Princess Lilian, Duchess of Halland (born Lillian May Davies on 30 August 1915) is a Welsh former fashion model who has been a member of the Swedish Royal Family

Swedish Royal Family

The Swedish Royal Family since 1818 consists of a number of persons in the Swedish Royal House of Bernadotte, closely related to the King of Sweden. They are entitled to royal titles and style , and some perform official engagements and ceremonial duties of state...

 since marrying Prince Bertil

Prince Bertil, Duke of Halland

Prince Bertil of Sweden , Duke of Halland, was the third son of King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden and his first wife, Princess Margaret of Connaught.The prince was born at Stockholm...

 (1912–1997), an uncle of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden

Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden

Carl XVI Gustaf is the reigning King of Sweden since 15 September 1973, succeeding his grandfather King Gustaf VI Adolf because his father had predeceased him...

, in 1976.

Early life

Born in Swansea

Swansea

Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...

, Wales

Wales

Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...

, the daughter of William John Davies

Davies

Davies is a spelling variation of the patronymic English surname Davis, that means David, a Hebrew name meaning "beloved". Davies is much associated with Wales, owing to the name of its patron saint, David....

 and wife Gladys Mary Curran

Curran

Curran is an Irish and also a Scottish surname. The name derives from the 10th century Olde Gaelic name O'Corraidhin, meaning "the male descendant of Corraidhin" a personal name which comes from "corradh", a spear....

, she originally spelled her first name Lillian

Lillian (name)

Lilian is a female given name. It is Latin, meaning 'Lily'. In French, Lilian is a common name for both men and women.-Notable people:*Princess Lilian of Belgium, wife of King Leopold III of Belgium...

, but she dropped one 'l' when she became a fashion model. She was seen in reputable fashion magazines like Vogue

Vogue (magazine)

Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...

. Her parents separated in the 1920s, but they did not divorce formally until 1939. In the meantime she lived with her mother and step-father.

First marriage and World War II

In the 1940s she was married to Ivan Craig. In World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, Lilian Craig worked at a factory that made radios for the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

 and at a hospital for wounded soldiers.

Second marriage

In 1943, she met Prince Bertil of Sweden

Prince Bertil, Duke of Halland

Prince Bertil of Sweden , Duke of Halland, was the third son of King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden and his first wife, Princess Margaret of Connaught.The prince was born at Stockholm...

, in London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

, reportedly at a cocktail party

Cocktail party

A cocktail party is a party where cocktails are served. Women may choose to wear what has become known as a cocktail dress.Although many believe the inventor of the cocktail party to be Alec Waugh of London, who in 1924 found a need for this pleasant interlude before a dinner party, an article in...

 held in honour of her 28th birthday. Soon after their meeting, they became lovers.

It seemed likely that Bertil would one day become Regent after his eldest brother Gustaf Adolf

Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten

Prince Gustaf Adolf Oscar Fredrik Arthur Edmund, Duke of Västerbotten was Duke of West Bothnia and the eldest son of Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden and his first wife Princess Margaret of Connaught...

 died in 1947, leaving a less than one-year-old son, and because other heirs had given up their places in the succession (owing to unacceptable marriages). For this reason, Bertil chose not to marry Lilian, as that would have deprived him of his place in the succession, so the couple simply lived together discreetly for more than 30 years. In 1946 Price Bertil acquired a house in Sainte Maxime, France that became their private retreat. However, Bertil did not become Regent since his father, the King, lived long enough to see his grandson Carl Gustaf

Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden

Carl XVI Gustaf is the reigning King of Sweden since 15 September 1973, succeeding his grandfather King Gustaf VI Adolf because his father had predeceased him...

 come of age. Carl Gustaf soon afterwards ascended to the throne, and having married a commoner himself, he approved Bertil's and Lilian's marriage. They were married on 7 December 1976 at the Palace Church of Drottningholm Palace

Drottningholm Palace

The Drottningholm Palace is the private residence of the Swedish royal family. It is located in Drottningholm. It is built on the island Lovön , and is one of Sweden's Royal Palaces. It was originally built in the late 16th century. It served as a residence of the Swedish royal court for most of...

 in the presence of the King and the Queen

Queen Silvia of Sweden

|align=right|Queen Silvia of Sweden is the Queen consort of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. Styled Her Majesty The Queen, Silvia is the mother of the heir apparent to the throne, Crown Princess Victoria.-Childhood:Queen Silvia was born in Heidelberg, Germany, on 23 December 1943...

.

Prince Bertil's death

Prince Bertil died on 5 January 1997 in their home, with Princess Lilian at his side. Since then, she has continued to represent the Royal Family at official engagements and other occasions. She is the protector of many organisations, and also an honorary member of several clubs and societies which belonged to Prince Bertil's areas of interest.

{infobox hrhstyles|royal name=Princess Lilian|image=|dipstyle=Her Royal Highness|offstyle=Your Royal Highness|altstyle=Ma'am}}

Present

In 2000, Princess Lilian released a biography of her life with Prince Bertil.

At age 96, Princess Lilian is the oldest living member of the Swedish royal family. In August 2008 the Princess fell and broke her hip in her apartment, and in February 2009 she again suffered a fall in her home. It was announced on June 3, 2010 that the princess is afflicted with Alzheimer's

Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...

and is no longer able to appear in public.

External links

• The Royal Court of Sweden: Princess Lilian, Duchess of Halland