. Having lost her father at the age of three, and her mother at the age of 20, Sophia lived with her elder half-sister, Princess Marie of Wied.

In July 1856 Sophia met her future husband, Prince Oscar of Sweden, Duke of Östergötland. He was the third son of King Oscar I of Sweden and Norway and Josephine of Leuchtenberg. The two fell in love and were engaged just two months later. Between their engagement and marriage, Sophia learned the Swedish and Norwegian languages and studied the history of both countries.

Sophia and Oscar married on June 6, 1857, at Biebrich Palace in the Duchy of Nassau, now in Hesse, Germany, and made their entrance into Stockholm several weeks later. Sofia, who had now taken the Swedish spelling of her name, was quickly embraced by the Swedish people who nicknamed her The Blue Duchess, because of the blue dress she wore when she arrived. They had four sons:

(Crown Princess Sofia, c. 1870)

In 1859, Sofia and Oscar became the Crown Prince and Crown Princess as Oscar was the heir of his elder brother King Carl XV who had no living male heirs. They lived at the Hereditary Prince’s Palace (Arvfurstens palats) in Stockholm and would remain there until Oscar’s accession. In 1864, they purchased a farm in Helsingborg where they built a small palace called Sofiero. The palace was later enlarged after Oscar’s accession and became a favorite summer residence of the family. In 1905, Sofiero was given to Oscar’s grandson, the future King Gustaf VI Adolf, as a wedding present.

Following the death of King Carl XV of Sweden and Norway on September 18, 1872, Sofia and Oscar became King and Queen of Sweden and Norway. They were crowned in Stockholm, Sweden on May 12, 1873, and in Trondheim, Norway on June 18, 1873. Sofia embraced her role as Queen of both countries and was seen as an insightful advisor to her husband, who was not initially very popular. She often spent her summers in Norway, where she was well-loved by the Norwegian people and admired for her simple lifestyle.

In the late 1870s, Sofia became a follower of the teachings of Lord Radstock, a noted British missionary, and often spent much of her day in prayer. She withdrew significantly from court life, attending functions only when necessary. Her health was also a factor in her reduced activities. She spent several years abroad for various cures and spas, avoiding the harsh winters in Scandinavia.

Queen Sofia was instrumental in establishing organized nursing schools in Sweden. A follower of Florence Nightingale, she learned much from a visit to the United Kingdom in 1881 and began her project upon returning to Sweden. In 1882, Sofia arranged formal classes for nurses at the Sabbatsberg hospital. Two years later, she opened the Sophiahemmet University College, and in 1889 it became the Sophiahemmet, a combined school for nurses and hospitals. Along with her efforts in this area, Queen Sofia also lent her name and her efforts, to nearly 50 other patronages both in Sweden and Norway.

In 1905, she ceased to be Queen of Norway following the dissolution of the union between the two countries. The situation had taken its toll on her husband, and his health soon began to decline.

Queen Dowager Sofia, painted by Anders Zorn, 1909. source: Wikipedia

Following her husband’s death in December 1907, Queen Sofia lived primarily at Ulriksdal Palace. She kept up to date on politics, despite no longer having the influence she had enjoyed during her husband’s reign. She continued to travel extensively and remained very involved with her charitable work, especially Sophiahemmet. Queen Sofia made her last public appearance at the exam celebrations for new nurses at Sophiahemmet, on December 3, 1913.

Just weeks later, Queen Sofia died on December 30, 1913, at Ulriksdal Palace. At the time, she was the longest-serving Queen of Sweden (until surpassed in 2011 by Queen Silvia, wife of King Carl XVI Gustaf). Following her funeral in the Stockholm Cathedral, she was buried with her husband in the Riddarholmen Church in Stockholm, Sweden. Queen Sofia is the ancestress of the current sovereigns of Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, and Sweden.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Kingdom of Sweden Resources at Unofficial Royalty

King Oscar II of Sweden and Norway

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

King Oscar II of Sweden and Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

King Oscar II of Sweden and Norway was born Prince Oscar Fredrik, Duke of Östergötland, on January 21, 1829, at the Royal Palace of Stockholm in Sweden. He was the third of the five children and the third of the four sons of King Oscar I of Sweden and Norway and Princess Josephine of Leuchtenberg, and had four siblings:

Oscar was educated privately for several years and then began a military career with the Swedish Navy at the age of 11 in 1840. By 1845 he had become an officer, and would later rise to the rank of Rear Admiral. He studied at Uppsala University and published several works of poetry and military manuals.

King Oscar II and Queen Sofia, date unknown. source: Wikipedia

Following a tour of Europe to find a bride, in October 1856 Oscar’s engagement to Princess Sophia of Nassau was announced. She was the daughter of Wilhelm, Duke of Nassau and Princess Pauline of Württemberg. The couple married on June 6, 1857, at Biebrich Palace in Wiesbaden, Duchy of Nassau, now in the German state of Hesse. They had four children:

Upon his father’s death in 1859, Oscar became Crown Prince and heir of his elder brother King Karl XV, who had no living male heirs. The second brother Gustaf had died in 1852. Oscar and Sofia (as she was then known) moved to the Hereditary Prince’s Palace (Arvfurstens palats) in Stockholm.

King Oscar II of Sweden and Norway, by Emil Osterman. source: Wikipedia

Oscar became King of Sweden and Norway on September 18, 1872, upon his brother’s death. He was crowned in Sweden on May 12, 1873, and in Norway on July 18, 1873. While living primarily in Sweden, Oscar spent more time in Norway than his predecessors. He also learned to speak and write the language fluently. Also, unlike his predecessors, Oscar recognized the difficulties in trying to maintain the union between Sweden and Norway.

In Sweden, King Oscar II’s reign saw the establishment of the office of Prime Minister in 1876, and a subsequent move to a more constitutional monarchy with Sweden’s power being held by the parliament. Often referred to as “Europe’s most enlightened monarch”, Oscar put great focus and efforts into artistic ventures. He commissioned a new opera house for the Royal Swedish Opera in the 1890s and established the world’s first open-air museum near his summer residence in Oslo. Along with his earlier writings, he also wrote the memoirs of King Karl XII and his own memoirs.

King Oscar would later oversee the end of the union between Sweden and Norway. For many years, Norway had felt it was the “lesser” party in the union, being subordinate to Sweden. This led to increased calls for independence. After becoming King, Oscar gave in to the Norwegian parliament’s decision to eliminate the position of Vice Regent which had often been held by the heir or another son of the Swedish sovereign. After years of disagreements between the two governments, the Norwegian government voted for independence in the Spring of 1905. Following a public vote garnered over 99% in favor of dissolution, negotiations began between the two countries to formally end the union.

On October 26, 1905, King Oscar II formally renounced his claim to the Norwegian throne, with Sweden finally recognizing Norway as an independent constitutional monarchy. At one point during the negotiations, it was suggested that Oscar’s third son Prince Carl be appointed King of a newly independent Norway. However, King Oscar mandated that no prince from his royal house would replace him on the throne. Instead, just weeks after the formal end of the union, Oscar’s great-nephew Prince Carl of Denmark, a grandson of Oscar’s elder brother King Karl XV, was elected King of Norway, taking the name Haakon VII. Ironically, Haakon’s son Olav married the daughter of Prince Carl of Sweden, and in 1991, Oscar’s great-grandson King Harald V became King of Norway. Through his children, Oscar’s descendants currently occupy the thrones of Sweden, Norway, Belgium, and Luxembourg.

King Oscar II with his son, King Gustaf V; grandson, King Gustaf VI Adolf; and great-grandson, Prince Gustav Adolf (father of the current King Carl XVI Gustaf). photo taken June 15, 1906. source: Wikipedia

Soon after the end of the union with Norway, King Oscar’s health began to decline. He died at the Royal Palace of Stockholm on December 8, 1907, and was buried at the Riddarholmen Church. He was succeeded by his eldest son King Gustaf V.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Kingdom of Sweden Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Louise of the Netherlands, Queen of Sweden and Norway

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Queen Lovisa of Sweden and Norway, photographed by Maths. Hansen, c.1865. source: Wikipedia/National Library of Norway

Queen Lovisa of Sweden was the wife of King Carl XV of Sweden (also King Karl IV of Norway). She was born Princess Wilhelmina Frederika Alexandrine Anna Louise of the Netherlands on August 5, 1828, in The Hague, the Netherlands. Her father, Prince Frederik of the Netherlands, was a son of King Willem I of the Netherlands, and her mother, Princess Luise of Prussia, was a daughter of King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia. She had three younger siblings:

  • Prince Frederik (1833 – 1834) – died at 16 months old
  • Prince Willem (1836 – 1846) – died at 9 years old
  • Princess Marie (1845 – 1910) – married Wilhelm, Prince of Wied, had issue

Princess Louise was educated by a governess, studying French, German, English, Russian, and piano. Following her confirmation in 1845, a hunt began to find a suitable husband for the young princess. In 1849, she met Prince Carl of Sweden, the son and heir of King Oscar I, and negotiations were soon underway to arrange a marriage between the two. While Louise was enamored of her future husband from their first meeting, he found her unattractive. However, King Oscar wanted to create familial ties between the relatively new Bernadotte dynasty and the other long-established European dynasties. With Louise’s Dutch and Prussian families and the promise of a large dowry, she was an ideal candidate. Prince Carl eventually conceded to his father’s wishes and the couple’s engagement was announced in February 1850. Louise quickly learned to speak Swedish, although she never studied Norwegian.

Louise and Carl were married on June 19, 1850, at the Storkyrkan in Stockholm, Sweden and the couple had two children:

Lovisa with her husband and daughter, late 1850s. source: Wikipedia

The marriage was an unhappy one. Lovisa (as she was now known) was desperately in love with her husband, but he was consistently unfaithful to her. Having had complications in her second pregnancy, Louise was unable to bear any more children. Following their son’s death in 1854, leaving no male heir to inherit the throne, Lovisa offered her husband a divorce, which he declined.

Upon her father-in-law’s death on July 8, 1859, her husband ascended the thrones of Sweden and Norway and Lovisa became Queen. She was crowned with her husband in Sweden on May 3, 1860, and in Norway on August 5, 1860. She was the first Queen in the union of Sweden and Norway to be crowned in both countries, as the two previous consorts had been Catholic and could not be crowned in Norway.

Unlike her predecessors, Lovisa took little interest in politics. Instead, she put her efforts into philanthropic work, founding and supporting numerous charities in both Sweden and Norway. She preferred these activities to those of the formal court functions she was required to attend as Queen and often feigned illness to avoid attending. However, she did suffer from ill health, often experiencing fainting spells, and at least once having what may have been an epileptic seizure. The cause of these maladies was typically attributed to her husband’s affairs.

Tombs of King Carl XV and Queen Lovisa. photo © Susan Flantzer

Lovisa traveled to the Netherlands to be at her mother’s deathbed in late 1870. Upon returning, her husband fell ill and she nursed him back to health. Physically drained, Lovisa contracted pneumonia and died on March 30, 1871, at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden. She was buried at the Riddarholm Churchen in Stockholm, Sweden. Despite their strained relationship, King Carl XV was reportedly distraught at Lovisa’s death and died a year and a half later.

Kingdom of Sweden Resources at Unofficial Royalty

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King Carl XV of Sweden/King Karl IV of Norway

By Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

King Carl XV of Sweden/King Karl IV of Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

King Carl XV of Sweden (and King Karl IV of Norway) was the third monarch of the Bernadotte dynasty which has reigned in Sweden since 1818. He was born Prince Carl Ludwig Eugen of Sweden, Duke of Skåne, on May 3, 1826, at the Royal Palace of Stockholm, the eldest child of King Oscar I of Sweden and Josephine of Leuchtenberg. He had four younger siblings:

Carl was educated privately, earning his baccalaureate in December 1843, and then studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Christiania (Oslo) and the University of Uppsala. From a young age, he was drawn to the arts. He served as an officer in the Swedish army, having been given his first officer’s commission in 1841 by his grandfather, King Carl XIV Johan. Following his father’s accession to the throne in 1844, and following a tradition dating back to the 1700s, Carl was appointed chancellor of the Universities of Uppland and Lund in 1844.

Wedding of Carl and Louise of the Netherlands- source: Wikipedia

On June 19, 1850, Carl married Princess Louise of the Netherlands at the Storkyrkan (Great Church) in Stockholm. She was the daughter of Prince Fredrik of the Netherlands (a son of King Willem I) and Princess Luise of Prussia (a daughter of King Friedrich Wilhelm III). The marriage had been arranged by Carl’s father who wanted to establish familial relationships between the relatively new Bernadotte dynasty and some of the much older ruling dynasties in Europe. They had two children:

The marriage was never happy. While Louise was smitten with her husband, he was rather indifferent to her and took many mistresses and fathered several illegitimate children. After the death of their son in 1854, and discovering that she could no longer bear children, Louise offered Carl a divorce but he refused.

In February 1856, Carl was appointed Viceroy of Norway and spent a year and a half in his father’s “other land”. While in Norway, Carl indulged his interest in drawing and painting, along with his desire to be involved in politics. He developed a strong friendship with King Frederik VII of Denmark, which led to improved relations between the Scandinavian countries. In September 1857, Carl returned to Sweden where he served as Regent for his ailing father for nearly two years.

King Carl XV of Sweden/King Karl IV of Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

Upon his father’s death on July 8, 1859, Carl ascended to the thrones of Sweden – as King Karl XV – and Norway – as King Karl IV. He was crowned in Sweden on May 3, 1860, and in Norway on August 5, 1860. Despite his abrupt manner, he is noted as one of the most successful sovereigns in Sweden. During his reign, he oversaw the enactment of communal law, ecclesiastical law, and criminal law, and in 1858, passed the law of legal majority for unmarried women. He is also noted for helping Louis De Geer reform the Swedish Parliament in 1866.

Tombs of King Carl XV and Queen Louise on the right; Photo © Susan Flantzer

After becoming ill the previous year, King Karl XV died from tuberculosis on September 18, 1872, in Malmö, Sweden.  He is buried in the Riddarholmen Church in Stockholm. As he had no surviving son, the Swedish and Norwegian thrones passed to his younger brother King Oscar II. However, through his daughter, King Karl XV’s descendants occupy the thrones of Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, and Norway, along with the former throne of Greece.

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Kingdom of Sweden Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Désirée Clary, Queen Desideria of Sweden and Norway

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Désirée Clary, Queen Desideria of Sweden and Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

Queen Desideria of Sweden and Norway was the wife of King Carl XIV Johan of Sweden/King Karl III Johan of Norway, born Jean Baptiste Bernadotte. She was born Bernardine Eugénie Désirée Clary, on November 8, 1777, in Marseille, France, the youngest of the nine children of François Clary, a wealthy French merchant, and his second wife Françoise Rose Somis. Through Désirée, her parents are the ancestors of the royal families of Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, and Sweden.

Désirée had eight siblings:

  • Joseph Nicolas Clary, 1st Comte Clary et de l’Empire, (1760 – 1823), married Anne Jeanne Rouyer
  • Joseph Honoré Clary (1762 – 1764), died in childhood
  • Marie Anne Rose Clary (1764 – 1835), married Antoine-Ignace Anthoine, baron de Saint-Joseph et de l’Empire, Mayor of Marseille
  • Marseille Clary (1764 – 1784), unmarried
  • Justinien François Clary (1766 – 1794), unmarried
  • Catherine Honorine Clary (1769 – 1843), married Henri Joseph Gabriel Blait de Villeneufve
  • Julie Clary (1771 – 1845), married Joseph Bonaparte, King of Naples and Sicily, King of Spain and the Indies, elder brother of Napoleon Bonaparte
  • Basile Clary (1774 – 1781), died in childhood

Désirée had four half-siblings from her father’s first marriage to Gabrielle Fléchon (1732–1758):

  • François-Joseph Clary (1752 – 1753), died in infancy
  • Marie-Jeanne Clary (1754 – 1815), married (1) Louis Honoré Lejeans (2) Emmanuel Mathieu Pézenas, Baron de Pluvinal
  • Marie Thérèse Catherine Clary (1755 – 1818), married Lazare Lejeans
  • Étienne François Clary (1757 – 1823), married Marcelle Guey, had two children

Désirée was educated at a convent in her early years, before returning home to her family during the French Revolution. Several years later, she met Joseph Bonaparte, the elder brother of Napoleon, and the two became engaged. Soon after, Napoleon suggested that Joseph should instead marry Désirée’s sister Julie and that he would marry Désirée. They became engaged in April 1795, but Napoleon soon became involved with Joséphine de Beauharnais, and the engagement ended in September 1795. Désirée spent the next several years living with her sister and brother-in-law in Genoa and Rome. While in Rome in 1797, she became engaged to a French general Mathurin-Léonard Duphot, allegedly arranged by Napoleon. They were to marry on December 31, 1797, but Duphot was shot and killed in a riot the previous day.

Désirée’s husband Jean Baptiste Bernadotte, the future King Carl XIV Johan of Sweden and Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

Returning to Paris, Désirée soon met Jean Baptiste Bernadotte, a noted French general and future King of Sweden. The couple married on August 17, 1798, and had one son:

In 1804, Bernadotte was made Marshal of France, and Désirée was given an allowance by Napoleon, as well as a house on the Rue d’Anjou Saint-Honoré in Paris, France. Désirée maintained this house for the rest of her life, living there whenever she was in Paris. With her husband often gone, Désirée installed herself in the ranks of Parisian high society, spending her time with both the Bonaparte and Clary families. She occasionally traveled to see her husband but quickly returned to Paris, the only place she felt at home.

Désirée Clary, Queen Desideria of Sweden and Norway. portrait by François Gérard, c.1810. source: Wikipedia

In 1809, King Carl XIII of Sweden ascended the throne of Sweden. He had no living children, and his adopted son and heir died the following year. The Swedes had the idea to offer the position of Crown Prince to one of Napoleon’s Marshals. On August 21, 1810, the Swedish Riksdag of the Estates elected Désirée’s husband Jean Baptiste Bernadotte as Crown Prince of Sweden. He arrived in Stockholm in November 1810 and was formally adopted by the King Carl III of Sweden, taking the name Carl Johan, and converting from Roman Catholicism to Lutheranism.

The new Crown Prince of Sweden was actively involved in the events leading up to the Treaty of Kiel in 1814, in which Denmark was forced to cede Norway to Sweden. Unlike the previous union with Denmark, this was a personal union under a single sovereign, and Norway remained an independent state with its own constitution. King Carl XIII of Sweden also reigned as King Karl II of Norway. The separate kingdoms of Sweden and Norway were under a common monarch from 1814 until its dissolution in 1905.

Not wanting to leave Paris, Désirée did not initially accompany her husband to Sweden. She finally made the trip in December 1810 and was immediately unhappy. She found the Swedish weather very harsh, and could not adapt to the formality and responsibilities of her new role as Crown Princess. Added to that was a very difficult relationship with the wife of King Carl XIII of Sweden, Queen Hedwig, who complained, perhaps rightfully so, about Désirée’s constant complaints about everything that was not French.  The following year, Désirée left Sweden and returned to Paris, where, she acted as a go-between and mediator between her husband and Emperor Napoleon and kept her husband fully advised of the political events in Europe. After Napoleon was overthrown, Désirée often spent time with the court of King Louis XVIII of France.

King Carl XIII of Sweden/King Karl II of Norway died on February 5, 1818, and Bernadotte ascended the thrones of Sweden and Norway as King Carl XIV Johan of Sweden/King Karl III Johan of Norway. However, Désirée, the new Queen of Sweden and Norway, remained in Paris. It would be several years before she made her return to Sweden. In 1822, her son, now Crown Prince Oscar of Sweden and Norway, toured Europe to find a bride and met with his mother twice. The following year, in June 1823, Désirée returned to Sweden, accompanying her future daughter-in-law Princess Josephine of Leuchtenberg, the granddaughter of Napoleons’s first wife Joséphine de Beauharnais from her first marriage to Alexandre, Vicomte de Beauharnais, who had been guillotined during the French Revolution. Although Désirée planned to make just a temporary visit, she remained in Sweden for the rest of her life.

Coronation of Queen Desideria in Sweden, August 1829, by Fredric Westin. source: Wikipedia

Désirée’s coronation was delayed due to the long time she remained in France and the potential religious issues stemming from her remaining a Roman Catholic and not converting to Lutheranism like her husband and son. Finally, on August 21, 1829, Queen Desideria, her official name although she never used it herself, was crowned Queen of Sweden. She was never crowned in Norway due to her religion.

Désirée attempted to fulfill her role as Queen Consort, holding parties and balls, but she soon grew tired of it and longed to return to Paris. Her lack of effort to embrace her new homeland, and her refusal to learn the languages of either Sweden or Norway, led to her never being fully accepted by the Swedish or Norwegian people. Her less-than-royal roots did not help either. She was better received in Norway, where she visited several times, and served as patron of the Eugenia Foundation from 1828 until 1847. Despite plans to return to her home in Paris in 1853, Désirée’s fear of sea travel prevented her from making the trip. She spent her remaining years in Sweden, splitting her time between her apartments at the Royal Palace of Stockholm, Drottningholm Palace, and Haga Palace.

Queen Desideria’s tomb; source: Wikipedia

Désirée died on December 17, 1860, at the Royal Palace of Stockholm. Following her funeral in January 1861, she was interred in the Bernadotte Chapel at the Riddarholmen Church in Stockholm, in front of her husband’s tomb.

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Kingdom of Sweden Resources at Unofficial Royalty

King Carl XIV Johan of Sweden/King Karl III Johan of Norway

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2015

King Carl XIV Johan of Sweden/King Karl III Johan of Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

King Carl XIV Johan of Sweden/King Karl III Johan of Norway was born Jean Baptiste Bernadotte on January 26, 1763, in Pau, France. He was the youngest of five children of Jean Henri Bernadotte and Jeanne de Saint-Jean. He was educated to follow his father in the law profession but seems to have had no interest. Following his father’s death, Jean ended his studies and joined the military, where he quickly stood out for his courage and leadership. During the French Revolution, he rose quickly through the ranks, attaining the rank of Brigadier General in 1794.

Désirée Clary, 1807 portrait by Robert Lefèvre. source: Wikipedia

On August 16, 1798, Bernadotte married Bernardine Eugénie Désirée Clary, known as Désirée, whose sister Julie Clary was married to Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon Bonaparte’s brother. Désirée had previously been engaged to Napoleon. They had one son:

In 1804, Napoleon was proclaimed Emperor of France and appointed Bernadotte Marshal of France. He served for several months as Governor of the recently-occupied Hanover, and in December 1805, took part in the battle of Austerlitz. In recognition of his efforts at Austerlitz, Napoleon created Bernadotte Prince of Pontecorvo, a small principality in Italy.

Bernadotte’s relationship with Napoleon was often strained, but the Emperor respected Bernadotte greatly. Bernadotte often went against the Emperor’s orders during battle, at least once being stripped of his command. Despite this, he was later appointed Governor of Rome but never took up the position. Instead, he would find himself heading north to Sweden.

In 1809, King Carl XIII of Sweden ascended the throne of Sweden. He had no living children, and his adopted son and heir died the following year. The Swedes had the idea to offer the position of Crown Prince to one of Napoleon’s Marshals. Bernadotte was well-liked in Sweden, particularly because of his considerate treatment of Swedish prisoners during the recent war with Denmark. In addition, he had a connection to Napoleon and already had a son who could continue the succession. On August 21, 1810, the Swedish Riksdag of the Estates elected Bernadotte as Crown Prince. He arrived in Stockholm in November 1810 and was formally adopted by the King Carl III of Sweden, taking the name Carl Johan, and converting from Roman Catholicism to Lutheranism.

The new Crown Prince quickly took an active role in the Swedish government, particularly in the area of foreign policy. He was actively involved in the events leading up to the Treaty of Kiel in 1814, in which Denmark was forced to cede Norway to Sweden. Norway refused to accept the treaty at first, and the Crown Prince invaded, quickly suppressing the Norwegian forces. Soon, Norway became united with Sweden at the Convention of Moss. Unlike the previous union with Denmark, this was a personal union under a single sovereign, and Norway remained an independent state with its own constitution.  The separate kingdoms of Sweden and Norway were under a common monarch from 1814 until its dissolution in 1905.

Coronation in Norway, painting by Jacob Munch. source: Wikipedia

King Carl XIII of Sweden/King Karl II of Norway died on February 5, 1818, and Bernadotte ascended the thrones of Sweden and Norway. His coronation in Sweden took place on May 11, 1818, at the Stockholm Cathedral (Storkyrkan) in Stockholm, Sweden and he took the name Carl XIV Johan. Thus began the Bernadotte dynasty in Sweden, which continues today. In September 1818, he was crowned at Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Norway as King Karl III Johan of Norway.

Following his accession, the King soon lost much of his popularity with the Swedish and Norwegian people. In Norway, his role in the events of 1814 and his constant attempts to change the constitution to allow him great powers, caused him to be viewed skeptically by the people. His attempts to squash the celebrations of Norway’s National Day (May 17th) – going so far as making it illegal – further cemented the negative views of the Norwegians.

In Sweden, where he enjoyed much more power and control, his conservative almost autocratic views caused significant dissent among the population. By the 1830s, there were calls for his abdication, however, he held onto his throne and seems to have regained the respect of many of his subjects.

Tomb of King Carl XIV John and his wife Desiree. photo © Susan Flantzer

On his 81st birthday in January 1844, King Carl XIV Johan of Sweden/King Karl III Johan of Norway suffered a stroke, from which he never recovered. He died on March 8, 1844, at the Royal Palace of Stockholm. Following his funeral, he was interred at the Riddarholmen Church in Stockholm.

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Kingdom of Sweden Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Skaugum Estate

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

source: The Royal House of Norway, photo: Cornelius Poppe, Scanpix

source: The Royal House of Norway, Photo: Cornelius Poppe, Scanpix

Skaugum Estate

Located in Asker, the Skaugum Estate is the home of Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway and their family and has been the official residence of the heir to the Norwegian throne since 1929. It is privately owned.  The estate encompasses approximately 242 acres, of which 118 are farmed and 124 are forests. In addition to the main house, there are numerous other buildings and structures, many of which are lodgings for current and former employees of the estate.

the original house, c.1921. source: Wikipedia

The property had once been a monastery and was affiliated with the Church of Mary in Oslo. After changing hands several times, it was purchased by Fritz Wedel Jarlsberg, a Minister in the Norwegian government, in 1909. When Crown Prince Olav (later King Olav V) married Princess Märtha of Sweden in 1929, it was necessary for them to have their own home. Jarlsberg arranged to sell the property to Olav, and the newly married couple took up residency after their marriage.

The new house, c1932. source: Wikipedia

The original building was destroyed by fire in 1930, and a new structure was built on the foundations of the old one. The new building was completed in 1932.

In 1968, upon the marriage of Crown Prince Harald (later King Harald V) to Sonja Haraldsen, King Olav transferred ownership of the property to his son. In turn, King Harald gave the property to Crown Prince Haakon in 2001, upon his marriage to Mette-Marit Høiby. Following extensive renovations, partially funded by the Norwegian government, the couple took up residence just before Christmas 2003.

Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit at Skaugum. source: The Royal House of Norway

Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit at Skaugum. source: The Royal House of Norway

The L-shaped building includes several representation rooms on the main floor, with the private living quarters upstairs. It is designed to be, first and foremost, a family home, while also being able to accommodate official functions and events for the couple.

Learn more about the other Norwegian Royal Residences here!

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