Swedish Royal Family
Encyclopedia
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 title
s and style (manner of address), and some perform official engagements and ceremonial duties of state. The extended family of the King consists of other close relatives who are not royal.
Prior to 1818, Swedish Royal Family was the House of Holstein-Gottorp, a cadet branch of the Oldenburg
dynasty, which ruled Sweden
from 1751 until 1818.
has been able to be identified as existent from as early as the 10th century A.D.
, but with more precise detail only being able to be added during the two or three centuries that followed. Historically confirmed monarchs are listed officially by the Swedish Royal Court
.
Until the 1620s Swedish provinces were granted as territorial appanage
s to royal princes which, as duke
s thereof, they governed semi-autonomously. Since then, these provincial dukedoms exist in the royal family only nominally, albeit each prince and princess tradition
ally maintains a special public connection to, and sometimes a secondary residence in, "his or her duchy".
The sons of Swedish kings have held the princely title as a rank of nobility (e.g. Fredrik Vilhelm, Furste av Hessenstein
), or as a courtesy title
for an ex-dynast (e.g. Prins Oscar Bernadotte) or, most often, as a royal dynast (e.g. HRH Prince Bertil of Sweden, Duke of Halland
).
but considered part of the Swedish Royal Court
:
The above additional sisters of the King remain princesses by title, but are no longer referred to as Princess of Sweden, nor styled Royal Highness
. This resulted from their marriages to non-royal persons, which were not considered constitutionally appropriate dynastic
alliances at that time and so were not approved by their grandfather, King Gustaf VI Adolf (for Margaretha and Désirée) or by their brother (for Christina). For similar marriages, several male relatives in the House of Bernadotte had given up their places in the line of succession to the Swedish throne
and all royal titles (see Bernadotte af Wisborg
). Since women were not entitled to succeed to the throne prior to 1979, the three sisters were allowed to keep the prefix "Princess" as an honorific
.
announced that Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden
will marry a commoner, Daniel Westling
, on June 19, 2010. Sweden has practiced gender-blind primogeniture
by law since 1979 (SFS
1979:932. This means that Victoria's is the first case in which the heiress apparent
, or indeed any Swedish princess who is in the line of succession to the Swedish throne
(since women only acquired that right in 1979), is to marry. Thus, some questions arose as to how the Crown Princess's husband would be known after the wedding.
When Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden married Silvia Sommerlath
in 1976, he discontinued the established norm
that Swedish princes must marry royalty in order to keep the right to inherit the throne and their royal titles. But men, royal or not, had only twice before, in the 13th and 17th centuries, obtained new title or rank as the spouse of a Swedish princess, and even the queens regnant
left no clear precedent. (One of them was a king's widow, one unmarried and the latest abdicated so her consort could be king.) In Westling's case, the Swedes are now treading on new ground.
The Swedish court announced that upon his marriage to Princess Victoria, who is Duchess
of Västergötland
(Westrogothland), Westling will receive the titles of "Prince Daniel" and "Duke of Västergötland". This corresponds in form to the style
used by previous Swedish princes, including Victoria's younger brother Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland
, i.e. Prince
+ Given name
+ Duke of Somewhere
. The novelty is that Westling's elevation occurred in conjunction with marriage, so his ducal title refers to the same province as Victoria's (which also is something new for men). Daniel Westling was also accorded the style of Royal Highness (HRH)
, to which Victoria is already entitled, and the full title "Prince of Sweden".
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
Royal House
Royal House
A royal house or royal dynasty consists of at least one, but usually more monarchs who are related to one another, as well as their non-reigning descendants and spouses. Monarchs of the same realm who are not related to one another are usually deemed to belong to different houses, and each house is...
of Bernadotte, closely related to the King of Sweden. They are entitled to royal title
Title
A title is a prefix or suffix added to someone's name to signify either veneration, an official position or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may even be inserted between a first and last name...
s and style (manner of address), and some perform official engagements and ceremonial duties of state. The extended family of the King consists of other close relatives who are not royal.
Prior to 1818, Swedish Royal Family was the House of Holstein-Gottorp, a cadet branch of the Oldenburg
House of Oldenburg
The House of Oldenburg is a North German dynasty and one of Europe's most influential Royal Houses with branches that rule or have ruled in Denmark, Russia, Greece, Norway, Schleswig, Holstein, Oldenburg and Sweden...
dynasty, which ruled Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
from 1751 until 1818.
History
A Swedish royal familyRoyal family
A royal family is the extended family of a king or queen regnant. The term imperial family appropriately describes the extended family of an emperor or empress, while the terms "ducal family", "grand ducal family" or "princely family" are more appropriate to describe the relatives of a reigning...
has been able to be identified as existent from as early as the 10th century A.D.
Anno Domini
and Before Christ are designations used to label or number years used with the Julian and Gregorian calendars....
, but with more precise detail only being able to be added during the two or three centuries that followed. Historically confirmed monarchs are listed officially by the Swedish Royal Court
Royal Court of Sweden
The Royal Court of Sweden is the official name for the organisation that supports the Monarch of Sweden, and the Royal House...
.
Until the 1620s Swedish provinces were granted as territorial appanage
Appanage
An apanage or appanage or is the grant of an estate, titles, offices, or other things of value to the younger male children of a sovereign, who would otherwise have no inheritance under the system of primogeniture...
s to royal princes which, as duke
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
s thereof, they governed semi-autonomously. Since then, these provincial dukedoms exist in the royal family only nominally, albeit each prince and princess tradition
Tradition
A tradition is a ritual, belief or object passed down within a society, still maintained in the present, with origins in the past. Common examples include holidays or impractical but socially meaningful clothes , but the idea has also been applied to social norms such as greetings...
ally maintains a special public connection to, and sometimes a secondary residence in, "his or her duchy".
The sons of Swedish kings have held the princely title as a rank of nobility (e.g. Fredrik Vilhelm, Furste av Hessenstein
Frederick William von Hessenstein
Frederick William, Prince von Hessenstein , was a Swedish soldier and statesman. He was an extramarital son of King Frederick of Sweden and his mistress Hedvig Taube.-Biography:...
), or as a courtesy title
Courtesy title
A courtesy title is a form of address in systems of nobility used for children, former wives and other close relatives of a peer. These styles are used 'by courtesy' in the sense that the relatives do not themselves hold substantive titles...
for an ex-dynast (e.g. Prins Oscar Bernadotte) or, most often, as a royal dynast (e.g. HRH Prince Bertil of Sweden, Duke of Halland
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...
).
Current members
According to the Swedish Government, the Royal Family includes the following:- The monarch and his spouse:
- HM King Carl XVI GustafCarl XVI Gustaf of SwedenCarl 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...
(since September 15, 1973), born on April 30, 1946. - HM Queen Silvia (since June 19, 1976), born on December 23, 1943.
- HM King Carl XVI Gustaf
- The King's children:
- HRH Crown Princess VictoriaVictoria, Crown Princess of SwedenVictoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, Duchess of Västergötland is the heiress-apparent to the Swedish throne. If she ascends to the throne as expected, she will be Sweden's fourth queen regnant .-Early life:...
, Duchess of VästergötlandVästergötland', English exonym: West Gothland, is one of the 25 traditional non-administrative provinces of Sweden , situated in the southwest of Sweden. In older English literature one may also encounter the Latinized version Westrogothia....
, born on July 14, 1977. - HRH Prince Carl PhilipPrince Carl Philip, Duke of VärmlandPrince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland , is the second child of three children and only son of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden. Born Crown Prince of Sweden, he retained his title and first place in succession for seven months until 1 January 1980...
, Duke of VärmlandVärmland' is a historical province or landskap in the west of middle Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Dalsland, Dalarna, Västmanland and Närke. It is also bounded by Norway in the west. Latin name versions are Vermelandia and Wermelandia. Although the province's land originally was Götaland, the...
, born on May 13, 1979. - HRH Princess MadeleinePrincess Madeleine, Duchess of Hälsingland and GästriklandPrincess Madeleine of Sweden, Duchess of Hälsingland and Gästrikland is the youngest child and second daughter of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden...
, Duchess of HälsinglandHälsingland' is a historical province or landskap in central Sweden. It borders to Gästrikland, Dalarna, Härjedalen, Medelpad and to the Gulf of Bothnia...
and GästriklandGästrikland' is a historical province or landskap on the eastern coast of Sweden. It borders Uppland, Västmanland, Dalarna, Hälsingland and the Gulf of Bothnia. Gästrikland is the southernmost of the Norrland provinces....
, born on June 10, 1982.
- HRH Crown Princess Victoria
- The King's son-in-law (husband of the Crown Princess):
- HRH Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland, born on September 15, 1973.
- The King's sister:
- HRH Princess BirgittaPrincess Birgitta of SwedenPrincess Birgitta of Sweden and Hohenzollern is a sister of King Carl XVI Gustaf. She was born at Haga Palace in Stockholm County.-Family:...
, Princess of Hohenzollern, born on January 19, 1937.
- HRH Princess Birgitta
- The King's aunt (widow of the King's uncle Prince BertilPrince Bertil, Duke of HallandPrince 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...
):- HRH Princess LilianPrincess Lilian, Duchess of HallandPrincess Lilian, Duchess of Halland is a Welsh former fashion model who has been a member of the Swedish Royal Family since marrying Prince Bertil , an uncle of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, in 1976.-Early life:Born in Swansea, Wales, the daughter of William John Davies and wife Gladys Mary...
, Duchess of Halland, born on August 30, 1915.
- HRH Princess Lilian
Extended family
Not official members of the Royal FamilyRoyal family
A royal family is the extended family of a king or queen regnant. The term imperial family appropriately describes the extended family of an emperor or empress, while the terms "ducal family", "grand ducal family" or "princely family" are more appropriate to describe the relatives of a reigning...
but considered part of the Swedish Royal Court
Noble court
The court of a monarch, or at some periods an important nobleman, is a term for the extended household and all those who regularly attended on the ruler or central figure...
:
- Princess Margaretha, Mrs. AmblerPrincess Margaretha, Mrs. AmblerPrincess Margaretha, Mrs. Ambler , was born at Haga Palace outside Stockholm. She is the first child of Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten, and Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, and granddaughter of King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden and Princess Margaret of Connaught .-Life and...
, born on October 31, 1934. - Princess Désirée, Baroness SilfverschiöldPrincess Désirée, Baroness SilfverschiöldPrincess Désirée, Baroness Silfverschiöld , was born at Haga Palace outside Stockholm. She is the third child of Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten, and Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, and granddaughter of King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden...
, born on June 2, 1938. - Princess Christina, Mrs. MagnusonPrincess Christina, Mrs. MagnusonPrincess Christina, Mrs. Magnuson, is the sister of Carl XVI Gustaf, the current King of Sweden. She was born at Haga Palace outside Stockholm. She is the fourth child of Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten, and Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, and granddaughter of King Gustaf VI...
, born on August 3, 1943.
The above additional sisters of the King remain princesses by title, but are no longer referred to as Princess of Sweden, nor styled Royal Highness
Royal Highness
Royal Highness is a style ; plural Royal Highnesses...
. This resulted from their marriages to non-royal persons, which were not considered constitutionally appropriate dynastic
Dynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Historians traditionally consider many sovereign states' history within a framework of successive dynasties, e.g., China, Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire...
alliances at that time and so were not approved by their grandfather, King Gustaf VI Adolf (for Margaretha and Désirée) or by their brother (for Christina). For similar marriages, several male relatives in the House of Bernadotte had given up their places in the line of succession to the Swedish throne
Line of succession to the Swedish Throne
The line of succession to the Swedish throne is determined by the Swedish Act of Succession. In 1980 Sweden adopted equal primogeniture, meaning that the eldest child of the monarch, regardless of gender, takes precedence in the line of succession...
and all royal titles (see Bernadotte af Wisborg
Bernadotte af Wisborg
The title Count of Wisborg is, since 1892, borne by the male-line descendants of four princes of Sweden who married morganatically without the consent of the King of Sweden and thereby lost the right of succession to the throne of Sweden for themselves, their children and their descendants...
). Since women were not entitled to succeed to the throne prior to 1979, the three sisters were allowed to keep the prefix "Princess" as an honorific
Honorific
An honorific is a word or expression with connotations conveying esteem or respect when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term is used not quite correctly to refer to an honorary title...
.
- Countess Marianne Bernadotte of WisborgCountess Marianne Bernadotte of WisborgMarianne Bernadotte, Countess of Wisborg , is the widow of former Swedish Prince Sigvard...
(widow of the King's Uncle Sigvard), née Lindberg on July 15, 1924 - Count Carl Johan Bernadotte of Wisborg (the King's paternal uncle), born on October 31, 1916, and wife:
- Countess Gunnila Bernadotte of Wisborg, née Wachtmeister af Johannishus on May 12, 1923
- Kristine, Princess Bernadotte (widow of the King's grandfather's paternal cousin Prince Carl), née Rivelsrud on 22 April 1932
Prince consort
On 24 February 2009, the Swedish royal courtNoble court
The court of a monarch, or at some periods an important nobleman, is a term for the extended household and all those who regularly attended on the ruler or central figure...
announced that Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden
Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden
Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, Duchess of Västergötland is the heiress-apparent to the Swedish throne. If she ascends to the throne as expected, she will be Sweden's fourth queen regnant .-Early life:...
will marry a commoner, Daniel Westling
Daniel Westling
Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland is the husband of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden. Prior to his marriage to the heiress apparent, Daniel was a personal trainer and gym owner and ran a company called Balance Training with three gyms in central Stockholm.-Early life:Daniel was born in Örebro ...
, on June 19, 2010. Sweden has practiced gender-blind primogeniture
Primogeniture
Primogeniture is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings . Historically, the term implied male primogeniture, to the exclusion of females...
by law since 1979 (SFS
Swedish Code of Statutes
The Swedish Code of Statutes or "Svensk författningssamling" is the official publication of all new Swedish laws enacted by the Riksdag and ordinances issued by the Government. Every law has an SFS number, including legislation amending already existing law. The number consists of a four digit...
1979:932. This means that Victoria's is the first case in which the heiress apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
, or indeed any Swedish princess who is in the line of succession to the Swedish throne
Line of succession to the Swedish Throne
The line of succession to the Swedish throne is determined by the Swedish Act of Succession. In 1980 Sweden adopted equal primogeniture, meaning that the eldest child of the monarch, regardless of gender, takes precedence in the line of succession...
(since women only acquired that right in 1979), is to marry. Thus, some questions arose as to how the Crown Princess's husband would be known after the wedding.
When Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden married Silvia Sommerlath
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...
in 1976, he discontinued the established norm
Norm (sociology)
Social norms are the accepted behaviors within a society or group. This sociological and social psychological term has been defined as "the rules that a group uses for appropriate and inappropriate values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors. These rules may be explicit or implicit...
that Swedish princes must marry royalty in order to keep the right to inherit the throne and their royal titles. But men, royal or not, had only twice before, in the 13th and 17th centuries, obtained new title or rank as the spouse of a Swedish princess, and even the queens regnant
Reign
A reign is the term used to describe the period of a person's or dynasty's occupation of the office of monarch of a nation or of a people . In most hereditary monarchies and some elective monarchies A reign is the term used to describe the period of a person's or dynasty's occupation of the office...
left no clear precedent. (One of them was a king's widow, one unmarried and the latest abdicated so her consort could be king.) In Westling's case, the Swedes are now treading on new ground.
The Swedish court announced that upon his marriage to Princess Victoria, who is Duchess
Dukes of Swedish provinces
Duchies in Sweden have been allotted since the 13th century to powerful Swedes, almost always to Princes of Sweden and wives of the latter. From the beginning these duchies were often centers of regional power, where their dukes and duchesses had considerable executive authority of their own,...
of Västergötland
Västergötland
', English exonym: West Gothland, is one of the 25 traditional non-administrative provinces of Sweden , situated in the southwest of Sweden. In older English literature one may also encounter the Latinized version Westrogothia....
(Westrogothland), Westling will receive the titles of "Prince Daniel" and "Duke of Västergötland". This corresponds in form to the style
Style (manner of address)
A style of office, or honorific, is a legal, official, or recognized title. A style, by tradition or law, precedes a reference to a person who holds a post or political office, and is sometimes used to refer to the office itself. An honorific can also be awarded to an individual in a personal...
used by previous Swedish princes, including Victoria's younger brother Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland
Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland
Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland , is the second child of three children and only son of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden. Born Crown Prince of Sweden, he retained his title and first place in succession for seven months until 1 January 1980...
, i.e. Prince
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
+ Given name
Given name
A given name, in Western contexts often referred to as a first name, is a personal name that specifies and differentiates between members of a group of individuals, especially in a family, all of whose members usually share the same family name...
+ Duke of Somewhere
Dukes of Swedish provinces
Duchies in Sweden have been allotted since the 13th century to powerful Swedes, almost always to Princes of Sweden and wives of the latter. From the beginning these duchies were often centers of regional power, where their dukes and duchesses had considerable executive authority of their own,...
. The novelty is that Westling's elevation occurred in conjunction with marriage, so his ducal title refers to the same province as Victoria's (which also is something new for men). Daniel Westling was also accorded the style of Royal Highness (HRH)
Royal Highness
Royal Highness is a style ; plural Royal Highnesses...
, to which Victoria is already entitled, and the full title "Prince of Sweden".