Category Archives: Swedish Royals

Louisa Ulrika of Prussia, Queen of Sweden

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Louisa Ulrika of Prussia, Queen of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Louisa Ulrika of Prussia was born on July 24, 1720, in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg. She was the fifth daughter and the tenth of the fourteen children of King Friedrich Wilhelm I of Prussia and his wife Sophia Dorothea of Hanover, the daughter of King George I of Great Britain and the only sibling of King George II of Great Britain.

Louisa Ulrike had thirteen siblings:

Louisa Ulrika’s brothers: left to right Friedrich, August Ferdinand, August Wilhelm, and Heinrich; Credit – Wikipedia

Louisa Ulrika received an education as befitted a princess of the Age of Enlightenment and saw nothing wrong with the militaristic views of her father unlike her elder brother and her father’s successor, the future King Friedrich “the Great” II, and her elder sisters. Influenced by her mother, Louisa Ulrika shared a common interest in science and culture with her brother Friedrich. Several royal suitors sought her hand in marriage including her first cousin Frederick, Prince of Wales; King Carlos III of Spain, and Louis IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt.

In 1743, an election was held to appoint an heir to the childless King Fredrik I of Sweden, and Adolf Fredrik of Holstein-Gottorp won the election. The powers that be decided that Louisa Ulrika or her youngest sister Anna Amalia would be married to the future King of Sweden. The Swedish ambassador to Prussia inspected both sisters and recommended Louisa Ulrika. The sisters’ brother Friedrich, who had succeeded to the Prussia throne in 1740, described Louisa Ulrika as arrogant and divisive and recommended Anna Amalia, described as kind-hearted and more suitable. Friedrich’s real reason for recommending Anna Amalia was that he wanted a sister who would gain influence in Sweden and considered his youngest sister more manageable. After getting the opinion of the groom Adolf Fredrik, the Swedish government insisted on Louisa Ulrika and King Friedrich II of Prussia gave his approval. Louisa Ulrika was taught about Sweden, converted to Lutheranism, and was advised to refrain from involvement in politics.

On July 17, 1744, Louisa Ulrika and Adolf Fredrik were married by proxy in Berlin with the bride’s brother August Wilhelm standing in for the groom. Louisa Ulrika was escorted to Sweden by the Swedish ambassador and his wife. On August 18, 1744, she was welcomed by King Fredrik I at Drottningholm Palace in Sweden, where the second wedding ceremony was held the same day, followed by a ball and a court reception.

Louisa Ulrika by Antoine Pesne, circa 1744; Credit – Wikipedia

King Adolf Fredrik of Sweden by Antoine Pesne; Credit – Wikipedia

Following a stillbirth, Louisa Ulrika and Adolf Fredrik had four children:

Adolf Fredrik was introverted, gentle, and submissive, and Louisa Ulrika was pleased with him because she immediately felt secure that she was his superior. Already during their first day together, she was meddling in politics, informing Adolf Fredrik that her brother Friedrich had plans for an alliance between Sweden, Russia, and Prussia, and asked Adolf Fredrik to raise the subject with the Prussian envoy, which he agreed to do. No children had been born to the Swedish royal family in over 50 years, so when Louisa Ulrika’s first child was born in 1746, she was seen as the salvation of a succession crisis. Eventually, Louisa Ulrika gave birth to three sons, two of whom became Kings of Sweden.

Louisa Ulrika’s three sons: King Gustav III, Prince Frederick Adolf, and King Carl XIII; Credit – Wikipedia

Upon her wedding in 1744, King Fredrik I gave Louisa Ulrika the ownership of Drottningholm Palace, not too far from the Swedish capital of Stockholm. During Louisa Ulrika’s ownership of Drottningholm Palace, the palace’s interior was redecorated in a more sophisticated French rococo style. On Louisa Ulrika’s 33rd birthday, Adolf Fredrik presented her with the Chinese Pavillion, on the grounds of Drottningholm Palace. In a letter to her mother, Louisa Ulrika wrote: “He brought me to one side of the garden and I was surprised to suddenly be part of a fairy tale, for the King had built a Chinese castle, the most beautiful one can see.” Louisa Ulrika was also responsible for rebuilding the Drottningholm Palace Theatre after the original building burned down in 1762. Louisa Ulrika encouraged the leading scientists of the time to gather at Drottningholm Palace. The famous Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus worked there, cataloging the royal collections’ natural objects. Louisa Ulrika and Adolf Fredrik continued to reside at the palace during their reign (1751–1771). In 1777, Louisa Ulrika sold Drottningholm Palace to the Swedish state. Currently, it is the home of the Swedish Royal Family.

Drottningholm

Drottningholm Palace; Photo Credit – Susan Flantzer

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Chinese Pavillon; Photo Credit – Susan Flantzer

On March 25, 1751, Louisa Ulrika’s husband succeeded to the Swedish throne. During his twenty-year reign, Adolf Fredrik had no real power. The Riksdag (Swedish Parliament) held the power. Adolf Fredrik tried to change this twice, unsuccessfully. King Adolf Fredrik died on February 12, 1771, after eating an extremely large meal. In Sweden, he is remembered as “the king who ate himself to death.”

In 1751, shortly after Adolf Fredrik became king, a match was arranged between two five-year-olds Crown Prince Gustav of Sweden and  Princess Sophia Magdalena of Denmark, daughter of King Frederik V of Denmark and his first wife Princess Louisa of Great Britain, daughter of King George II of Great Britain. The purpose of the match was to foster friendship between the two countries and was arranged by the Swedish parliament, not the Danish and Swedish royal families. Both mothers disliked the proposed match. Gustav’s mother Louisa Ulrika had a long-time conflict with the Swedish parliament and would have preferred a marriage with one of her nieces. Sophia Magdalena’s mother Louisa feared Louisa Ulrika would mistreat her daughter. After the couple married in 1766, Louisa’s fear became true as Louisa Ulrika harassed her daughter Sophia Magdalena was harassed.

After her husband’s death, Louisa Ulrika had difficulty with her new role as Queen Mother. Her relationship with her son, now King Gustav III, worsened when she finally realized that he did not want to let her be the power behind the throne. In 1777-1778, a scandal broke out regarding the legitimacy of Crown Prince Gustav Adolf when King Gustav III’s younger brothers claimed that the Crown Prince was a result of an affair between Sophia Magdalena and Count Adolf Fredrik Munck af Fulkila. The marriage of Sophia Magdalena and Gustav had remained unconsummated for ten years. There were various theories regarding the cause including Sophia Magdalena’s strict religious upbringing and introverted character, Gustav’s sexuality, and the possibility that either or both Sophia Magdalena and Gustav had a physical problem. Eventually, Count Adolf Fredrik Munck af Fulkila acted as a sexual instructor for the couple and Crown Prince Gustav Adolf was born. Louisa Ulrika accused her son of having another man father his child. A great scandal erupted, during which the king threatened to exile his mother. Eventually, Louisa Ulrika was forced to make a formal statement withdrawing her accusation. She was banned from the court and spent the remainder of her life at Fredrikshof Palace and Svartsjö Palace.

Louisa Ulrika by Alexander Roslin, 1775; Credit – Wikipedia

In the spring of 1782, Louisa Ulrika became ill during an influenza epidemic.  After mediation by her daughter-in-law Hedwig Elizabeth Charlotte (wife of her son Carl), Louisa Ulrika and her son King Gustav III finally reconciled.  She then requested that Sofia Magdalena and four-year-old Crown Prince Gustav Adolf, whom she had never met, come to her room. Louisa Ulrika died, aged 61 on July 16, 1782, at Svartsjö Palace with her son Frederik Adolf, her daughter Sophia Albertine, and her daughter-in-law Hedwig Elizabeth Charlotte present. She was buried at Riddarholm Church in Stockholm, Sweden.

Tomb of Louisa Ulrika; Credit – www.findagrave.com

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.

Works Cited
“Chinese pavilion at Drottningholm.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 21 Jan. 2016. Web. 1 Oct. 2016.
“History – Sveriges Kungahus.” n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2016.
“Louisa Ulrika of Prussia.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 25 Sept. 2016. Web. 1 Oct. 2016.
“Louise-Ulrique de Prusse.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 25 Mar. 1751. Web. 1 Oct. 2016.
“Lovisa Ulrika av Preussen.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2016.
Susan. “Sophia Magdalena of Denmark, Queen of Sweden.” Danish Royals. Unofficial Royalty, 8 Nov. 2016. Web. 1 Oct. 2016.

Sophia Magdalena of Denmark and Norway, Queen of Sweden

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Sophia Magdalena of Denmark and Norway, Queen of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Sophia Magdalena of Denmark and Norway, born on July 3, 1746, at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark, was the eldest daughter and the eldest surviving child of the four children of King Frederik V of Denmark and Norway and his first wife Princess Louisa of Great Britain. She was a granddaughter of King George II of Great Britain and among her first cousins were King George III of the United Kingdom; her brother King Christian VII’s wife Caroline Matilda of Wales, Queen of Denmark and Norway; and Willem V, Prince of Orange. One month after her birth, Sophia Magdalena’s father became King of Denmark and Norway. After the death of her elder brother in 1747, Sophia Magdalena was the heir presumptive to the Danish and Norwegian thrones until the birth of her second brother in 1749.

Sophia Magdalena had four siblings:

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

In 1743, Sophia Magdalena’s father was one of the candidates in the election for the heir to the Swedish throne, but Adolf Frederik of Holstein-Gottorp was elected the heir and succeeded to the Swedish throne in 1751. Adolf Frederik was married to Sophia Magdalena’s first cousin once removed Louisa Ulrika of Prussia, the daughter of Friedrich Wilhelm I, King in Prussia and Sophia Dorothea of Hanover, the daughter of King George I of Great Britain. Past wars and the result of the 1743 election caused tension between Denmark and Sweden. To foster friendship between the two countries, a betrothal was arranged by the Swedish Parliament in 1751 between two 5-year-olds, Sophia Magdalena and Crown Prince Gustav of Sweden, son of King Adolf Frederik of Sweden and Louisa Ulrika of Prussia. Both mothers disliked the proposed match. Gustav’s mother Queen Louisa Ulrika had long been in conflict with the Swedish parliament and would have preferred a marriage with her niece Philippine of Brandenburg-Schwedt. Sophia Magdalena’s mother Queen Louise feared that her daughter would be mistreated by the Louisa Ulrika of Prussia.

When Sophia Magdalena was five years old, her mother Queen Louise died at age 27 due to complications from a miscarriage. The next year, her father made a second marriage to Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. Raised to become Queen of Sweden, Sophia Magdalena received a strict religious upbringing at Hirschholm Palace, the home of her paternal grandmother and her namesake, Queen Dowager Sophie Magdalene (born Sophie Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach).

On October 1, 1766, Sophia Magdalena was married by proxy to Gustav at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen with her half-brother Frederik representing the groom. She then traveled to Sweden where she married Crown Prince Gustav in person on November 4, 1766, at the Royal Chapel at the Stockholm Royal Palace.

The wedding attire of Gustav and Sophia Magdalena at the Royal Armory (Swedish: Livrustkammaren), a museum in the Royal Palace in Stockholm

The marriage was not a happy one. Sophia Magdalena was quiet and serious and had difficulty adapting to her husband’s pleasure-loving court. The interference of Gustav’s jealous mother, Queen Louisa Ulrika, did not help the situation. Sophia Magdalena dutifully performed her ceremonial duties, but she did not care about social life and would rather exist in peace and quiet with a few friends.

Sophia Magdalena by Carl Gustaf Pilo, 1765; Credit – Wikipedia

Gustav III of Sweden by Alexander Roslin, 1772; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1771, King Adolf Frederick of Sweden died and Gustav succeeded his father as King Gustav III of Sweden. Gustav and Sophia Magdalena’s coronation was held on May 29, 1772, at the Storkyrkan (The Great Church) in Stockholm, Sweden.

Unfinished painting of Gustav III’s coronation by Carl Gustaf Pilo (Sophia Magdalena can be seen sitting on the right); Credit – Wikipedia

In 1772, Gustav arranged for a coup d’état known as the Revolution of 1772. Initially, Sophia Magdalena was not informed about the coup d’état, which reinstated absolute monarchy and ended parliamentary rule. Gustav imprisoned opposition leaders and established a new regime with extensive power for the king which he used wisely. He introduced freedom of the press and tried to remedy corruption in the government.

Gustav III (center right) at the Revolution of 1772 by Pehr Hilleström; Credit – Wikipedia

The marriage of Sophia Magdalena and Gustav remained unconsummated for ten years. There were various theories regarding the cause including Sophia Magdalena’s strict religious upbringing and introverted character, Gustav’s sexuality, and the possibility that either or both Sophia Magdalena and Gustav had a physical problem. Eventually, Count Adolf Fredrik Munck af Fulkila acted as a sexual instructor for the couple. The instruction resulted in the birth of a son. When it became known that Munck participated in the reconciliation between the royal couple, there were rumors that he was the father of Sophia Magdalena’s son. The couple eventually had another son, but he did not survive childhood:

Gustav III, Sophia Magdalena and Crown Prince Gustav Adolf in Haga Park by Cornelius Høyer, 1784–1785; Credit – Wikipedia

In the 1780s, Gustav III was preoccupied with foreign policy: a growing hatred of Denmark and a desire to conquer Norway. In 1788, he began a war against Russia, the Russo-Swedish War, but had to retreat because of a mutiny in the army. In 1789, he resumed the war with varying success. The war ended in 1790 with the Treaty of Värälä. The war with Russia destroyed Sweden’s economy, and when Gustav decided to attack France, a conspiracy developed.

On March 16, 1792, King Gustav III was shot by Jacob Johan Anckarström during a masquerade at the Royal Opera House in Stockholm, Sweden. King Gustav III died of his wounds at the Stockholm Royal Palace on March 29, 1792, at the age of 46. Assassination ringleader, Count Anckarström, was beaten for three days before he was beheaded, mutilated and dismembered. The event is the subject of Giuseppe Verdi’s 1859 opera Un ballo in maschera.  King Gustav III was buried at Riddarholm Church in Stockholm, Sweden.

Sophia Magdalena by Niklas Lafrensen, 1792; Credit – Wikipedia

Upon Gustav III’s assassination, his 14-year-old son succeeded to the throne as King Gustav IV Adolf, under the regency of his paternal uncle Prince Karl, Duke of Södermanland, who was later to become King Karl XIII of Sweden when his nephew was forced to abdicate and flee the country in 1809. Sophia Magdalena was horrified by the murder of her husband, but it was a relief that as Queen Dowager, she could retreat from public life. She lived in the Royal Palace in Stockholm during the winter, and at Ulriksdal Palace during the summer. Sophia Magdalena died from a stroke at the age of 67 on August 21, 1813, at Ulriksdal Palace. She was buried at Riddarholm Church in Stockholm, Sweden.

Tomb of Sophia Magdalena; Credit – www.findagrave.com

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.

Works Cited
“Gustav III of Sweden.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 25 July 2016. Web. 25 Sept. 2016.
“Gustav III.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, Feb. 2015. Web. 25 Sept. 2016.
“Sophie Magdalene af Danmark.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2016.
“Sophia Magdalena of Denmark.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 25 Sept. 2016. Web. 25 Sept. 2016.
Susan Flantzer. “Princess Louisa of Great Britain, Queen of Denmark.” British Royals. Unofficial Royalty, 19 Dec. 2013. Web. 25 Sept. 2016.

Prince Oscar of Sweden, Duke of Skåne

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Prince Oscar of Sweden; Credit – By Llevenius – Own work,  https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=132725933

Prince Oscar of Sweden, Duke of Skåne is the second child of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and Daniel Westling (now Prince Daniel of Sweden). Oscar was born at the Karolinska University Hospital in Solna, Sweden, at 8:28 pm on March 2, 2016. He weighed 3.655kg (8.06lb) and measured 52cm (20in) at birth.

The following day, his grandfather King Carl XVI Gustaf announced the baby’s name and titles – Prince Oscar Carl Olof of Sweden, Duke of Skåne. There have been two previous Dukes of Skåne, both of whom became king – King Carl XV and King Gustaf VI Adolf.

    • Oscar – the name of two Swedish kings and several Swedish princes
    • Carl – for his maternal grandfather
    • Olof – for his paternal grandfather, as well as his father (Prince Daniel’s given name is Olof Daniel)
source: The Daily Mail/EPA

Prince Oscar’s christening – source: The Daily Mail/EPA

Prince Oscar was christened on May 27, 2016, in the Royal Chapel of the Royal Palace of Stockholm. His godparents are:

Prince Oscar’s family, 2022

Prince Oscar has one elder sister:

Prince Oscar’s elder sister Princess Estelle is second in the line of succession to the Swedish throne after her mother Crown Princess Victoria. In 1979, the Riksdag, the Swedish legislature, introduced an Act of Succession that changed the succession to absolute primogeniture, meaning that the monarch’s eldest child, 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 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 the heir of King Carl XVI Gustaf.

In the fall of 2017, Prince Oscar began attending Lilla Kvikkjokk (link in Swedish), a Montessori school in the Djurgården section of Stockholm. Since 2022, he has been attending the independent school Manilla Campus (link in Swedish) also in the Djurgården section of Stockholm.

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The Year with the Swedish Royal Family (2015)

Swedish Royal Family, December 2015. Photo Jonas Ekströmer, The Swedish Royal Court.

Swedish Royal Family, December 2015. Photo Jonas Ekströmer, The Swedish Royal Court.

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Victoria of Baden, Queen of Sweden

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Victoria of Baden, Queen of Sweden. source: Wikipedia

Queen Victoria of Sweden was the wife of King Gustaf V of Sweden. She was born Princess Sophie Marie Viktoria of Baden on August 7, 1862, in Karlsruhe, Grand Duchy of Baden now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, to Grand Duke Friedrich I of Baden and Princess Louise of Prussia (daughter of Wilhelm I, German Emperor and Princess Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach). Through her mother, she was a niece of Friedrich III, German Emperor and his wife, Victoria, Princess Royal of the United Kingdom, and a first cousin of Wilhelm II, German Emperor. She had two siblings:

Viktoria was educated privately at home in Karlsruhe and Mainau, learning to speak French and English, studying art and music, and taking a great interest in photography. With their close ties to the German Imperial Family, they often visited the Kaiser’s court. It would later be on one of these visits that Viktoria would meet her future husband.

Viktoria was deeply in love with her first cousin Grand Duke Nicholas Mikhailovich of Russia but Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia would not allow a marriage between cousins. Later, her mother tried to arrange for her to marry the future Wilhelm II, German Emperor, another first cousin. This was also refused because of their close familial tie. However, while in Prussia to attend Wilhelm’s wedding to Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein in February 1881, Viktoria met Crown Prince Gustaf of Sweden, the eldest son of King Oscar II of Sweden and Sophia of Nassau. He was quickly taken with Viktoria, and within just a week of their first meeting, he proposed and she accepted. The engagement was announced on March 12, 1881. Over the next several months, Viktoria learned to read and write Swedish and studied Swedish politics and constitutional history.

Victoria and Gustaf, 1881. source: Wikipedia

The couple married in the palace chapel in Karlsruhe, Grand Duchy of Baden now in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, on September 20, 1881. As a great-granddaughter of King Gustaf IV Adolf of Sweden, Victoria’s marriage united the former ruling house of Holstein-Gottorp with the new Bernadotte dynasty, and she was known in Sweden as the ‘Vasa Princess’. She and Gustaf soon settled into their apartments in the Royal Palace of Stockholm which Victoria would retain until her death. The couple had three children:

From her youth, Victoria had always suffered from ill health and found the winters in Sweden too harsh to handle. Beginning in 1882, she spent every winter away from her new land, which led to unpopularity with the Swedish people. Victoria and Gustaf’s marriage grew strained due to her frequent absences, and the couple took a trip to Egypt in 1890-1891 to try and fix their relationship. Instead, during their six months in Egypt, Victoria began a relationship with her husband’s aide Baron Gustaf von Blixen-Finecke. Victoria returned to Egypt the following winter without her husband or his aide. Another prominent relationship developed from that first trip to Egypt with Dr. Axel Munthe. Victoria met Munthe while visiting Capri on her way back to Sweden, and the two struck up a fast friendship. He would become her personal physician for the remainder of her life. From several letters between the two, which have been preserved, it appears this was much more than a doctor-patient relationship. What is certain is that Victoria came to depend greatly on Dr. Munthe for her physical and emotional well-being.

Victoria and her husband in Baden-Baden, 1890. source: Wikipedia

Victoria and her family typically spent their summers at Tullgarn Palace which they had taken on in 1881 after their marriage. However, because of the humidity, she found it less-than-pleasant, and her parents offered to finance the building of a new summer residence in an area better suited for Victoria’s health. In 1903, construction began on Solliden Palace on the island of Öland, and Victoria and her family first took up residence in 1906. Personally owned by Victoria, Solliden was later left to King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, who owns it today.

 

On December 8, 1907, King Oscar II died and Victoria became Queen of Sweden. Although still traveling south during the winters, Queen Victoria took part in all the court festivities and responsibilities of her new role. She traveled extensively with her husband and entertained visiting royalty from around Europe. She spent much time working with several charities, including taking the helm of Sophiahammet after Queen Sofia’s death in 1913. During World War I, Queen Victoria’s German roots often led to unpopularity amongst the Swedes. Despite Sweden’s neutrality, Victoria had a close relationship with Wilhelm II, German Emperor, often visiting the German court during the war. At the end of the war, following the defeat of the German empire, she found that her political ‘power’ in Sweden was gone.

Her remaining years were spent primarily in southern Europe. She lived in Capri for several years before moving to Rome where she purchased a home – Villa Svezia. She made one final trip to Sweden in 1928 for her husband’s 70th birthday celebrations.

Queen Victoria, painted by Victor Roikjer, 1928. source: Wikipedia

In declining health, Queen Victoria of Sweden died of a heart attack on April 4, 1930, at Villa Sveziain Rome, Italy. At her bedside were her husband King Gustaf V, her son Wilhelm, Dr. Munthe, and her devoted maid and companion Agnes Bergman. Her body was returned to Sweden on HMS Drottning Victoria, and a state funeral took place on April 12. She is buried at the Riddarholmen Church in Stockholm, Sweden.

Kingdom of Sweden Resources at Unofficial Royalty

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King Gustaf V of Sweden

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

King Gustaf V of Sweden – source: Wikipedia

King Gustaf V of Sweden was born Prince Oscar Gustaf Adolf of Sweden and Norway on June 16, 1858, at Drottningholm Palace in Drottningholm, Sweden. He was the eldest of four sons of King Oscar II of Sweden and Norway and Sophia of Nassau. Born during the reign of his grandfather, King Oscar I, he was created Duke of Värmland at birth.

Gustaf had three younger brothers:

In 1869, Gustaf began attending the Beskow School in Stockholm. However, when he became Crown Prince of Sweden and Norway upon his father’s accession in 1872, his education continued privately at the Royal Palace. He served with the Life Guards and several other regiments before enrolling at the University of Uppsala in 1877, where he studied Latin, economics, Nordic history, art history, procedural law, and political science. In addition, he undertook military training with units in both Sweden and Norway as well as the War College. Over the next 21 years, he continued to progress in rank, eventually becoming General in 1898.

King Gustaf V playing tennis, 1942. source: Wikipedia

On a trip to England in 1878, Gustaf learned to play tennis, which would become a lifelong passion. Upon returning home, he founded Sweden’s first tennis club and promoted the sport in Sweden. He played privately and competitively, usually under a pseudonym, for much of his adult life. In his 80s he stopped playing because his eyesight was failing. In the 1930s, Gustaf established the King’s Cup, a team tennis competition within Europe (similar to the Davis Cup which is international), which was held for nearly 50 years. For his efforts in promoting tennis within Sweden and throughout Europe, King Gustaf was posthumously inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1980. To date, he is the only royal inductee.

Gustav and Victoria of Baden, 1881; Credit – Wikipedia

On September 20, 1881, Gustaf married Princess Viktoria of Baden, the daughter of Grand Duke Friedrich I of Baden and Princess Luise of Prussia. As Viktoria was a great-granddaughter of King Gustaf IV Adolf of Sweden, the marriage joined the current Bernadotte dynasty with the former ruling House of Holstein-Gottorp. The couple had three children:

On December 8, 1907, Gustaf became King of Sweden upon his father’s death. The union with Norway had ended two years earlier, so he was not King of Norway. In a break with a tradition going back nearly 700 years, Gustaf V chose not to have a formal coronation.

Gustaf’s reign saw the rise of parliamentary rule and the establishment of a government that stripped the monarchy of its power, although this would not formally change until the 1974 Constitution. During World War I, while Sweden remained neutral, Gustaf faced criticism due to the perceived German sympathy of Gustaf’s wife. Gustaf joined with his Norwegian and Danish counterparts to show their unity and resolve to remain neutral. This neutrality benefited Sweden greatly due to increased trade during the war.

During World War II, Sweden again remained neutral. King Gustaf tried to appeal to Adolf Hitler to end his anti-Jewish policies but also thanked him for invading Russia. In June 1941, Gustaf threatened to abdicate if the Swedish government did not allow Germany to move troops through Sweden into Finland. It is believed that this was to appease Germany and avoid conflict within Sweden. The whole situation became known as the Midsummer Crisis of 1941. In contrast, King Gustaf also tried to help the Allies. He wanted to allow Allies forces to pass through Sweden, but this time the government refused out of fear of offending the Nazi regime.

Tombs of King Gustaf V and Queen Victoria. photo © Susan Flantzer

In 1948, King Gustaf celebrated his 90th birthday, but his health soon declined. Already spending the spring months on the French Riviera, he began to have the Crown Prince represent him at official functions. He made his last official appearance at a Cabinet meeting held on October 27, 1950. Two days later, as a result of complications from influenza, King Gustaf V died at Drottningholm Palace. He is buried at the Riddarholmen Church in Stockholm, Sweden.

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Kingdom of Sweden Resources at Unofficial Royalty

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.

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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.

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Louise of the Netherlands, Queen of Sweden and Norway

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Queen Lovisa of Sweden and Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

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 previous two 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 Church 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