All concerning the Swedish royal household tree – the Home of Bernadotte defined

The Swedish royal household can hint its roots all the best way again to 970 AD with Eric the Victorious. Over a thousand years later, the monarchy is   nonetheless going robust within the Scandinavian nation, which is presently helmed by King Carl XVI Gustaf.

Whereas most monarchies all over the world maintain ceremonial roles, that is doubly the case for the Swedish royal household, with the King’s present roles not involving any government capabilities together with the appointment of a brand new Prime Minister, signing laws or being the commander-in-chief of the army.

This is all you should know concerning the Swedish royal household from King Carl XVI Gustaf to Princess Adrienne…

Household tree

King Carl XVI Gustaf

Born on 30 April 1946, Carl Gustaf is the present head of the Home of Bernadotte. Carl didn’t succeed his father to the throne, as a substitute succeeding his grandfather, Gustaf VI Adolf, after his father, Prince Gustaf Adolf, died in a aircraft crash when the younger royal was lower than a yr previous.

Because of this, Carl turned the crown prince when he was simply 4 years previous upon the loss of life of his great-grandfather. On the time of his start, Carl was the youngest of 5, however attributable to male-favoured primogeniture legal guidelines, he ascended earlier than his sisters within the line of succession.

The monarch ascended to the throne on 15 September 1973, nevertheless, attributable to constitutional reforms that have been launched by his grandfather he was nearly instantly stripped of a lot of his government roles, as a substitute now solely current in a ceremonial function. Nonetheless, King Carl nonetheless undertakes some duties together with the opening of parliament, state visits, the chairing of sure conferences and presenting the Nobel Prizes.

King Carl met Silvia Sommerlath on the 1972 Olympic Video games and after daring for 4 years, the couple tied the knot on 19 June 1976. The couple have welcomed three kids, Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Madeleine.

As of 26 April 2018, King Carl Gustaf is the longest-serving monarch in Swedish historical past. Nonetheless, in 2023, he underwent surgical procedure with a catheter within the “coronary heart space”.

Queen Silvia

Born on 23 December 1943 as Silvia Sommerlath, Queen Silvia is the present Queen of Sweden following her marriage to King Carl XVI Gustaf. On the time of assembly the royal, she was main a advertising and marketing marketing campaign for the town of Munich.

Silvia is now a mum of three after welcoming Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Madeleine.

Alongside her royal duties, Silvia is lively within the charity sector, having based the Mentor Basis, which helps individuals with addictions, in 1994 and co-founding the World Childhood Basis in 1999.

Princess Margaretha

Born on 31 October 1934, Margaretha is the oldest sister of King Carl XVI Gustaf, however attributable to male-favoured primogeniture guidelines, she was by no means really in line to the throne.

In the course of the Fifties, she dated Robin Douglas-Properties, the nephew of former British prime minister Alec Douglas-Residence. The UK held a particular place in Margaretha’s coronary heart and he or she met her husband, John Ambler, at a cocktail party within the nation. The couple married on 30 June 1964 and have welcomed three kids, Sybilla (b. 1965), Edward (b. 1966) and James (b. 1969). The couple separated in 1994, however they weren’t divorced on the time of John’s loss of life in 2008.

Attributable to dropping her royal standing following her marriage to a commoner, Margaretha doesn’t undertake any duties for the Swedish royal household, solely showing for household milestones. She presently lives in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire.

John Ambler

Born on 6 June 1924, John turned a profitable businessman and commenced directing parcel supply corporations Atlas Specific Ltd and Atlas Air Specific.

He met Princess Margaretha at a cocktail party and the pair wed in 1964 and welcomed three kids. Regardless of Margaretha dropping her royal titles, the Amblers had a detailed bond with the royals and would often go on searching journeys.

John and Margaretha separated in 1994, nevertheless, they remained married till John’s loss of life on 31 July 2008. The businessman lived sick for his remaining years, passing away in a nursing house.

Princess Birgitta

Born on 19 January 1937, Princess Birgitta is the older sister of King Carl XVI Gustaf. In contrast to her royal sisters, Birgitta nonetheless retains her royal title as she married somebody of her standing.

In 1959, the royal met German royal Prince Johann Georg at a cocktail get together and the couple introduced their engagement a yr later they usually married on 25 Could 1961. The duo have welcomed three kids: Prince Carl (b. 1962), Princess Desiree (b. 1963) and Prince Hubertus (b. 1966).

The pair separated in 1990, though they remained married till Johann’s loss of life. She presently lives in Mallorca.

Prince Johann

Born on 31 July 1932, Prince Johann Georg was born into the Home of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, a royal home which has beforehand produced monarchs in Romania.

Johann Georg married Princess Birgitta in 1961 earlier than welcoming three kids, Carl, Desiree and Hubertus. The couple separated in 1990, though they remained shut and Johann Georg would nonetheless accompany his spouse to Swedish occasions, like Crown Princess Victoria’s marriage ceremony in 2010.

The royal had a eager curiosity within the arts and was the director-general of the Bavarian State Image Assortment. Following a interval of in poor health well being, Johann Georg died on 2 March 2016 on the age of 83.

Princess Désirée

Born on 2 June 1938, Princess Désirée is the third oldest sister of King Carl XVI Gustaf. Like a lot of her sisters, Désirée misplaced her royal titles when she married the aristocrat Baron Niclas Silfverschiöld.

The pair walked down the aisle on 19 December 1963, and the pair welcomed three kids: Carl Otto (b. 1965), Christina-Louise (b.1966) and Hélène (b. 1968). Desiree and Niclas remained married till his loss of life in 2017.

Niclas Silfverschiöld

Born on 31 Could 1934, Niclas Silfverschiöld was a member of the Swedish aristocracy and was raised in Koberg Citadel, the place his household nonetheless lives. He served within the Swedish military earlier than succeeding his father in working the household’s estates.

In 1963, he married Princess Desiree they usually welcomed three kids. He died on the age of 82 on 11 April 2017.

Princess Christina

Born on 3 August 1943, Princess Christina is likely one of the older sisters of King Carl XVI Gustaf. Like a lot of her sisters, Christina has sacrificed her royal fashion for love after marrying enterprise government Tord Magnuson on 15 June 1974.

The couple have welcomed three kids: Carl Gustaf Victor (b. 1975), Tord Oscar (b. 1977) and Victor Edmund (b. 1980).

Christina chairs the Swedish Pink Cross and in 2016, she was recognized with persistent leukaemia. Nonetheless, following stem cell remedy, she made a full restoration.

Tord Magnuson

Born on 7 April 1941, Tord Magnuson is a enterprise government and he first met his future spouse, Princess Christina in 1961. Nonetheless, it will be one other 13 years till they walked down the aisle on 15 June 1974.

Tord is a father-of-three and can also be King Carl XVI Gustaf’s solely residing brother-in-law.

Crown Princess Victoria

Born on 14 July 1977, Crown Princess Victoria is the inheritor obvious to the Swedish throne and is the oldest little one of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia. If she ascends to the throne, she will likely be Sweden’s first queen regent – and fourth total – since 1720. Following the start of her youthful brother, Prince Carl Philip, she was briefly displaced within the line of succession, however after Sweden adopted absolute primogeniture guidelines, she turned the inheritor obvious as soon as once more.

After learning on the Catholic College of the West and Yale, Victoria turned an intern on the Swedish embassy in america earlier than finishing primary solider coaching and dealing within the Ministry of Overseas Affairs. In 1997, she arrange the Crown Princess Victoria’s Fund, which works to assist disabled kids.

Crown Princess Victoria initially dated Daniel Collert, who’s now a movie producer, after the couple met throughout their college days, nevertheless they went their separate methods in 2001. In 2002, there was media hypothesis that Victoria was courting her private coach, Daniel Westling.

The connection was confirmed later within the yr and the duo dated for seven years earlier than Daniel received down on knee and the pair have been married on 19 June 2010. The duo have welcomed two kids, Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar.

Victoria has been open about her well being points, together with a battle with anorexia and an consuming dysfunction. Within the 2002 e-book, Victoria, Victoria!, she stated: “I felt like an accelerating practice, going proper down… throughout the entire interval. I had consuming problems and was conscious of it, my anguish was huge. I actually hated how I appeared like, how I used to be… I, Victoria, did not exist. It felt like every part in my life and round me was managed by others. The one factor I may management was the meals I put in me.”

Prince Daniel

Born on 15 September 1973 as Olof Daniel Westling, the royal initially labored as a private coach and ran Stability Coaching, which operated three gyms in Stockholm. Forward of changing into a private coach, Daniel served within the Swedish military by means of conscription reaching the rank of lieutenant earlier than being honourably discharged on the finish of his 15-month interval.

In 2010, Daniel married Crown Princess Victoria and the pair welcomed two kids. With regards to his royal work, Daniel is concerned in areas round childhood health, founding the Prince Daniel’s Race and Sports activities Day, and well being. Three months after his engagement, Daniel had a kidney transplant attributable to a renal situation – Daniel’s father was the donor.

Prince Carl Philip

Born on 13 Could 1979, Prince Carl Philip is the second little one of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia and is fourth in line to the throne. Attributable to male-favoured primogeniture guidelines on the time of his start, Carl Philip was the inheritor obvious for seven months till guidelines modified to learn the oldest little one of a monarch.

Like many royals, sport holds a particular place within the royal’s coronary heart and he has beforehand competed within the Vasaloppet, the longest cross-country snowboarding race on the planet and the Scandinavian Touring Automobile Championship.

Between 1999 and 2009, Carl Philip dated PR agent Emma Pernald and after the tip of their relationship, he moved onto glamour mannequin Sofia Hellqvist. The pair dated for 4 years earlier than Carl Philip proposed to Sofia and the couple walked down the aisle on 13 June 2015. The couple have welcomed three sons, Prince Alexander, Prince Gabriel and Prince Julian.

On 7 October 2019, Carl rescinded the royal titles of Carl Philip’s kids, a transfer that Carl Philip and his spouse stated would enable their kids to have “regular” lives.

Princess Sofia

Born as Sofia Hellqvist on 6 December 1984, Princess Sofia labored as a glamour mannequin earlier than she met Prince Carl Philip. Considered one of her most memorable images noticed her carrying solely a bikini backside and a stay boa constrictor and he or she additionally competed within the actuality competitors Paradise Lodge, reaching the ultimate.

Sofia began courting Carl Philip in 2010, with the pair marrying in 2015 and welcoming three kids.

Princess Madeleine

Born on 10 June 1982, Princess Madeleine is the youngest little one King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia and is eighth in line to the throne. Following her research, Madeleine spent six months as an intern at UNICEF in little one protecting companies. In 2012, she arrange ThankYou by Childhood, which works to lift consciousness of kid sexual abuse.

In 2009, Madeleine turned engaged to lawyer Jonas Bergstrom, nevertheless, their 2010 marriage ceremony was postponed attributable to “many issues taking place in an intense time frame”, together with Crown Princess Victoria’s marriage ceremony. Nonetheless, media hypothesis quickly arose concerning the state of their relationship and on 24 April 2010, their marriage ceremony was referred to as off.

Following the break-down of her engagement, Madeleine moved to New York Metropolis the place she met American-British financier Christopher O’Neill. The couple’s engagement was introduced on 25 October 2012 and the pair married on 8 June 2013. The pair have welcomed three kids, Princess Leonore, Prince Nicolas and Princess Adrienne.

Like with Carl Philip’s kids, Madeleine’s kids have misplaced their royal titles as a way to give them a extra “regular” life. The pair have since lived in New York Metropolis, however at the moment are attributable to transfer again to Sweden.

Christopher O’Neill

Born on 27 June 1974, Christopher O’Neill is an American-British financier and was instrumental in establishing the European headquarters of Oppenheimer & Co. In 2013, he married Princess Madeleine and subsequently welcomed three kids.

In contrast to different royal spouses, Christopher would not have a royal title and would not undertake any royal duties on behalf of the Swedish royal household, permitting him to proceed along with his job within the monetary sector.

Princess Estelle

Born on 23 February 2012, Princess Estelle is the oldest little one of Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel and is second in line to the throne. Attributable to legal guidelines round succession, Estelle is the primary feminine in Swedish royal historical past to not be outdated by her youthful brother. Estelle presently attends the Campus Manilla Faculty.

Prince Oscar

Born on 2 March 2016, Prince Oscar is the youngest little one of Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel and is third in line to the throne. Like his older sister, Prince Oscar attends the Campus Manilla Faculty.

Prince Alexander

Born on 19 April 2016, Prince Alexander is the oldest son of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia and is fifth in line to the throne. After the stripping of his royal title, the teenager turned the Duke of Södermanland. In 2022, Alexander started attending Djurgårdsskolan, a small college with solely 94 pupils.

Prince Gabriel

Born on 31 August 2017, Prince Gabriel is the second little one of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia and is sixth in line to the throne. Following the stripping of his royal title, Gabriel turned the Duke of Dalarna.

Prince Julian

Born on 26 March 2021, Prince Julian is the youngest son of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia and is seventh in line to the throne. Whereas Prince Julian by no means had an official royal title, he has been bestowed the title of Duke of Halland.

Princess Leonore

Born on 20 February 2014, Princess Leonore is the oldest little one of Princess Madeleine and Christopher O’Neill and is ninth in line to the throne. Following the stripping of her royal title, Princess Leonore turned generally known as the Duchess of Gotland. Leonore has been learning in an American college whereas residing in Miami together with her household, however she’s going to begin at a Swedish college when she returns to the nation.

Prince Nicolas

Born on 15 June 2015, Prince Nicolas is the center little one of Princess Madeleine and Christopher O’Neill and is tenth in line to the throne. Following the stripping of his royal title, Nicolas turned the Duke of Ångermanland. Nicolas has been learning in an American college whereas residing in Miami along with his household, however he’ll begin at a Swedish college when he returns to the nation.

Princess Adrienne

Born on 9 March 2018, Princess Adrienne is the youngest little one of Princess Madeleine and Christopher O’Neill and is eleventh in line to the throne. Following the stripping of her royal title, Adrienne turned the Duchess of Blekinge. She’s going to begin attending a pre-school when she returns to Sweden.

Line of succession

1. Crown Princess Victoria
2. Princess Estelle
3. Prince Oscar
4. Prince Carl Philip
5. Prince Alexander
6. Prince Gabriel
7. Prince Julian
8. Princess Madeleine
9. Princess Leonore
10. Prince Nicolas
11. Princess Adrienne