To mark the Swedish National Day on 6 June, we look at who’s who of the Swedish Royal Family. We wish our Swedish readers a Glad Nationaldag!
King Carl XVI Gustaf
Photo: Linda Broström/The Royal Court of Sweden
Born on 30 April 1946, Carl Gustaf is the youngest child and only son of Prince Gustaf Adolf and Princess Sibylla. He has four older sisters: Princess Margaretha, Princess Birgitta, Princess Desiree and Princess Christina. Tragedy struck the future monarch at a young age as his father died in a plane crash when Carl Gustaf was not yet a year old. He became the Crown Prince of Sweden when he was just four. Carl Gustaf was educated in Sweden and undertook training in all branches of the military. He became the King of Sweden in 1973 upon the death of his grandfather, King Gustaf VI Adolf. The new monarch married the Brazilian-German Silvia Sommerlath in 1976 – four years after meeting at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. They have three children: Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Madeleine. King Carl Gustaf celebrated his Golden Jubilee in 2023.
Queen Silvia
By Frankie Fouganthin – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Silvia Sommerlath was born in Germany on 23 December 1943 to a Brazilian mother and a German father. She grew up in Brazil and Germany and was educated in both countries. She majored in Spanish at the Munich School of Interpreting and now speaks French, Spanish, English, Swedish and Swedish Sign Language in addition to her native German and Portuguese. Her skills in languages led to the Munich Olympic Games in 1972 where she served as a hostess. There, she met the Crown Prince of Sweden, and four years later, Silvia became the Queen of Sweden upon her marriage to Carl Gustaf. They have three children and eight grandchildren. Queen Silvia is known for her work with children and young people, and she established the World Childhood Foundation in 1999 to combat child abuse and sexual exploitation. She is Sweden’s longest-serving Queen consort.
Crown Princess Victoria
Arctic Circle/CC/Flickr
Crown Princess Victoria was born on 14 July 1977 to King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia. When she was born, she only had the title of Princess of Sweden as the laws of succession at the time did not allow women to reign. On 1 January 1980, the new laws of succession went into effect, making her the Crown Princess of Sweden – replacing her younger brother, Carl Philip as heir. Victoria has studied in Sweden, France and the United States. She has undergone military training as the heir to the throne and is one of the most popular royals in Sweden and abroad. She has 18 godchildren, as of 2023, and has been dubbed the “Godmother of Europe.” She married her personal trainer, Daniel Westling, in 2010 and they have two children: Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar. Victoria regularly attends domestic and international events on behalf of the Crown and has been the heir in Sweden for 44 years.
Prince Daniel
Photo: Clément Morin/The Royal Court of Sweden
Daniel Westling was born on 15 September 1973 (the day of his future father-in-law’s accession to the throne) to Olle and Ewa Westling. He served in the Swedish military as part of Sweden’s national conscription. He later opened a gym and became a personal trainer, which is how he met Crown Princess Victoria. After dating for several years, the pair married in 2010 and have two children. He became Prince Daniel of Sweden upon his marriage and took Victoria’s last name, Bernadotte. He will one day be the Prince Consort of Sweden.
Princess Estelle
Photo: Crown Princess Victoria/Royal Court, Sweden
Princess Estelle is the first child of Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel. Born on 23 February 2012, she is the first Swedish princess to be born as a future heir apparent to the throne who could not be surpassed by a younger brother. Her parents have already begun preparing her for her future role as Queen of Sweden by taking her on royal engagements and exposing her to the media and public. She attends Campus Manila in Stockholm and lives at Haga Palace with her family. Estelle is second in line to the throne.
Prince Oscar
Photo: HRH The Crown Princess/The Royal Court of Sweden
Prince Oscar was born to Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel on 2 March 2016. He attends some royal events alongside his parents and is third in the line of succession behind his mother and older sister. He currently attends school at Campus Manila, like his older sister.
Prince Carl Philip
Linda Broström/The Royal Court of Sweden
Prince Carl Philip was born as the second child and only son of King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia on 13 May 1979. At the time of his birth, he was Crown Prince of Sweden, but a change in the succession laws went into effect on 1 January 1980. From that point, he lost his title as heir apparent and became Prince Carl Philip while his older sister became the Crown Princess. He was educated in Sweden and the United States and served in the military. Carl Philip is passionate about racing and has taken part in several races. He married Sofia Hellqvist in 2015 and they have three sons: Prince Alexander, Prince Gabriel and Prince Julian. He is fourth in the line of succession and regularly undertakes royal events on behalf of the Royal Family.
Princess Sofia
Photo: Anna-Lena Ahlström/The Royal Court of Sweden
Sofia Hellqvist was born on 6 December 1984 in Danderyd, Sweden, as the second daughter of Erik and Marie Hellqvist. She was educated in Sweden and became famous as a glamour model and reality television star. Sofia began dating Prince Carl Philip in 2010, and they married in 2015. Upon their marriage, she became Princess Sofia of Sweden. She and Carl Philip have three sons and she regularly undertakes royal duties on behalf of the Crown.
Prince Alexander
Prince Alexander is the first child of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia. Alexander was born on 19 April 2016 – just a few weeks after his cousin, Prince Oscar. While he was born with the style of Royal Highness and membership in the Royal House, the King revoked the privileges of his grandchildren not in the direct line of succession to allow the children to have more freedom as they grow up; they will not be required to represent the Crown on official events. Alexander is fourth in the line of succession and attends Djurgårdsskolan in Stockholm.
Prince Gabriel
Prince Gabriel was born on 31 August 2017 as the second child of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia. Like his older brother, he was born with the style of Royal Highness and was a member of the Royal House. However, his grandfather revoked the Royal Highness style and membership in the Royal House from his grandchildren, not in the direct line of succession. Gabriel is sixth in line to the throne.
Prince Julian
The youngest of the King and Queen’s grandchildren, Prince Julian was born on 26 March 2021 to Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia. He occasionally attends royal events alongside his parents, including appearing on the balcony for his grandfather’s birthday celebrations. Julian is seventh in line to the Swedish throne and like his siblings is not part of the Royal House.
Princess Madeleine
Photo: Brigitte Grenfeldt/The Royal Court of Sweden
Princess Madeleine was born as the youngest child of the King and Queen on 10 June 1982. She has studied in Sweden and the United Kingdom. Following a broken engagement in 2010, Madeleine moved to New York City to work for the World Childhood Foundation. There she met her husband, American-British Christopher O’Neill. They married in 2013 with Chris turning down a royal title and Swedish citizenship to continue his business. They now have three children: Princess Leonore, Prince Nicolas and Princess Adrienne. They live in Miami, Florida but are due to move to Sweden in 2024. Madeleine is eighth in the line of succession; she is not a working member of the Royal Family so she undertakes few royal engagements a year.
Princess Leonore
@princess_madeleine_of_sweden/Instagram
Princess Leonore was born on 20 February 2014 in New York City to Princess Madeleine and Chris O’Neill, making her the closest American to the Swedish throne. At the time of her birth, she was the ‘spare’ to the heir – Princess Estelle. Leonore has been educated in the United States and holds dual American-Swedish citizenship. She no longer holds the style of Royal Highness or membership in the Royal House. Leonore is ninth in the line of succession.
Prince Nicolas
Prince Nicolas was born on 15 June 2015 – just a couple of days after his uncle and aunt, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia, married. He is the only son of Princess Madeleine and Chris O’Neill and no longer holds a place in the Royal House or style of Royal Highness. He has been educated in Florida and is tenth in the line of succession.
Princess Adrienne
Princess Adrienne was born on 9 March 2018 to Princess Madeleine and Chris O’Neill. She has spent most of her life in Florida and has been educated in the United States. The family will move to Sweden in 2024, where she will begin a Swedish education. Like her siblings and cousins, she no longer holds the style of Royal Highness or membership in the Royal House. Adrienne is 11th and last in the line of succession.
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