Previously, monarchs dictated demands to their subjects. But now the latter are influencing representatives of royal dynasties. Of course, in constitutional monarchies, nominal rulers exist at the expense of taxpayers. How do ordinary people imagine a princess? In their opinion, this should be an ideal girl - with a wasp waist, well-mannered, self-possessed. But Princess Victoria of Sweden does not fit into this image. The biography of the royal person will be discussed by us in this article. Let us note in passing that, unlike the Spanish Queen Letizia and the British Middleton, who were introduced into the circle of European rulers by marriage, Victoria is a born princess. And after the reform of 1980, she also became the heir to the throne. But let's take things in order.
Birth
Very soon, Princess Victoria of Sweden will celebrate her thirty-ninth birthday. The girl saw the light in a hospital in the Stockholm suburb of Solna on July fourteenth, seventy-seven. She was the first-born in the family of Swedish monarchs. Her father is King Carl the Sixteenth Gustav, and her mother is Silvia. Immediately after birth, the baby was given the title - Her Royal Highness, Duchess of Västergotland. The girl was baptized on September twenty-seventh, 1977 in the palace church. The full name she received is Victoria Ingrid Alisa Desiree. In front of the baptismal font, she was held in the arms of Harald the Fifth. He is the princess’s uncle on her mother’s side. Beatrix, Queen of the Netherlands, acted as godmother. Two more children later appeared in the Swedish royal family: Prince Carl Philip and
Views of the throne
At first, Victoria was not the heir to the crown. But on January 1, 1980, he spoke out for gender equality, including regarding claims to the throne. The rules of succession, introduced as an amendment to the country's Constitution, were changed in favor of primogeniture. This meant that the eldest living child, regardless of his gender, became the heir to the throne. Thanks to this amendment to the Constitution, the girl surpassed her younger brother and received a new title - Crown Princess Victoria. Interestingly, her father did not approve of the innovation. But you can’t go against the will of the people, and they resigned themselves. If Victoria accedes to the throne, she will become the fourth queen to reign in Sweden and the first since 1720. The princess also has plans for the British crown. After all, her father is Elizabeth II’s second cousin. But Victoria is two hundred and fifth in line to the British throne.
Difficult childhood
In an interview with the BBC, the Princess of Sweden admitted that at an early age she had big problems with school. From her father, along with her ambitions for the throne, she also inherited a genetic disease - dyslexia, that is, a violation of the ability to learn to read. Therefore, in the first grades she felt stupid and underdeveloped, which she told journalists who were amazed by such frankness. But the example of Princess Victoria showed that, if desired, one can cope with this illness. After graduating from school, the girl received an excellent higher education. But even at this seemingly cloudless stage of life, Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden felt the blows of fate. She constantly felt the close attention of the public, the paparazzi were literally hunting for her. “I had to always obey some rules imposed by my status as crown princess. The only thing I was free to control was the size of food portions,” she admitted in an interview. Thus, she became anorexic. But Victoria coped with this disorder with the help of doctors. Now, looking at this plump woman, you cannot say that she suffered from excessive thinness.
Princess Victoria of Sweden: Education
The amount of knowledge that the first contender to the royal throne received is impressive. She studied at the French Catholic University (Angers), at Yale (USA), at the National Cathedral College of Sweden. Then she completed numerous internships: at the embassy of her country in the USA, at the UN office in New York. She has a bachelor's degree in humanities from Uppsala University. Princess Victoria of Sweden even took a course at the Stockholm Defense College. And then I served in the army for a month! She also interned at the offices of the Trade Organization of Sweden in Paris and Berlin.
Personal life
While studying at Yale University, Victoria began dating Daniel Collert. This young man was the stepson of the Swedish banker Göran Kollert and had known the princess since school. Victoria did not make a big secret of this connection and she herself admitted about her relationship in 2000. But the girl’s parents harshly opposed such a marriage. The restive princess was already reluctant and declared that for the sake of love she would give up the throne. But the girlish feelings quickly faded away on their own. A year later, she left Kollert for another Daniel, whose last name was Westling. There were also no crowned heads in his family. Moreover, he was even lower than Kollert on the social ladder, since he earned his living as a trainer in a fitness club. There the young people met. Daniel Westling was the personal instructor of the heir to the throne. This time, the parents approved of the choice made by Princess Victoria of Sweden. The wedding took place on June 19, 2010, the thirty-fourth wedding anniversary of the bride’s parents. The newlyweds' feelings passed an eight-year test of strength (Victoria and Daniel started dating back in 2002). The ceremony surpassed the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana in pomp.
Princess Victoria's children
After the wedding, all of Sweden eagerly awaited the news of the emergence of a new heir to the throne. Finally, in the eleventh year, it was announced that the couple was expecting a child. On February 23, 2012, thirty-four-year-old Victoria gave birth to her daughter Estelle. The baby was immediately given the title of Duchess of Östergotland. She is destined to take the throne after her mother. And this year, on the second of March, Princess Victoria of Sweden gave birth to a son. The boy was given the name Oscar Karl Olof. At birth he received the title of Duke of Skåne. Touched Swedes have already dubbed their era “the time of queens.” The population survey yielded scandalous results: about sixty percent of respondents were in favor of the early resignation of monarch Carl Gustav and the accession of his daughter to the throne.
Crown Princess Victoria: responsibilities
The direct heir must replace her father during his absence. She represents the country at various cultural and charity events. Princess Victoria of Sweden is a member of the Council of the International Paralympic Committee. She is also godmother to several of Europe's crowned offspring: her niece Leonora, Konstantin Alexios (Greece), Ingrid Alexandra (Norway), Christian (Denmark), Eleanor (Belgium).
The peaceful splash of blue lakes, small summer houses on skerries, cobblestones of old streets, countless signs of past knightly grandeur in Stockholm... All this is Sweden. This blissful land is not too fond of change. Monarchy is the key to stability and order, rituals are unshakable.
To be born into the Swedish royal family means to know your destiny in advance. So did Crown Princess Victoria. A girl who managed to comply with all the rules of behavior befitting the heir to the throne... and deceive fate. And become happy.
Her Royal Highness Victoria of Sweden, Crown Princess of Sweden, Duchess of Västergotland... The owner of all these magnificent titles was born into the most ordinary, loving - albeit crowned - family. The family chronicle is replete with touching memories. The newborn's head was covered with dark curls, over which dad burst into tears of emotion. Two years later, Victoria had a brother, and three years later, a sister ()... The children grew up friendly, baked cookies together, took care of pets - the rabbit Snuff and the puppies Dino and Chili. Every “equally happy” family, according to Tolstoy, has such warm memories. It’s just the reflection of gold from the royal crown that makes them stand out from the ordinary ones. Baby Wiccan had to take on the burden of responsibility early on. From childhood she was prepared for the idea that she would one day become queen.
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden grew up as a correct and obedient girl. I tried to live up to the loud title. She took care of the younger ones. She studied diligently, although it took a lot of work: from her father, Carl XVI Gustav, she inherited not only regalia and titles, but also a disease - dyslexia.
What Victoria was definitely spared from was problems with choosing a profession. While her classmates were looking for themselves, she was already learning to perform royal duties. And she performed with all her might. Friends joke that Victoria has long had a callus on her hand from scissors, which are used to cut red ribbons on the occasion of some opening. Ribbons are a small thing.
But becoming a general in the Air Force and Army, as well as an admiral in the Navy, is a rare achievement for a young girl. What does the role of heir to the throne not oblige you to do?
With adulthood, adult problems also began. To prepare for the role of a queen is to know that you cannot slip up: only impeccable style and strict suits, only social etiquette in every detail. Anorexia due to nervousness. " I was trying too hard to please everyone, to be the best, and it threw me off balance." In the same way, my first great love unbalanced me, deprived me of peace and sleep. When Victoria was sixteen, she met handsome eighteen-year-old Daniel Collert at a friendly party. They were together for more than seven years. How do you say “tili-tili-dough, bride and groom” in Swedish? The press was preparing to perform the teaser in different voices. At one of the press conferences, Victoria blurts out: yes, there are feelings. Yes, maybe there will be a marriage. And Daniel was terrorized with questions. When is the wedding? What is it like to be a princess's groom? Journalists are persistent. This was probably a test of strength. Few people can withstand such pressure. Daniel couldn't. The couple broke up. Victoria, like a completely modern girl, went to the gym to relieve stress from the breakup.
And I met... Daniel again. Only different. The one who became her beloved husband. Daniel Westling is a fitness trainer and businessman. The elite fitness club “Master Trailing”, where Victoria came to train, is his brainchild. With her, as a VIP client, Daniel conducted training himself. No one except this couple knows exactly what happened within the walls of the club, but the “simple guy” Daniel managed to melt the heart of the strict and correct princess. With the endurance of a true athlete, he went through the targeted fire of questions from journalists, low-flying jokes (at first in Sweden they really liked to make fun of the fact that the princess had chosen a “close-minded” and “dumb” lover) and even through a scandal related to the fact that “ Master Training was shady with taxes (it turns out that Daniel was deceiving his own future relatives, the royal family?). Love has won.
The wedding of the princess and the fitness trainer was celebrated by the whole country. On June 19, 2010, more than half a million Swedes saw off the wedding procession with enthusiastic exclamations. Stockholm on this June day turned into a raging sea; no one was indifferent to the wedding here. The princess's ratings skyrocketed - residents, whatever one may say, were pleased to learn that the strict and correct "Snow Queen" had a warm heart beating in her chest, capable of ardent love for a "mere mortal."
Today, this love has a charming three-year result - Princess Estelle Sylvia Eva Mary. Someday she will learn from her mother how to properly prepare for the inheritance of the throne, observing all the rules of etiquette - and most importantly, do not forget to trust your feelings.
On June 19, 2010, the wedding ceremony of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden (the eldest daughter of the royal couple’s three children) and her lover, “a native of the people” Daniel Westling, took place in Stockholm. Now 32-year-old Victoria, like all real princesses, has finally become a happy wife, and Westling is the Prince of Sweden, Duke of Westerjetland and Knight of the Order of Seraphina.
The wedding marked the climax of the eight-year romance between Victoria and her now former fitness trainer. It is Westling’s profession that haunts many: some are touchingly moved - they say, even though she is a crown princess, she is still a person, since she fell in love with a simple guy, others grin ironically - well, well, the sportsman is lucky. Be that as it may, the newlyweds themselves do not seem to pay any attention to rumors, sarcastic comments, or even the fact that their wedding was ignored by the world's leading news agencies.
In fact, with Victoria’s wedding, everything is not as simple as it might seem at first glance. For starters, Victoria became one of the few heirs to the Swedish throne whose personal life seemed to have improved. Unlike other Swedish royalty: some of them, like the sixth Queen of Sweden, Christina, neglected marriage, while others were simply unlucky - Victoria's younger sister Madeleine recently broke off her engagement to her fiancé who cheated on her.
But for Victoria, everything turned out differently. She met Daniel Westling in 2002, when she took a class at the Master Training fitness center on the advice of her younger sister. The young Swedish trainer and part-time co-owner of Master Training received the attention of the princess and became not only her personal fitness instructor, but also her lover.
Having learned about the humble origin and profession of Victoria’s friend, the Swedish public was divided into two camps. Some (mainly housewives and young students) supported Victoria, while others saw in the novel between the princess and the sports instructor a pathetic attempt by the court to “democratize” the monarchy and slightly strengthen its position, because in recent years the authority of the royal family has fallen significantly.
Despite all the gossip and whispering, seven years after the start of the crown princess’s relationship with the coach, the royal family, which initially opposed the union of lovers, announced the engagement of Victoria and Daniel, the son of a postal worker and a minor municipal official.
Rumor has it that Victoria had to persuade her father, Carl XVI Gustaf, for a long time to allow her to marry Daniel. Despite the fact that the princess's father initially resisted, his persistent daughter finally achieved her goal, and Charles agreed to take Victoria to the altar.
Soon preparations for the upcoming wedding ceremony began in Sweden. The process of developing a plan for the celebration and organizing the celebration was accompanied by “popular unrest.” So, when the Swedes found out that the wedding was going to be held with taxpayers' money, many of these same taxpayers flew into a real rage. “Actually, any normal Swedish father pays for his daughter’s wedding from his own pocket! This is exactly what Carl XVI Gustaf should have done!” - the residents of Sweden were indignant.
In Stockholm, there were even those who wanted to stage a protest during the wedding ceremony: activists of political organizations intended to walk through the center of the capital wearing T-shirts with the inscription “All my money went to pay for this wedding. I could only buy this T-shirt.”
King Charles had to urgently calm the mood and demonstrate royal generosity. As a result, the king partially took on the financial burden of the upcoming celebration, and allocated the missing part from the treasury (in total, about three million euros were spent on the wedding).
Well, as a bonus, indignant taxpayers were given the opportunity to ride the metro for free on Victoria and Daniel’s wedding day - June 19. And the first few thousand passengers were given surprises in the form of souvenir cards issued in honor of the newlyweds.
But all these measures did not avert another wave of popular anger from the Swedish royal family. When the princess turned to her father with a request, according to the old tradition, to accompany her to the altar, all Swedish newspapers wrote about it. Moreover, the tone of the publications expressed the sentiments of many residents of the country: they say, by following old-fashioned customs, Victoria once again demonstrates the inappropriateness of the existence of a monarchy in modern Sweden.
Even the Swedish clergy came out in defense of this position. Archbishop Anders Weyrud warned the princess against going to the altar on the arm of her father, saying that such a ritual discredits the concept of equality of spouses and is humiliating, since it symbolizes the transfer of the bride from one man's hands to another. And yet, even here the princess turned out to be stronger and above other people’s opinions and did not abandon tradition - it was decided that Carl XVI Gustav would lead her down the aisle.
However, the main reason for criticism of the upcoming ceremony remained the fact that Daniel could not boast of noble origin. On this issue, however, opinions were divided.
Many believe that, following Victoria's desire to become the wife of a simple guy without titles, the Swedish monarchy has lost one of its foundations - the tradition of dynastic marriages - and is therefore doomed to extinction. Other, more romantically inclined residents of the country believe that the marriage of Victoria and Daniel, on the contrary, brought a little revival to the traditionally calm royal nest.
And Daniel himself is very popular with women: 80 percent of Swedish women aged 18 to 89 unanimously said that the princess was very lucky to have her husband. According to the compatriots of the heir to the throne, the former fitness trainer is a great fellow who can make the princess truly happy.
Opponents of the marriage of Victoria and Daniel decided to refuse to evaluate the personal qualities of the crown princess’s husband and looked deeper: critics of the newlyweds insist that Westling’s humble origins not so much make the union an exotic phenomenon for the monarchy, but rather threaten the existence of the system of succession to the throne. Thus, they believe that the future first-born of the newlyweds should be deprived of the right to claim the Swedish throne and fight for the throne through direct elections.
Apparently, especially for these skeptics, a book dedicated to the origins of Daniel Westling was recently published in Sweden. It was written by genealogist Björn Engström.
Engström's book says that the Westling family included not only ordinary Swedish and Finnish peasants, blacksmiths and soldiers, but also representatives of the nobility. For example, a genealogist found Daniel's noble Russian roots - one of his ancestors was the Russified Swedish aristocrat Margareta Ragvaldsdotter. In addition, Westling's ancestors included prominent politicians, a senior courtier who served under Charles IX, and even the President of Finland. So, Engström reassured the critics, everything is quite fine with Daniel’s relatives.
In general, no matter what anyone says, Daniel and Victoria got married. We had a traditional wedding with a white dress, a walk down the aisle, vows of allegiance, a formal parade and a fancy dinner. Literally the whole of Stockholm poured out into the streets and watched the solemn procession, escorting the princess down the aisle. Someone who did not have enough places on the central streets settled in front of televisions in bars, pubs or just at home.
By the way, about televisions: on the wedding day, the Swedish court for several hours banned the distribution of any video materials from the wedding ceremony outside the country. Representatives of the world's leading news agencies - AFP, Associated Press and Reuters - did not understand this step and decided to ignore the celebration as a sign of protest. The agencies issued an official statement saying the video ban restricts press freedom.
Otherwise, the wedding took place without any hitches or incidents. In total, more than a thousand guests attended the wedding of Victoria and her chosen one: statesmen, monarchs of Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands and Jordan, crown princes and princesses and other noble persons. They all witnessed the pronouncement of oaths of allegiance, kisses and tears of happiness between the princess and the newly-made prince.
After the wedding, the newlyweds went for a walk around the city. Happy Victoria and Daniel were greeted by 250 thousand people gathered in the center of Stockholm, as well as crews of ships from Norway, Denmark and Great Britain.
Not all guests attended the gala dinner on the occasion of the wedding - only 558 people were invited to the table. For lunch, according to information released to the press, they served cucumber jelly, pea soup with caviar, veal with a vegetable side dish, beets with nettle sauce, as well as strawberry and rhubarb mousse and ice cream. They washed down the treats with traditional wedding drinks - champagne and wine.
After all the celebrations are completed, the newlyweds will move to their residence near Stockholm and live a happy family life. And the Swedish court and people will have to come to terms with the fact that Princess Victoria still married a simple guy without titles. Why shouldn't skeptics entertain the idea that maybe these two really love each other?
On the eve of the wedding, the 36-year-old chosen one of the princess was awarded the title of Duke of Vastergotland, thus becoming Prince Daniel.
Crown Prince Alexander of Serbia and Crown Princess Katherine. Photo: EPA
Frederik (Crown Prince of Denmark) and his wife. Photo: EPA
Crown Prince Philip of Spain and Princess Letizia. Photo: EPA
Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and his wife. Photo: EPA
Queen Sonja of Norway. Photo: EPA
Bride and groom. Photo: EPA
Victoria and Daniel at the altar. Photo: EPA
The wedding dress with a five-meter train was designed by designer Per Engheden. Photo: EPA
After the wedding, the couple rode through the city center in a horse-drawn carriage... Photo: EPA
And took a boat ride. Photo: EPA
The festive dinner took place at Drottningholm Palace, where the newlyweds arrived by boat. Photo: EPA
Gala dinner in a close circle of 558 people. Photo: EPA
The couple's first dance. Photo: EPA
Thousands of spectators watched the celebrations. About six thousand military personnel and two thousand police provided security. Photo: EPA
Crown Princess Victoria(full name Victoria Ingrid Alice Dsire, Victoria Ingrid Alice Dsire), Duchess of Västergotland(Swedish: Kronprinsessan Victoria, Sveriges kronprinsessa, hertiginna av Vstergtland; born July 14, 1977 in Stockholm) - heir to the Swedish throne, daughter of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden from the Bernadotte dynasty and Queen Silvia, elder sister of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Madeleine. Victoria had the title of princess at birth, but after the constitutional reform of 1980, which changed the order of succession to the throne towards primogeniture, she became Crown Princess of Sweden.
Biography
Victoria was born on July 14, 1977 at Karolinska University Hospital in the Stockholm suburb of Solna and was the first child in the family of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and Queen Silvia. She was born Princess of Sweden, but after a constitutional amendment came into force on January 1, 1980, she was appointed Crown Princess, ahead of her younger brother Prince Carl Philip. The princess's name day is celebrated on March 12, and on her birthday, July 14, the national flag is always raised.
She was baptized into the Royal Church of Sweden on September 27, 1977. Her godparents were King Harald V of Norway, her maternal uncle, Ralf Sommerlath, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and her aunt Princess Desiree, Baroness Silverskiold.
Victoria currently bears the title Her Royal Highness The Crown Princess. Through her father, who is a second cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, she is also the heir to the British throne in the order of succession to the throne of the Commonwealth of Nations and is in 205th place.
Education
Victoria graduated from primary school and gymnasium in 1996. She then studied for a year (1996-1997) at the Western Catholic University in Angers, France, and in the fall of 1997 took part in a special program recruiting students to subsequently work in the Swedish Parliament, where she became familiar with the structure of the Swedish economy, the principle of national and local structure and gained the knowledge necessary to work in the field of European politics. From 1998 to 2000, Victoria lived in the United States, where she studied various subjects at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.
In May 1999, Victoria completed an internship at the Swedish Embassy in Washington, D.C., and then served three weeks in the Swedish Army. In 2000, she took a course at the Swedish National Cathedral College in the program for resolving world conflicts and organizing peacekeeping activities. During this time, she makes more and more frequent appearances on official state visits, as part of her upcoming governance of the country.
During the spring semester, Victoria completed a training program with the Swedish International Cooperation Agency (SIDA), followed by an internship at the UN in New York in June of that year, and at the Swedish Trade Organization offices in Berlin and Paris in the fall. In the fall of 2004, she lectured in political science with an emphasis on international conflict resolution at the National Defense College in Stockholm. In 2006-2007 she worked as a diplomat at the Swedish State Department, where she gained knowledge about the work of ministries, Swedish foreign policy and foreign security policy. In 2007, Victoria studied French and completed an internship at the Swedish Delegation of the European Union.
In June 2009, Victoria graduated from Uppsala University with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Royal duties
As heir to the royal throne, Victoria serves as regent in cases where Carl XVI Gustaf is unable to fulfill his duties as head of state and monarch. Such duties include, but are not limited to, official visits, representing Sweden and the Royal Family during public events; Victoria also runs her own program, within which she provides assistance in resolving international conflicts, participates in international peacekeeping activities and provides support to people with disabilities.
The royal family is, of course, no stranger to the constant scrutiny of the Swedish and foreign media. However, in recent years, several significant events have occurred in the Bernadotte family, which have attracted even more attention from the press and public, both in Sweden and abroad.
Perhaps no event in 2010 was watched as closely by the public as the wedding of Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling, which took place on June 19, 2010.
The celebration of the wedding of Victoria and Daniel, the former owner of a sports club and the princess’s personal trainer, lasted three days. Thousands of people came to the Swedish capital to congratulate the young couple. Photos of the happy newlyweds were on the covers of newspapers and magazines around the world for several weeks.
Eighteen months later, on February 23, 2012, Victoria and Daniel had a daughter, Princess Estelle Silvia Eva Mary, at Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm. She is second in line to inherit the throne. Princess Estelle's younger brother, Prince Oscar Karl Olof, was born on March 2, 2016.
French roots
The Swedish monarchical tradition is about a thousand years old. During this time, eleven dynasties have changed, including the currently ruling Bernadotte dynasty. The founder of the dynasty, Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, a marshal of Napoleon's army, became the Swedish crown prince in 1810. He ascended the throne under the name Charles XIV Johan. The Swedish royal family is related to all the royal courts of Europe.
The christening of Prince Nicholas by Archbishop Antje Jakelin.
Royal weddings
Almost on the same day, only two years later, on February 20, 2014, Victoria's younger sister, Madeleine, gave birth to a daughter, Princess Leonor Lilian Maria. The baby's father is British-American businessman Christopher O'Neill. On June 15, 2015, the couple had a son, Prince Nicholas. The youngest daughter, Princess Adrienne, was born on March 9, 2018.
The wedding of Princess Madeleine and Christopher O'Neill took place on June 8, 2013 at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, after which the celebration continued at Drottningholm Palace, the residence of the royal family.
To maintain the title of Her Royal Highness, Princess Madeleine did not take the surname O'Neill. Unlike Prince Daniel, Christopher O'Neill chose to renounce his royal titles and retain his British and US citizenship. As such, he is not an official member of the Swedish royal family.
In June 2014, the Royal House of Sweden announced the engagement of the middle of the three royal children, Prince Carl Philip and his fiancée Sofia Hellqvist. The wedding took place on June 13, 2015 in Stockholm. Hellquist is a former model and reality television contestant. The couple has been living together since 2011. On April 19, 2016, Princess Sofia gave birth to a son, Prince Alexander Eric Hubertus Bertil. Their youngest son, Prince Gabriel Karl Walter, was born on August 31, 2017.
Carl XVI Gustaf
It was no coincidence that Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel chose the date of June 19 for their wedding. On this day in 1976, the current King of Sweden, Carl XVI Gustaf, married Queen Silvia.
King Carl XVI Gustaf is the seventh monarch of the Bernadotte dynasty. He was born on April 30, 1946, the fifth child and only son of Crown Prince Gustav Adolf and Princess Sibylla. Crown Prince Gustav Adolf died in a plane crash in Denmark a year after the birth of his son.
In 1950, after the death of his great-grandfather Gustav V, Carl Gustaf became Crown Prince of Sweden. Then his grandfather, 68-year-old Gustav VI Adolf, ascended the Swedish throne.
Gustav Adolf reigned for 23 years and died in 1973. In the same year (at the age of 27), the Crown Prince ascended the throne and became King Carl XVI Gustaf. Its motto is “For Sweden – at all times!”
Three generations of the royal family.
Queen's career
Translator Sylvia Sommerlath, a native of Germany, at one time probably could not have imagined that she was destined to become the Queen of Sweden. Sylvia met her future husband in 1972, at the Olympic Games in Munich, where Sylvia worked as a senior guide.
Silvia is the first Queen of Sweden to have a professional career before her marriage. In those days, marriages between royalty and “people of the people” were extremely rare. Queen Silvia managed to change the image of the queen, making it more modern. Her relationship with the king reigns, and Sylvia herself is engaged in social activities, paying especially much attention to the rights of children.
Photo: Kate Gabor/Kungahuset
For Sweden – at all times!
Sweden combines what seemed incompatible just a few decades ago: a country based on the principles of equality and a monarchy with strong historical traditions.
The most important symbol of Sweden and formally the head of state, according to the 1974 constitution, the king has no political power. The duties of the monarch are mainly ceremonial and representative.
King Carl XVI Gustaf puts a lot of effort into and is considered an authority on environmental issues. Among other things, he has received an award from the US Environmental Protection Agency. He pays no less attention to the preservation of Sweden's cultural heritage and believes that the royal palaces with their magnificent collections and parks should be accessible to everyone.
The difficult everyday life of a monarch
King Carl XVI Gustaf is an active monarch who is interested in what is happening in the country, including Swedish business. In addition to two or three annual official visits to other countries, he participates in international trips organized by the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences and the World Scout Organization.
Every year the royal receives thousands of invitations. Once a week, the king holds a meeting with the queen, the crown princess and his closest subordinates to review the invitations and decide which ones are the most important. During the year, the royal family manages to visit all corners of Sweden.
When the King is unable to carry out his duties (for example, while traveling abroad), Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Carl Philip or Princess Madeleine - in that order - temporarily assume the duties of regents.
Famous Swedish monarchs
Gustav II Adolf
Gustav II Adolf reigned from 1611 to 1632. Thanks to his participation in the Thirty Years' War, he was able to prove himself as a talented military leader and an experienced diplomat. Under his leadership, Sweden acquired one of the most combat-ready armies. Gustav II Adolf was killed in 1632 at the Battle of Lützen. Parliament decided to honor the memory of the monarch by giving him the title Gustavus Adolf the Great. No other Swedish king has received such an honor.
Queen Christina
With the exception of the short (1719-1720) reign of Queen Ulrika Elenora, Queen Christina is the only female monarch in modern Swedish history. Queen Christina ascended the throne after Gustav II Adolf in 1632, on the eve of her sixth birthday, reigned for 22 years, and abdicated the throne in 1654. Then she converted to Catholicism and settled in Rome, losing the throne to her cousin Carl Gustav. When he died in 1660, she returned to Sweden in the hope of regaining the throne. However, her demand was rejected by parliament, and Christina had to return to Rome.
Gustav III
Gustav III reigned from 1771 to 1792 and is often called the "King of the Theater." He was an enthusiastic patron of the arts, especially theater and opera, and founded the first opera in Stockholm (in 1782), the Swedish Academy and the Royal Swedish Academy of Music. The methods of government of Gustav III were not popular with the highest aristocracy. The result of this confrontation was a conspiracy in 1792: Gustav III was mortally wounded by a shot by Jakob Johan Anckarström during a masked ball at the Royal Opera House in Stockholm. Ankarström later confessed to his crime and was executed.
Future Queen of Sweden
Having eventually replaced her father on the royal throne, Crown Princess Victoria will become the 70th Swedish monarch and the third female monarch in Swedish history.
Crown Princess Victoria's daily routine includes formal dinners, opening ceremonies and meetings with high-profile international guests. In addition, she attends the Foreign Relations Advisory Council and ministerial meetings, and serves as temporary regent when necessary.
Victoria makes many official visits. Her first independent visit took place in 2001 - to Japan, where she presented the achievements of her country:, and. By the way, the Crown Princess shows personal interest in all these areas. In addition to Swedish, she speaks English, French and German.
What did the Crown Princess study?
Victoria received her primary education in, and secondary education in a private school. Despite dyslexia, thanks to her perseverance and love of knowledge, she graduated from school in 1996 with good grades.
After graduating from high school, the Crown Princess studied French at the Western Catholic University in Angers, France.
In 1998, she entered Yale University in the USA, where she studied geology, history and international relations. During her studies, she became very interested in international relations and completed internships at the UN in New York and at the Swedish Embassy in Washington.
In the spring of 2002, she continued her studies in international relations at the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies at Uppsala University in Sweden. As part of a training program with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), she visited Uganda and Ethiopia. She also interned at the offices of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Berlin and Paris, received basic military training and attended courses at the National Defense College (Försvarshögskolan) in Stockholm.
useful links
www.royalcourt.se Royal Court of Sweden
www.sweden.gov.se Swedish government agencies
Love for art
Crown Princess Victoria loves painting and drawing. She highly values the cultural heritage left by her ancestors. During big celebrations, she proudly wears the family jewelry.
Office in the old town
Like the king and queen, Crown Princess Victoria's office, where her subordinates work, is located in the royal palace in Stockholm's Old Town.
Hobby
Crown Princess Victoria loves spending time outdoors. She enjoys long walks, skiing and other outdoor activities. She loves animals very much, especially dogs. As a young mother, she spends a lot of time with her daughter Estelle.
Life in Haga Palace
Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Daniel and their daughter Estelle live in Haga Palace near Stockholm, where King Carl XVI Gustaf was born and lived for some time.
The Crown Princess Victoria Children's Fund was established in 1997 to provide health benefits to children with functional disabilities or chronic illnesses.
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