Category Archives: Swedish Royals

Princess Margaretha, Mrs. Ambler

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Princess Margaretha, Mrs. Ambler – photo: Wikipedia

Princess Margaretha, Mrs Ambler is the eldest of the four sisters sister of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. She was born Princess Margaretha Désirée Victoria of Sweden on October 31, 1934, at Haga Palace, the eldest child of Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden, Duke of Västerbotten, and Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Through both of her parents, she is a great-great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.

Margaretha has three younger siblings:

Princess Margaretha was educated privately at Haga Palace, where she lived with her mother and siblings. Her father had died in a plane crash in Denmark in 1947. She later attended Märthaskolan (Martha School), a dressmaking school in Stockholm. In 1950, her great-grandfather King Gustaf V died and her grandfather became King Gustaf VI Adolf. The family moved from Haga Palace to the Royal Palace in Stockholm.

For many years, Margaretha and her three sisters, known as “The Haga Princesses”, were very prominent in Swedish society. All quite beautiful and sought after, they were often seen in photos at various events. Following a romance with Robert Douglas-Home, a Scottish diplomat (and later paramour of Princess Margaret of the United Kingdom), Princess Margaretha met British businessman John Ambler at a dinner party in England. Their engagement was announced in February 1964.

 

On June 30, 1964, Princess Margaretha and British businessman John Ambler, the son of Captain Charles Ambler and Louise Cullen, were married at the Gärdslösa Church, on the island of Öland in Sweden. Upon marriage, Margaretha lost her royal style and was styled Princess Margaretha, Mrs. Ambler. The couple settled in England, and had three children:

  • Sibylla Louise Ambler (born 1965), married  Baron Cornelius von Dincklage, had one daughter and one son, separated
  • Charles Edward Ambler (born 1966), married to Helen Jane Ross, had two daughters
  • James Patrick Ambler (born 1969), married to Ursula Mary Shipley, had one daughter and one son

Margaretha and her husband separated in 1996 but never divorced. John Ambler suffered from poor health and spent the last ten years of his life in a nursing home in Oxfordshire, England.  He passed away on May 31, 2008.

Princess Margaretha lives near Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, England. She does not take part in any official functions in Sweden but is typically seen at family events such as the weddings of her brother’s children. She lives a rather quiet life in England, and for many years opened the Swedish Church Christmas Bazaar in London.

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Princess Estelle of Sweden

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Princess Estelle of Sweden, 2023; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Estelle, Duchess of Östergötland was born on February 23, 2012, at Karolinska University Hospital in Solna, Sweden. She is the eldest child of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and her husband Prince Daniel (born Daniel Westling), and is second in the line of succession to the Swedish throne, after her mother.

Princess Estelle with her mother Crown Princess Victoria and her grandfather King Carl XVI Gustaf; Credit – Photo: Thron Ullberg/The Royal Court of Sweden, 2022

In 1979, the Riksdag, the Swedish legislature, introduced an Act of Succession that changed the succession to absolute primogeniture, meaning that the eldest child of the monarch, regardless of gender, is first in the line of succession. This Act of Succession became law on January 1, 1980, making Sweden the first country to adopt absolute primogeniture. The previous 1810 Act of Succession allowed for only males to inherit the throne. Even after the birth of her brother Prince Oscar, Princess Estelle retains her place in the line of succession as the eldest child of Crown Princess Victoria who is the eldest child and heir of King Carl XVI Gustaf. This means that it is expected that the next two Swedish monarchs will be Victoria followed by her daughter Estelle. Sweden has had only three Queens Regnant: Margarethe I, Queen of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden  (1389-1412), Queen Christina of Sweden (1632-1654), and Queen Ulrika Eleanora of Sweden (1718-1720)

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Princess Estelle is christened as her parents and grandfather look on; Photo: Swedish Royal Court 

Princess Estelle was christened in the Royal Chapel at the Royal Palace of Stockholm on May 22, 2012. Her godparents were:

She was given the names Estelle Silvia Ewa Mary.

Estelle: possibly for Countess Estelle Bernadotte (1904–1984), the American wife of Count Folke Bernadotte; when King Carl Gustaf announced his granddaughter’s names, he said that the name Estelle is very close to the heart of her mother and also the family
Silvia: for her maternal grandmother
Ewa: for her paternal grandmother
Mary: for her godmother Crown Princess Mary of Denmark

Princess Estelle’s family, 2022

Estelle has one younger brother:

On August 25, 2014, Princess Estelle started preschool at Äventyret Preschool in Danderyd Municipality, Stockholm. Äventyret Preschool was founded in 1992 and uses the Ur & Skur outdoor teaching methods to teach children about nature and to convey a sense of the natural world. In October 2016, Estelle started to attend Lilla Kvikkjokk, a Montessori school in the Djurgården section of Stockholm. Princess Estelle has been attending Campus Manilla, an independent primary and secondary school, in the Djurgården section in Stockholm since August 2018.

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.

Christopher O’Neill, husband of Princess Madeleine of Sweden

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

photo: Brigitte Grenfeldt, Swedish Royal Court,

Christopher Paul O’Neill was born on born June 27, 1974, in London, England. He is the only child of Paul O’Neill (1926–2004), an American investment banker who came to London in the 1960s to set up the European head office of Oppenheimer & Co, and his second wife, Eva Maria Walter (born 1940 in Austria). Christopher has dual United States – United Kingdom citizenship. He has five half-sisters: From his mother’s side – Tatjana Schoeller who married John Henry Erland d’Abo and Natascha Loeb (born 1968 in Munich Germany) who married Ernst, Graf (Count) von Abensperg und Traun; From his father’s side – Stefanie, Annalisa, and Karen.

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Christopher O’Neill with his parents; Photo: Swedish Royal Court

While growing up in London, Christopher attended Eaton House School and then Westminster Under School. In 1988, he began his studies at the Institut auf dem Rosenberg, an international high school in St. Gallen, Switzerland, graduating in 1992.

In 1992, Christopher began his university studies at Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations with a minor in Business in 1996. While he was at Boston University, he worked part-time for various financial firms to develop work experience and to gain a practical understanding of the financial industry. In 1996, Christopher returned to the United Kingdom and worked in the mergers and acquisitions department of NM Rothschild & Sons, before moving to an early-stage venture capital firm, VennWorks LLP. After spending six years working in the United Kingdom, Christopher returned to the United States and attended the two-year, full-time MBA program at Columbia University Business School in New York City. After graduating from Columbia in 2005 with an MBA degree, Christopher worked for Steinberg Asset Management and Noster Capital, where he was a partner and head of research.

Christopher first met Princess Madeleine of Sweden after she had moved to New York City in 2010 following a broken engagement to work for the World Childhood Foundation, a charitable organization founded by her mother, Queen Silvia. The couple was first seen in public in January 2011. Their engagement was announced by the Swedish Royal Court on October 25, 2012.

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Engagement Photo; Photo: Swedish Royal Court

Princess Madeleine and Christopher O’Neill were married on June 8, 2013, at the Palace Church at the Royal Palace in Stockholm.

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Photo: Zimbio

Princess Madeleine and Christopher O’Neill have two daughters and one son:

  • Princess Leonore, Duchess of Gotland (born 2014 at Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York, New York)
  • Prince Nicolas of Sweden, Duke of Ångermanland (born 2015 at Danderyd Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden)
  • Princess Adrienne of Sweden, Duchess of Blekinge (born 2018, at Danderyd Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden)

Unlike his brother-in-law, Prince Daniel, Christopher is untitled and undertakes no royal duties, since members of the Swedish Royal Family must hold Swedish citizenship, which O’Neill has declined. He remains a private US-UK citizen, can continue his career in finance, and the couple continued living in New York. Shortly before his engagement, Christopher quit his job at Noster Capital, but remains a consultant and is involved in other entrepreneurial ventures. In an interview at the time of his engagement, Christopher said, ” To continue my career is really important for me. I chose to not receive a title that would have prevented me from my dream of continuing my work. Of course, I consulted with Madeleine and the King and Queen. It was important for me to have their blessing.”

After their marriage, Madeline and Christopher resided in New York City, and their first child Princess Leonore was born there. In early 2015, the family returned to Sweden. Shortly after the birth of Prince Nicolas, the family moved to London, England. In August 2018, it was announced that Princess Madeleine and her family would be moving to Florida, in the United States. In March 2023, it was announced that the family would move back to Sweden in August 2023. However, it was announced in June 2023 that the family’s move to Sweden was postponed until June 2024.

On October 7, 2019, the Swedish Royal Court announced that King Carl XVI Gustaf had decided to make changes regarding the children of his son Prince Carl Philip and his daughter Princess Madeleine. At birth, the children of Carl Philip and Madeleine were styled as Royal Highness and were members of The Royal House. As of October 7, 2019, their children would no longer be members of The Royal House but would continue to be members of The Royal Family. Prince Alexander, Prince Gabriel, Princess Leonore, Prince Nicolas, and Princess Adrienne would no longer enjoy the style of Royal Highness but they would retain their titles of Duke and Duchess previously granted by King Carl XVI Gustaf. They will remain in the line of succession to the Swedish throne. In the future, they will not be expected to perform any royal duties. They will be styled Prince/Princess <Name>, Duke/Duchess of <Geographical Area>.

On the day of the change, in a Facebook post, Princess Madeleine explained the reasoning and said that the change had been planned for a long time.

“Today the Court announced that Leonore, Nicolas and Adrienne should no longer belong to the Royal House, while remaining part of the Royal Family. This change has been planned for a long time. Chris and I think it is appropriate that our children will now have a greater opportunity to shape their own lives as private individuals.

We were honoured when my parents bestowed upon Leonore a royal title when she joined Estelle as the 2nd grandchild of our Swedish Royal Family. We have always believed in giving our children the freedom to choose their future, that’s why we welcome this decision wholeheartedly. I will continue with my royal responsibilities by supporting my parents and my sister.”

Christopher with his family, 2018. photo: Anna-Lena Ahlström, Swedish Royal Court

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Princess Leonore of Sweden, Duchess of Gotland

by Susan Flantzer

photo: Erika Gerdemark, Swedish Royal Court

Princess Leonore, Duchess of Gotland was born on February 20, 2014, at Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York, New York in the United States. She is the first child of Princess Madeleine of Sweden and Christopher O’Neill. Before her birth, the Swedish Royal Court announced that Princess Madeleine’s children would have the style Royal Highness and the title Prince/Princess and be in the line of succession to the throne. To be eligible to ascend the throne, Princess Madeleine’s children must be brought up in Sweden and be members of the Church of Sweden (Lutheran).  The infant princess was named Leonore Lilian Maria:

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On October 7, 2019, the Swedish Royal Court announced that King Carl XVI Gustaf had decided to make changes regarding the children of his son Prince Carl Philip and his daughter Princess Madeleine. Their children would no longer be members of The Royal House but would continue to be members of The Royal Family. Prince Alexander, Prince Gabriel, Princess Leonore, Prince Nicolas, and Princess Adrienne would no longer enjoy the style of Royal Highness but they would retain their titles of Duke and Duchess previously granted by King Carl XVI Gustaf. They will remain in the line of succession to the Swedish throne. In the future, they will not be expected to perform any royal duties. As a result, Leonore will be styled Princess Leonore, Duchess of Gotland.

In mid-April 2014, Princess Estelle of Sweden met her new cousin, Princess Leonore, during a trip to the United States with her mother Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden.

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Princess Leonore and Princess Estelle; Photo: Swedish Royal Court, Crown Princess Victoria

Princess Leonore was christened on June 8, 2014, her parent’s first wedding anniversary. The Church of Sweden (Lutheran) christening was held at the Royal Chapel at Drottningholm Palace near Stockholm. Her godparents were:

  • Crown Princess Victoria, her maternal aunt
  • Tatjana d’Abo, her paternal aunt
  • Count Ernst Abensperg und Traun, her paternal uncle by marriage
  • Patrick Sommerlath, her maternal first cousin once removed
  • Alice Bamford, a friend of her parents
  • Louise Gottlieb, a friend of her parents
Leonore_Christening

Photo source: Hello

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Princess Leonore with her parents and godparents; Photo: Swedish Royal Court

At her christening, Princess Leonore received the Royal Order of the Seraphim from her grandfather, King Carl XVI Gustaf.

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Princess Leonore after her christening wearing the badge and the sash of the Royal Order of the Seraphim; Photo source: svt.se

Leonore became a big sister when her brother Prince Nicolas, Duke of Ångermanland was born on June 15, 2015, and again when her sister Princess Adrienne, Duchess of Blekinge was born on March 9, 2018.

In 2018, Princess Leonore’s family moved to Florida in the United States. Early in 2020, the Swedish Royal Court confirmed, “Princess Madeleine resides in Florida. Right now and for the near future, they will remain in Florida. This means that the children will also attend school in Florida.” It is expected that Leonore will start school in Florida during the fall of 2020.

Princess Madeleine of Sweden

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Photo: Kungl. Hovstaterna / The Royal Court of Sweden

Princess Madeleine, Duchess of Hälsingland and Gästrikland was born on June 10, 1982, at Drottningholm Palace near Stockholm, Sweden. She is the youngest of the three children of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and his wife Queen Silvia (née Silvia Sommerlath).

Madeleine has an older sister and an older brother:

Princess Madeleine was christened at the Palace Church at the Royal Palace in Stockholm on August 31, 1982. She was given the names Madeleine Thérèse Amelie Josephine. Her fourth name, Josephine, is in honor of her ancestor, Josephine of Leuchtenberg, the wife of King Oscar I of Sweden and the granddaughter of Empress Josephine (Napoleon’s first wife) and her first husband Eugène de Beauharnais. Madeleine’s godparents were:

Madeleine_christening

Princess Madeleine’s christening; Photo source: http://hd.se

Princess Madeleine attended Västerled Parish Preschool in Stockholm, Sweden from 1985-1989. Beginning in 1989, she attended Smedslättsskolan (link translated from Swedish), a municipal elementary school in the district Smedslätten in Bromma, Stockholm, where he completed his junior level. In 1989 she continued on to the intermediate level at Carlssons School (link translated from Swedish) in Stockholm. In the autumn of 1998, Princess Madeleine began her senior-level studies at Enskilda Gymnasiet, a prestigious independent secondary school in Tegnérlunden, in central Stockholm, and graduated in 2001.

Princess Madeleine lived in London during 2011 where she studied English and returned to Sweden in 2002 to study Swedish law and computer literacy. In 2003, she enrolled at Stockholm University studying art history and ethnology. Madeleine completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in January 2006 and continued her studies with postgraduate courses in organization and leadership (international humanitarian work) and child psychology.

In 2006, Madeleine began a work experience at the headquarters of UNICEF in New York. She focused on children in institutional care, children in areas of conflict and vulnerability, and sexually exploited children. This prepared her for the work she continues to do at the World Childhood Foundation, founded by Madeleine’s mother, Queen Silvia of Sweden, in 1999 to reach and support children at risk around the world.

Madeleine childrens fund

Princess Madeleine visiting a project, supported by the World Childhood Foundation, to keep teenage mothers in school in Ohio; Photo: Swedish Royal Court

Princess Madeleine is the patron of My Big Day, the Swedish equivalent of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The organization’s goal is to make dreams come true for children in long-term hospital care.

Madeleine_Min-Stora-Dag

Princess Madeleine attends a music show with Ena, whose dream was to spend a day with Madeleine and be photographed with her; Photo: Swedish Royal Court

On August 11, 2009, Princess Madeleine announced her engagement to lawyer Jonas Bergström, her boyfriend since 2002. After many rumors in the media, it was announced on April 24, 2010, that the engagement had been called off. It was at this time, that Madeleine moved to New York to begin work at the New York office of the World Childhood Foundation. While in New York, Madeleine met Christopher O’Neill, a British-American businessman. The couple was first seen in public in January 2011. Their engagement was announced by the Swedish Royal Court on October 25, 2012.

Madeleine_engagement

Engagement Photo; Photo: Ewa-Marie Rundquist, Swedish Royal Court

Princess Madeleine and Christopher O’Neill were married on June 8, 2013, at the Palace Church at the Royal Palace in Stockholm.

 

Princess Madeleine and Christopher O’Neill have two daughters and one son:

  • Princess Leonore, Duchess of Gotland (born 2014, at Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York, New York)
  • Prince Nicolas of Sweden, Duke of Ångermanland (born 2015, at Danderyd Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden)
  • Princess Adrienne of Sweden, Duchess of Blekinge (born 2018, at Danderyd Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden)

After their marriage, Madeline and Christopher lived in New York City, and their first child was born there.  In early 2015, they returned to Sweden. In August 2018, it was announced that Princess Madeleine and her family would be moving to Florida, in the United States, where the Princess will continue her work with the World Childhood Foundation. In March 2023, it was announced that the family would move back to Sweden in August 2023. However, it was announced in June 2023 that the family’s move to Sweden was postponed. Madeleine and her family moved back to Sweden in June 2024.

On October 7, 2019, the Swedish Royal Court announced that King Carl XVI Gustaf had decided to make changes regarding the children of his son Prince Carl Philip and his daughter Princess Madeleine. At birth, the children of Carl Philip and Madeleine were styled as Royal Highness and were members of The Royal House. As of October 7, 2019, their children would no longer be members of The Royal House but would continue to be members of The Royal Family. Prince Alexander, Prince Gabriel, Princess Leonore, Prince Nicolas, and Princess Adrienne would no longer enjoy the style of Royal Highness but they would retain their titles of Duke and Duchess previously granted by King Carl XVI Gustaf. They will remain in the line of succession to the Swedish throne. In the future, they will not be expected to perform any royal duties. They will be styled Prince/Princess <Name>, Duke/Duchess of <Geographical Area>.

On the day of the change, in a Facebook post, Princess Madeleine explained the reasoning and said that the change had been planned for a long time.

“Today the Court announced that Leonore, Nicolas and Adrienne should no longer belong to the Royal House, while remaining part of the Royal Family. This change has been planned for a long time. Chris and I think it is appropriate that our children will now have a greater opportunity to shape their own lives as private individuals.

We were honoured when my parents bestowed upon Leonore a royal title when she joined Estelle as the 2nd grandchild of our Swedish Royal Family. We have always believed in giving our children the freedom to choose their future, that’s why we welcome this decision wholeheartedly. I will continue with my royal responsibilities by supporting my parents and my sister.”

Madeleine with her family, 2018. photo: Anna-Lena Ahlström, Swedish Royal Court

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.

Prince Carl Philip of Sweden

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Embed from Getty Images 

Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland was born at the Royal Palace of Stockholm on May 13, 1979. He is the only son and the second of the three children of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and his wife Queen Silvia (née Silvia Sommerlath).

Carl Philip has an older and a younger sister:

In 1979, the Riksdag, the Swedish legislature, introduced an Act of Succession that changed the succession to absolute primogeniture, meaning that the eldest child of the monarch, regardless of gender, is first in the line of succession. This Act of Succession became law on January 1, 1980, making Sweden the first country to adopt absolute primogeniture. The previous 1810 Act of Succession allowed for only males to inherit the throne. Carl Philip had been born Crown Prince and retained his title and first place in the succession for seven months until January 1, 1980, when his elder sister Victoria became Crown Princess and heir apparent.

Prince Carl Philip was christened at the Royal Chapel at the Royal Palace in Stockholm on August 31, 1979. He was given the names Carl Philip Edmund Bertil and his godparents were:

Christening of Prince Carl Philip; Credit – sunnygirl2.blogspot.com

Prince Carl Philip attended Västerled Parish Preschool in Stockholm, Sweden from 1984-86. He then attended Smedslättsskolan in Bromma a municipal elementary school in the district Smedslätten in Bromma, Stockholm, where he completed his junior level. Next, Carl Philip attended Ålstenskolan, a municipal elementary school in the district Ålsten in Bromma, Stockholm, and completed the intermediate level.

The prince then attended Enskilda Gymnasiet, a prestigious independent secondary school in Tegnérlunden, in central Stockholm.  In 1994, Carl Philip moved to the United States for two years to attend Kent School in Kent, Connecticut, USA. Upon returning to Sweden, he followed a science program at Lundbergs Upper Secondary School in Värmland, Sweden, graduating in 1999.

Prince Carl Philip completed a two-year course in Graphic Design at Forsbergs School of Graphic Design in Stockholm in May 2006. He continued his studies with an internship at the National Geographic Society in Washington D.C., USA, during the autumn of 2006. Carl Philip then studied at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, Rhode Island, USA where he participated in a competition to create the best logo for Martha’s Vineyard Museum in Massachusetts. He won the competition in the spring of 2008 with a proposal that he submitted under a pseudonym.

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Prince Carl Philip’s award-winning logo; Photo Credit: Resume.se

In 2009, Carl Philip began his studies at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Alnarp, Sweden, and graduated in 2012 with a diploma in Agricultural and Rural Management.

Prince Carl Philip completed his military service in the Swedish Navy with the Amphibious Battalion of Vaxholm’s Coast Artillery Regiment and is trained as a combat boat commander. In 2001-2002, he completed a naval officer training course. He was promoted to midshipman and then was promoted to the rank of sub-lieutenant in 2004. In 2007 and 2008 he went to the Swedish National Defense College and was promoted the rank of captain in the Swedish Navy.

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Carl Philip in naval uniform; Photo: Swedish Royal Court

In April 2010, Prince Carl Philip was linked in the press with model Sofia Hellqvist, and in August 2010, the Swedish Royal Court confirmed the relationship.

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Prince Carl Philip and Sofia Hellqvist; Photo: Swedish Royal Court

On June 27, 2014, the couple’s engagement was announced and the wedding took place on June 13, 2015, at the Royal Chapel in the Royal Palace of Stockholm.

photo: Mattias Edwall/Swedish Royal Court

photo: Mattias Edwall/Swedish Royal Court

On October 15, 2015, the Swedish Royal Court announced that Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia were expecting their first child.  In early April 2016, Carl Philip and Sofia moved from their apartment on Djurgården to Sjoflygeln (Lake Wing) on the grounds of Drottningholm Palace.

source: Swedish Royal Court

Carl Philip and Sofia with their first son Alexander – source: Swedish Royal Court

Carl Philip and Sofia have three sons and one daughter:

  • Prince Alexander, Duke of Södermanland (born 2016)
  • Prince Gabriel, Duke of Dalarna (born 2017)
  • Prince Julian, Duke of Halland (born 2021)
  • Princes Ines, Duchess of Västerbotten (born 2025)

On October 7, 2019, the Swedish Royal Court announced that King Carl XVI Gustaf had decided to make changes regarding the children of his son Prince Carl Philip and his daughter Princess Madeleine. At birth, the children of Carl Philip and Madeleine were styled as Royal Highness and were members of The Royal House. As of October 7, 2019, their children would no longer be members of The Royal House but would continue to be members of The Royal Family. Prince Alexander, Prince Gabriel, Princess Leonore, Prince Nicolas, and Princess Adrienne would no longer enjoy the style of Royal Highness but they would retain their titles of Duke and Duchess previously granted by King Carl XVI Gustaf. They will remain in the line of succession to the Swedish throne. In the future, they will not be expected to perform any royal duties. They will be styled Prince/Princess <Name>, Duke/Duchess of <Geographical Area>.

Prince Alexander, Princess Sofia, Prince Julian, Prince Carl Philip and Prince Gabriel on the occasion of Prince Julian’s christening; Credit – Photo: Elisabeth Toll, Kungl. Hovstaterna / The Royal Court of Sweden

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Prince Daniel of Sweden, Duke of Västergötland

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

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Prince Daniel of Sweden, Duke of Västergötland; Credit – Wikipedia

Olof Daniel Westling was born at Örebro University Hospital in Örebro, Sweden on September 15, 1973, the same day his future father-in-law King Carl XVI Gustaf became King of Sweden. He is the youngest of two children of Olle Gunnar Westling, a social services manager, and Anna Ewa Kristina Westring, a post office employee. Daniel has one older sister, Anna Westling Söderström.

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Daniel at his christening; Photo: Swedish Royal Court

Daniel grew up in Ockelbo, Sweden, and attended Rabo Primary School and Pers Lunda School there. He then attended Hammar Upper Secondary School in Sandviken, Sweden, and graduated in 1991. Daniel then served in the Swedish Army as part of the national conscription in the Hälsingland Regiment in Gävle, Sweden.

In 1994, Daniel moved to Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, to study at the Lillsved Sports Folk High School.  He studied in the youth recreation leader program from 1994-1996. While studying and for a period of time after graduating, Daniel worked as a personal fitness trainer at a nearby gym.

Daniel started his own company in 1997 and worked as a consultant in the fitness industry. He then went on to run his own gym, Master Training, together with his business partner Benny Johansson. Master Training’s keyword was “discretion” because Daniel and his business partner created a place where wealthy, well-known people could work out in privacy.  Many of Stockholm’s more prominent businessmen, politicians, and artists started coming, as did many close to Crown Princess Victoria, including her sister Princess Madeleine and her friend Caroline Kreuger. When the Crown Princess herself began working out there, Daniel became her personal trainer. The couple certainly had many opportunities to chat, while working out a training program for Victoria. So when their professional relationship developed into something more personal, first friendship and then love, their closest friends were probably not too surprised.

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Daniel and Victoria working out; Photo source: Expressen

It was at a friend’s birthday party in 2002 that photographers caught a kiss between the two, fueling the interest in Victoria and Daniel’s personal life. Despite some public opinion against Daniel as a potential spouse for the princess due to his “common” background, Victoria made it clear that one’s background was not the deciding factor in marriage, but rather the happiness shared by the couple. Speculation increased in July 2008 when Daniel moved to a rental apartment in a wing of Drottningholm Palace. Many believed this was to allow him to be groomed for the role of consort to the Crown Princess. The engagement of Crown Princess Victoria to Mr. Daniel Westling was announced by the Royal Palace on February 24, 2009. The announcement indicated that after the wedding Daniel Westling would be known as Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland, duke being the male counterpart of Victoria’s title Duchess of Västergötland. Another announcement in May 2010 said that Westling would be granted the style His Royal Highness upon marriage.

 

The wedding was held at Stockholm Cathedral also known as Storkyrkan on June 19, 2010. One Canadian reporter said it was “Europe’s biggest royal wedding since the Prince of Wales married Lady Diana Spencer in 1981.” There were 1,200 invited guests and 500,000 people lined Stockholm’s streets. It was the biggest event that has ever been covered on television in Stockholm, according to Sveriges Television, the Swedish national public TV broadcaster.

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Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel greeting people in the streets of Stockholm; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Victoria and Daniel have a daughter and a son. Their daughter Estelle is second in line to the Swedish throne after her mother and remained in that position after the birth of her brother.

Crown Princess Victoria and her family, 2021; Photo: Linda Broström King. Hovstaterna / Linda Broström, The Royal Court of Sweden

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Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

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Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden; Credit – Kate Gabor/Royal Court, Sweden

Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, Duchess of Västergötland (Victoria Ingrid Alice Désirée) was born July 14, 1977, at Karolinska University Hospital in Solna, Sweden. She is the eldest of the three children of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and his wife Queen Silvia (née Silvia Sommerlath). Victoria is descended from Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom from two lines. Victoria’s paternal grandfather, Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden, was the son of Princess Margaret of Connaught, the daughter of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, Queen Victoria’s seventh child and third son.  Additionally, her paternal grandmother, born Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, was the daughter of Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the posthumous child of Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, Queen Victoria’s eighth child and youngest son.

Embed from Getty Images 

Crown Princess Victoria was christened Victoria Ingrid Alice Désirée on September 27, 1977, at the Storkyrkan (Great Church) in Stockholm, Sweden. Her godparents were:

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Victoria in the pink hat with her parents and siblings; Photo Credit: Hello

Crown Princess Victoria has two younger siblings:

In 1979, the Riksdag, the Swedish legislature, introduced an Act of Succession changing the succession to absolute primogeniture, meaning that the eldest child of the monarch, regardless of gender, is first in the line of succession. This Act of Succession became law on January 1, 1980, making Sweden the first monarchy to adopt absolute primogeniture. The previous 1810 Act of Succession allowed for only males to inherit the throne. Victoria’s brother Carl Philip was born as Crown Prince in May 1979 and retained his title and first place in the succession for seven months until January 1, 1980, when his elder sister became Crown Princess and heir apparent. Since 1980, two other princesses have joined Crown Princess Victoria as the heir apparent: Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange, the heir apparent to the Dutch throne, and Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant, the heir apparent to the Belgian throne. Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway, the eldest child of Crown Prince Haakon of Noway, is also in a position to be an heir apparent as Norway’s succession is also absolute primogeniture.

Crown Princess Victoria’s education was well-planned and covered many aspects.

  • Västerled Parish Preschool in Stockholm, Sweden from 1982-84, a municipal elementary school in Smedslätten, Bromma, Stockholm,  completed junior level, 1984-1986 (link translated from Swedish)
  • Ålstenskolan, a municipal elementary school in Ålsten, Bromma, Stockholm, completed intermediate level, 1986-1989 (link translated from Swedish)
  • Enskilda Gymnasiet, a prestigious independent secondary school in Tegnérlunden, in central Stockholm, followed a science and social studies program, 1989-1996
  • Centre International D’Études Françaises at the Université Catholique de L’Ouest in Angers, France, studied French, 1996-1997
  • Specially designed program to gain a general insight into the workings of the Riksdag (the Swedish Parliament) and the Swedish Government, 1997
  • Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, USA: studied Political Science and History, 1998-2000
  • Worked at the Swedish Embassy in Washington DC, May 1999
  • Studied conflict resolution and international peace-building, 2000
  • Studied the Presidency of the European Union, 2001
  • Followed a study program at the offices of the Swedish Government, 2001
  • Completed a study program at the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, and spent time in Uganda and Ethiopia, Spring 2002
  • Worked at the United Nations in New York, June – September 2002
  • Completed an internship with the Swedish Trade Council in Berlin and Paris, Autumn 2002
  • Study and work experience program in Swedish agriculture and forestry, 2003
  • Completed basic military training at the Swedish Armed Forces International Centre, 2003
  • Studied at the Swedish National Defense College in Stockholm focusing on political science, international relations, and conflict resolution, 2004
  • Traveled to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to study international aid efforts in these countries, 2005
  • Followed the work of the Swedish Embassy in China and traveled to gain insights in the Chinese community, Autumn 2005
  • Diplomatic program at the Swedish Foreign Ministry which lasted for one academic year and included lectures, seminars, and group work, 2006-2007
  • Internship at the Permanent Representation of Sweden to the European Union, 2007-2008
  • Uppsala University, received a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Peace and Conflict Studies in 2009

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Crown Princess Victoria during her basic military training in 2003; Photo: Swedish Royal Court, Jan Collsioo/Scanpix

Crown Princess Victoria’s Fund was established in 1997 to provide support for recreational activities for children and young people with disabilities or chronic illnesses. Radiohjälpen, the fund-raising branch of Sveriges Television, the Swedish national TV and radio stations, runs an annual fund-raising drive supporting Crown Princess Victoria’s Fund.  The work this fund does is very important to the Crown Princess. Each year Victoria visits several clubs or projects that have been granted money. These visits are not announced in the official royal diary but are kept private. Sveriges Television accompanies her and airs short programs from these visits at some time during the year.

In November 1997, the Swedish Royal Court announced that Victoria had an eating disorder after a period of much speculation in the press. Victoria had intended to attend Uppsala University in Sweden, but those plans were changed. Instead, she spent two years studying at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, USA. This allowed Victoria to lead an anonymous life while getting professional help and to recover without worrying about media speculations or being recognized on the streets.

In 2002, the Swedish media began to report that Crown Princess Victoria was in a relationship with Daniel Westling, a personal trainer and gym owner, which she refused to confirm. Victoria first met Daniel Westling in 2001 when he became her personal trainer at the gym he owned in Stockholm. It was at a friend’s birthday party in 2002 that photographers caught a kiss between the two, fueling the interest in Victoria’s personal life.

Despite some public opinion against Daniel as a potential spouse for the princess due to his “common” background, Victoria made it clear that one’s background was not the deciding factor in marriage, but rather the happiness shared by the couple. Speculation increased in July 2008 when Daniel moved to a rental apartment in a wing of Drottningholm Palace. Many believed this was to allow him to be groomed for the role of consort to the Crown Princess. The Royal Palace announced the engagement of Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling on February 24, 2009. The announcement indicated that after the wedding Daniel Westling would be known as Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland, the male counterpart of Victoria’s title Duchess of Västergötland. Another announcement in May 2010 said that Westling would be granted the style His Royal Highness upon marriage.

 

The wedding was held at Stockholm Cathedral also known as Storkyrkan on June 19, 2010. One Canadian reporter said it was “Europe’s biggest royal wedding since the Prince of Wales married Lady Diana Spencer in 1981.” There were 1,200 invited guests and 500,000 people lined Stockholm’s streets. According to Sveriges Television, the Swedish national public TV broadcaster, the wedding was the biggest event ever covered on television in Sweden.

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Victoria and Daniel greeting people in the streets of Stockholm; Credit – Wikipedia

Victoria and Daniel have a daughter and a son. Their daughter Estelle is second in line to the Swedish throne after her mother and remained in that position after the birth of her brother.

July 2023

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Queen Silvia of Sweden

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Queen Silvia of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

Silvia Renate Sommerlath was born on December 23, 1943, in Heidelberg, Germany. She is the only daughter and the youngest of four children of Walther Sommerlath (1901-1990) and his Brazilian wife Alice Soares de Toledo (1906-1997).  Silvia had three older brothers: Ralf (born 1929), Walther (1934-2020), and Jörg (1941–2006).

When Silvia was almost four years old, the Sommerlath family moved from Germany to São Paulo, Brazil where they lived from 1947-1957. Silvia attended Colégio Visconde de Porto Seguro, a private, bilingual (German/Portuguese) founded in 1878 by German immigrants so their children could learn about German culture without losing their connection with Brazil. The family returned to Germany in 1957 and Silvia graduated from high school in Düsseldorf, Germany in 1963. Between 1965 and 1969 she studied at the Munich School of Interpreting, majoring in Spanish. Silvia worked briefly as a flight attendant and then worked at the Argentinean Consulate in Munich, Germany. Silvia is fluent in six languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Swedish, and Portuguese.

Silvia put her language skills to good use when she worked as a hostess trainer between 1971 and 1973 for the Organizing Committee of the 1972 Summer Olympic Games in Munich, Germany. She became Deputy Head of Protocol of the Organizing Committee for the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria.

At the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany, Silvia met Carl Gustaf, then Crown Prince of Sweden. Carl Gustaf has said that the couple immediately “clicked” upon meeting.  While the couple was courting, Carl Gustaf’s grandfather, King Gustaf VI Adolf, died on September 15, 1973, and Carl Gustaf became King at the age of 27.

The engagement of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Silvia Sommerlath was announced on March 12, 1976.  The couple was married at Stockholm’s Storkyrkan Cathedral on June 19, 1976. The night before the wedding the Swedish group ABBA performed the first live Swedish television performance of their song Dancing Queen at a gala in honor of Carl Gustaf and his queen-to-be.

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King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia on their wedding day; Credit – http://www.kungahuset.se

King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia have three children:

Embed from Getty Images 

The King and Queen and their family moved to Drottningholm Palace, a short distance from Stockholm, in 1982.  The official offices remain at the Royal Palace of Stockholm.

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Drottningholm Palace; Photo Credit – Susan Flantzer

Queen Silvia is involved in numerous charity organizations, especially in the area of disadvantaged children, the handicapped, drug abuse, dementia and elder care, and dyslexia which King Carl Gustaf has. In 1999, Queen Silvia founded the World Childhood Foundation (WCF) which works towards better living conditions for children all over the world. The WCF has offices in Sweden, Brazil, Germany, and the United States, where Princess Madeleine, the Queen’s youngest child, once worked in the New York City office.

Queen Silvia also is involved with:

  • Mentor Foundation, a leading international organization for drug use and substance abuse prevention.
  • The Queen Silvia Fund, an endowment that enables young handicapped people, all over the world, to benefit through Scouting.
  • The Silvia Home, an organization that strives for the development of good health and care of people with dementia and their families.

In 2011, Queen Silvia became the longest-serving queen consort of Sweden, a record previously held by Sophia of Nassau, the wife of King Oscar II.  She enjoys participating in outdoor activities with her husband including gardening, hiking, skiing, water skiing, and horseback riding.

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The King and Queen hiking in the Swedish mountains; Photo: Swedish Royal Court 

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Kingdom of Sweden Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Princess Désirée of Sweden, Baroness Silfverschiöld

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Princess Désirée of Sweden, Baroness Silfverschiöld – photo: Wikipedia

Princess Désirée Elisabeth Sibylla of Sweden was born June 2, 1938, at Haga Palace, the third child and third daughter of Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten (son of King Gustaf VI Adolf), and Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. She is the third of the four elder sisters of King Carl XVI Gustaf. Through both of her parents, she is a great-great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. She was named for her ancestress, Queen Desideria, born Désirée Clary.

Désirée has four siblings:

Along with her siblings, Princess Désirée spent much of her youth at Haga Palace. Her father was killed in a plane crash in 1947, and in 1950, her great-grandfather died, and her grandfather ascended to the Swedish throne.  The family moved to the Royal Palace of Stockholm. She was initially educated at home, and later attended a French school and studied languages in Switzerland. She and her sisters were often known as ‘Haga Princesses’ and were considered some of the most glamorous, and most eligible, princesses in Europe.

photo: Wikipedia

On June 5, 1964, she married Baron Nils-August Otto Carl Niclas Silfverschiöld, from a Swedish noble family, at the Storkyrkan (Stockholm Cathedral). Due to her husband’s non-royal position, Désirée lost her royal status and any right of succession to the Swedish throne. She became simply Princess Désirée, Baroness Silfverschiöld.  The couple lived at Koberg Castle in Västergötland, Sweden and at Gåsevadholm Castle in Halland, Sweden.  Baron Silfverschiöld died on April 11, 2017, at the age of 82.

The couple had three children:

  • Carl Otto Edmund Silfverschiöld (born 1965), married Gunilla Maria Fredriksson, had one daughter, divorced
  • Christina Louise Ewa Madelaine Silfverschiöld (born 1966), married to Hans Louis Gerard De Geer of Finspång, had one daughter and two sons
  • Hélène Ingeborg Sibylla Silfverschiöld (born 1968)

While no longer a member of the official Swedish Royal Court, Princess Désirée is occasionally in attendance at state and official functions along with private family events.

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