A MODERN MONARCHY the Swedish Royal Family Is One of the Oldest Royal Families in the World, Yet Regarded As the World’S Most Modern by Many
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FACTS ABOUT SWEDEN | MONARCHY sweden.se PHOTO: JONAS EKSTRÖMER/TT PHOTO: The Royal Family at Solliden Palace, on the island of Öland. MONARCHY: A MODERN MONARCHY The Swedish Royal Family is one of the oldest royal families in the world, yet regarded as the world’s most modern by many. In 1980, Sweden became the first monarchy to change its succes- sion rites so that the first-born child of the monarch is heir to the throne, regardless of gender. Ambitious and with charm to spare, Crown Princess Victoria seems more than ready for the task. The Swedish monarchy is certainly used were discussions about reforming the their first child: second in line to the to the eyes of media. Recent years have Succession Act and make it gender neu Swedish throne, Princess Estelle was offered up a series of weddings and tral. The change eventually took place born on 23 February 2012. On 2 March births that have put them even more into three years after her birth but was made 2016, Victoria gave birth to her second the spotlight – nationally and interna retroactive, which immediately changed child, Prince Oscar. tionally. Victoria’s title from Princess to Crown On 20 February 2014, Victoria’s youn Perhaps none was as widely followed Princess. ger sister Madeleine gave birth to Prin as the marriage between Crown Princess cess Leonore. The father is BritishAme Victoria and Daniel Westling. Royal nuptials and births rican businessman Christopher O'Neill. The celebrations around Victoria’s mar On 15 June 2015, Princess Madeleine Heir apparent riage to Daniel Westling, previously a and O’Neill had their second child, As the eldest of three siblings, Victoria gym owner and personal trainer, on Prince Nicolas. is first in line to the Swedish throne, 19 June 2010, lasted for three days. The couple were married on 8 June and as such she has become a highly Daniel Westling was given the title 2013 at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, popular ambassador for the country. H.R.H. Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergöt and celebrations were held afterwards at Already before Victoria was born, there land. Eighteen months later they had the Palace of Drottningholm. FACTS ABOUT SWEDEN | MONARCHY sweden.se ROYAL HERITAGE To retain her H.R.H. title, Princess Crown Prince became King Carl XVI Madeleine has not taken the O’Neill sur Gustaf. His motto is ‘For Sweden – with FRENCH ORIGINS name. Unlike Prince Daniel, O’Neill has the times’. Swedish monarchs date back around a not added Bernadotte to his name, pre thousand years and have belonged to ele ferring instead to retain his UK and US Queen with a career ven dynasties, with the current one, the citizenships. He therefore has no royal In 1972, when still the Crown Prince, Carl House of Bernadotte, ruling the longest. titles and is not an official member of the Gustaf met his GermanBrazilian future Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte was the first Bernadotte on the Swedish throne. Born in Swedish Royal Family. wife, Silvia Sommerlath, who was born France in 1763, he was named heir to the Prince Carl Philip is fourth in line of in 1943 in Germany. They met in Munich Swedish throne in 1810. His name as king succession to the Swedish throne after during the Olympic Games, where Silvia was Karl XIV Johan. The Swedish Royal Crown Princess Victoria and her children. was chief hostess. Family is related to all the reigning royal He and Sofia Hellqvist, a former model A trained interpreter without either courts of Europe. and reality television contestant, cele royal or noble origins, Silvia is the first PHOTO: THURE WIKBERG/TTPHOTO: brated their wedding on 13 June 2015 at Swedish queen to have had a profes- the Royal Palace. On 19 April 2016, the sional career. couple had a son, Prince Alexander. She married King Carl XVI Gustaf in 1976. At the time royal weddings that in Carl XVI Gustaf cluded nonnobility were highly unusual, It was not a coincidence that Crown and Queen Silvia has since modernised Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel chose the position of queen so that it is in step to get married on 19 June. On that date with the times. Her relationship with the in 1976, Sweden’s current King Carl XVI King is considered very equal, and she Gustaf married Queen Silvia. has taken strong initiatives to pursue Drottningholm Palace, home to the King and Queen since 1981. King Carl XVI Gustaf is the seventh several social issues close to her heart, monarch of the House of Bernadotte. in particular children’s rights. He was born on 30 April 1946 as the The King and Queen have three DROTTNINGHOLM PALACE fifth child and only son of Crown Prince children: Crown Princess Victoria Ingrid Drottningholm Palace, the home of the Gustaf Adolf and Princess Sibylla. Crown Alice Désirée, Duchess of Västergötland, Royal Family, is on UNESCO’s World Prince Gustaf Adolf died in an air crash in born on 14 July 1977; Prince Carl Philip Heritage List. The palace was built by the architect Nicodemus Tessin the Elder in Denmark the following year. Edmund, Duke of Värmland, born on the 17th century and is highly character In 1950, Carl Gustaf became Crown 13 May 1979; and Princess Madeleine istic of European royal architecture of the Prince of Sweden when his greatgrand Thérèse Amelie Josephine, Duchess of time. Large parts of the palace and park father Gustaf V died and was succeeded Hälsingland and Gästrikland, born on are open to visitors. by the then 68yearold Gustaf VI Adolf, 10 June 1982. the Crown Prince’s grandfather. Since 1981 the Royal Family lives in PHOTO: JOCKE BERGLUND/TT PHOTO: After serving as monarch for 23 years, Drottningholm Palace, outside Stock Gustaf VI Adolf passed away in 1973. holm. However, only the King and Queen That same year, at the age of 27, the live there today. n FOR SWEDEN – WITH THE TIMES Sweden is one of the world’s most stable and egalitarian Solliden Palace, the summer resi democracies, with a monarchy that has strong roots and public dence of the Royal Family. support. SOLLIDEN PALACE As head of state, the King is Sweden’s Sweden’s cultural heritage and considers foremost unifying symbol. According to it important that the public has access to Solliden is the Royal Family’s summer the 1974 constitution, the monarch has the royal palaces with their collections retreat on Öland, a large island off the southeast coast of Sweden. Solliden no political affinity and no formal pow and parks. Palace was designed in mutual consul ers. The King’s duties are mainly of a tation between architect Torben Grut and ceremonial and representative nature. Keeping busy Sweden’s Queen Victoria, wife of King King Carl XVI Gustaf has a strong Carl XVI Gustaf, who celebrated his Gustav V. The construction took place commitment to the global environment 70th anniversary on 30 April 2016, is an between 1903 and 1906. During the sum mer months, the Royal Family gathers at and is a recognised authority on environ active monarch who keeps up to date Solliden to spend time with each other in mental issues. Among other things, he on current affairs and the Swedish busi private. has received the U.S. Environmental ness sector. In addition to two or three Protection Agency Award. He is likewise state visits abroad each year, he takes deeply committed to the preservation of part in international trips organised 2 | FACTS ABOUT SWEDEN | MONARCHY sweden.se FAMOUS SWEDISH MONARCHS by the Royal Swedish Academy of closest staff members to discuss the Engineering Sciences and the World invitations and decide which are most GUSTAV II ADOLF Scout Foundation. Under the collective important. They make sure that their ap Gustav II Adolf ruled from 1611 to 1632. label ‘Royal Colloquium’, the King also pearances are spread across Sweden. By intervening in the Thirty Years’ War, he organises highlevel seminars in collabo When the King is prevented from per came to assume great political importance ration with Swedish scientists. forming his duties as head of state, for and is internationally the most renowned The Royal Family receives thousands example during a trip abroad, Crown of Sweden’s kings. Under his rule, Sweden became a leading military power. of invitations each year. Once a week, Princess Victoria, Prince Carl Philip or Gustav II Adolf was killed in 1632 at the King holds a planning meeting with Princess Madeleine, in that order, assume the Battle of Lützen. Parliament chose to the Queen, the Crown Princess and their the duties of temporary regent. n honour his memory by calling him Gustav Adolf the Great. COUNTESS/WIREIMAGE J. PHOTO: QUEEN KRISTINA Excepting the brief caretaker government of Queen Ulrika Eleonora in 1719–20, Queen Kristina is the only female monarch of the Kingdom of Sweden. She succeeded Gustav II Adolf in 1632, just before her sixth birthday, and ruled for 22 years. Kristina abdicated in 1654. She converted to Roman Catholicism, settled in Rome and was succeeded by her cousin, Karl Gustav. When he died in 1660, she trav elled to Sweden in the hope of reclaiming the throne. However, her claim was rejected by Parliament, and Kristina returned to Rome. PHOTO: ALBUM/JOSEPH MARTIN PHOTO: Crown Princess Victoria, on a visit to the United Nations in New York City in 2013. CROWN PRINCESS VICTORIA – SWEDEN’S FUTURE QUEEN King Gustav III of Sweden. When she succeeds her father, Crown Princess Victoria will become Sweden’s 70th monarch, the third female monarch in GUSTAV III the history of the Kingdom of Sweden, and the first since 1720.