Swedish royal family explained
The Swedish royal family (Swedish: Svenska kungafamiljen) since 1818 has consisted of members of the Swedish Royal House of Bernadotte, closely related to the King of Sweden. Today those who are recognized by the government are entitled to royal titles and styles (manner of address), and perform official engagements and ceremonial duties of state. The extended family of the King (Swedish: Sveriges kungliga familj) consists of other close relatives who are not royal and thus do not represent the country officially.
History
See main article: Monarchy of Sweden.
A Swedish royal family, as closely related to a head of state, has been able to be identified as existent from as early as the 10th century A.D., with more precise detail added during the two or three centuries that followed. An exceptional case is that of Saint Bridget (1303–1373) who outside of Sweden became known as the Princess of Nericia,[1] a title which appears to have been a noble, rather than a royal one, since she was not the daughter of a king. Historically confirmed monarchs are listed officially by the Swedish Royal Court.
Until the 1620s Swedish provinces were granted as territorial appanages to royal princes which, as dukes thereof, they governed semi-autonomously. Beginning during the reign of Gustav III, and as codified in § 34 of the 1772 Instrument of Government, provincial dukedoms have existed in the royal family as nominal non-hereditary titles only, without any inherent property ownership or trust attached to them; although several members of the royal family have maintained a special public connection to, and sometimes a secondary residence in, "his or her duchy".
The son of a Swedish king has usually held the princely title as a royal dynast (such as Prince Bertil, Duke of Halland), but on a rare occasion also as a rank of nobility (such as Fursten Prince Frederick William of Hessenstein), or as a courtesy title for an ex-dynast (such as Prins Oscar Bernadotte).
Members
Royal House
The Swedish Royal Court lists the following persons as members of the Royal House (Kungl. Huset):
- King Carl XVI Gustaf (born 1946)
- Queen Silvia (the King's wife, born 1943)
- Crown Princess Victoria, Duchess of Västergötland (the King's elder daughter, born 1977)
- Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland (the King's son-in-law, born 1973, husband of Crown Princess Victoria)
- Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland (the King's only son, born 1979)[2]
- Princess Sofia, Duchess of Värmland (the King's daughter-in-law, born 1984, wife of Prince Carl Philip)
- Princess Madeleine, Duchess of Hälsingland and Gästrikland (the King's younger daughter, born 1982),
married to Christopher O'Neill (born 1974, he declined a royal title and is not a member of the Royal House)
- Princess Birgitta, Princess of Hohenzollern (the King's second sister, born 1937), widow of Prince Johann Georg of Hohenzollern (1932–2016)
Royal Family
The Royal Court lists the following persons additionally as members of the Royal Family (Kungl. Familjen):[3]
- Prince Alexander, Duke of Södermanland (the King's grandson, born 2016, son of Prince Carl Philip)
- Prince Gabriel, Duke of Dalarna (the King's grandson, born 2017, son of Prince Carl Philip)
- Prince Julian, Duke of Halland (the King's grandson, born 2021, son of Prince Carl Philip)
- Princess Leonore, Duchess of Gotland (the King's granddaughter, born 2014, daughter of Princess Madeleine)[4]
- Prince Nicolas, Duke of Ångermanland (the King's grandson, born 2015, son of Princess Madeleine)
- Princess Adrienne, Duchess of Blekinge (the King's granddaughter, born 2018, daughter of Princess Madeleine)
- Princess Margaretha, Mrs. Ambler (the King's first sister, born 1934), widow of John Ambler (1924–2008)
- Princess Désirée, Baroness Silfverschiöld (the King's third sister, born 1938), widow of Baron Niclas Silfverschiöld (1934–2017)
- Princess Christina, Mrs. Magnuson (the King's fourth sister, born 1943), married to Consul General Tord Magnuson (born 1941)
- Marianne Bernadotte (born 1924), widow of the King's paternal uncle Sigvard Bernadotte (1907–2002)
Relationships of current members
- Red-framed persons are deceased.
See also: Family tree of Swedish monarchs.
- Notes
- Book: Martinus, Eivor . Barndrottningen Filippa och hennes värld . 2014 . Carlsson . Stockholm . sv . 978-91-7331-663-7 . . 115, 164 & 167 . Furstinnan från/av Närke.
- Web site: Communiqué on changes to The Royal House - Sveriges Kungahus. www.kungahuset.se. en. 7 October 2019.
- http://www.kungahuset.se/kungafamiljen.4.1c3432a100d8991c5b80002606.html Swedish version of Royal Court's website
- http://www.svt.se/nyheter/sverige/namnet-blir-offentligt SVT Nyheter
* Member of the Royal House (Kungl. Huset)
** Member of the Royal Family (Kungl. Familjen)
See also
External links
