All about the Swedish royal family tree – the House of Bernadotte explained

All you need to know about the House of Bernadotte from King Carl Gustaf from Princess Estelle

Online News Writer & Diversity and Inclusion Lead

2 May 20242 May 2024, 15:22 BST

The Swedish royal family can trace its roots all the way back to 970 AD with Eric the Victorious. Over a thousand years later, the monarchy is still going strong in the Scandinavian country, which is currently helmed by King Carl XVI Gustaf.

While most monarchies around the world hold ceremonial roles, this is doubly the case for the Swedish royal family, with the King's current roles no longer involving any executive functions including the appointment of a new Prime Minister, signing legislation or being the commander-in-chief of the military.

Here's all you need to know about the Swedish royal family from King Carl XVI Gustaf to Princess Adrienne…

Family tree

King Carl XVI Gustaf

Born on 30 April 1946, Carl Gustaf is the current head of the House of Bernadotte. Carl did not succeed his father to the throne, instead succeeding his grandfather, Gustaf VI Adolf, after his father, Prince Gustaf Adolf, died in a plane crash when the young royal was less than a year old.

As a result, Carl became the crown prince when he was just four years old upon the death of his great-grandfather. At the time of his birth, Carl was the youngest of five, but due to male-favoured primogeniture laws, he ascended before his sisters in the line of succession.

Meet the Families

The monarch ascended to the throne on 15 September 1973, however, due to constitutional reforms that were introduced by his grandfather he was almost immediately stripped of many of his executive roles, instead now only existing in a ceremonial role. However, King Carl still undertakes some duties including the opening of parliament, state visits, the chairing of certain meetings and presenting the Nobel Prizes.

King Carl met Silvia Sommerlath at the 1972 Olympic Games and after daring for four years, the couple tied the knot on 19 June 1976. The couple have welcomed three children, Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Madeleine.

As of 26 April 2018, King Carl Gustaf is the longest-serving monarch in Swedish history. However, in 2023, he underwent surgery with a catheter in the "heart area".

Queen Silvia

Born on 23 December 1943 as Silvia Sommerlath, Queen Silvia is the current Queen of Sweden following her marriage to King Carl XVI Gustaf. At the time of meeting the royal, she was leading a marketing campaign for the city of Munich.

Silvia is now a mum of three after welcoming Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Madeleine.

Alongside her royal duties, Silvia is active in the charity sector, having founded the Mentor Foundation, which helps people with addictions, in 1994 and co-founding the World Childhood Foundation in 1999.

Princess Margaretha

Born on 31 October 1934, Margaretha is the oldest sister of King Carl XVI Gustaf, but due to male-favoured primogeniture rules, she was never actually in line to the throne.

During the 1950s, she dated Robin Douglas-Homes, the nephew of former British prime minister Alec Douglas-Home. The UK held a special place in Margaretha's heart and she met her husband, John Ambler, at a dinner party in the country. The couple married on 30 June 1964 and have welcomed three children, Sybilla (b. 1965), Edward (b. 1966) and James (b. 1969). The couple separated in 1994, but they weren't divorced at the time of John's death in 2008.

Due to losing her royal status following her marriage to a commoner, Margaretha does not undertake any duties for the Swedish royal family, only appearing for family milestones. She currently lives in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire.

John Ambler

Born on 6 June 1924, John became a successful businessman and began directing parcel delivery companies Atlas Express Ltd and Atlas Air Express.

He met Princess Margaretha at a dinner party and the pair wed in 1964 and welcomed three children. Despite Margaretha losing her royal titles, the Amblers had a close bond with the royals and would regularly go on hunting trips.

John and Margaretha separated in 1994, however, they remained married until John's death on 31 July 2008. The businessman lived in poor health for his final years, passing away in a nursing home.

Princess Birgitta

Born on 19 January 1937, Princess Birgitta is the older sister of King Carl XVI Gustaf. Unlike her royal sisters, Birgitta still retains her royal title as she married someone of her status.

In 1959, the royal met German royal Prince Johann Georg at a cocktail party and the couple announced their engagement a year later and they married on 25 May 1961. The duo have welcomed three children: Prince Carl (b. 1962), Princess Desiree (b. 1963) and Prince Hubertus (b. 1966).

The pair separated in 1990, although they remained married until Johann's death. She currently lives in Mallorca.

Prince Johann

Born on 31 July 1932, Prince Johann Georg was born into the House of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, a royal house which has previously produced monarchs in Romania.

Johann Georg married Princess Birgitta in 1961 before welcoming three children, Carl, Desiree and Hubertus. The couple separated in 1990, although they remained close and Johann Georg would still accompany his wife to Swedish events, like Crown Princess Victoria's wedding in 2010.

The royal had a keen interest in the arts and was the director-general of the Bavarian State Picture Collection. Following a period of ill health, Johann Georg died on 2 March 2016 at the age of 83.

Princess Désirée

Princess Birgitta with Princess Desiree and Niclas Silfverschiöld — Desiree (centre) lost her royal titles after marrying Niclas

Born on 2 June 1938, Princess Désirée is the third oldest sister of King Carl XVI Gustaf. Like many of her sisters, Désirée lost her royal titles when she married the aristocrat Baron Niclas Silfverschiöld.

The pair walked down the aisle on 19 December 1963, and the pair welcomed three children: Carl Otto (b. 1965), Christina-Louise (b.1966) and Hélène (b. 1968). Desiree and Niclas remained married until his death in 2017.

Niclas Silfverschiöld

Born on 31 May 1934, Niclas Silfverschiöld was a member of the Swedish aristocracy and was raised in Koberg Castle, where his family still lives. He served in the Swedish army before succeeding his father in running the family's estates.

In 1963, he married Princess Desiree and they welcomed three children. He died at the age of 82 on 11 April 2017.

Princess Christina

Born on 3 August 1943, Princess Christina is one of the older sisters of King Carl XVI Gustaf. Like many of her sisters, Christina has sacrificed her royal style for love after marrying business executive Tord Magnuson on 15 June 1974.

The couple have welcomed three children: Carl Gustaf Victor (b. 1975), Tord Oscar (b. 1977) and Victor Edmund (b. 1980).

Christina chairs the Swedish Red Cross and in 2016, she was diagnosed with chronic leukaemia. However, following stem cell treatment, she made a full recovery.

Tord Magnuson

Born on 7 April 1941, Tord Magnuson is a business executive and he first met his future wife, Princess Christina in 1961. However, it would be another 13 years until they walked down the aisle on 15 June 1974.

Tord is a father-of-three and is also King Carl XVI Gustaf's only living brother-in-law.

Crown Princess Victoria

Born on 14 July 1977, Crown Princess Victoria is the heir apparent to the Swedish throne and is the oldest child of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia. If she ascends to the throne, she will be Sweden's first queen regent – and fourth overall – since 1720. Following the birth of her younger brother, Prince Carl Philip, she was briefly displaced in the line of succession, but after Sweden adopted absolute primogeniture rules, she became the heir apparent once again.

After studying at the Catholic University of the West and Yale, Victoria became an intern at the Swedish embassy in the United States before completing basic solider training and working in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 1997, she set up the Crown Princess Victoria's Fund, which works to help disabled children.

Crown Princess Victoria initially dated Daniel Collert, who is now a film producer, after the couple met during their school days, however they went their separate ways in 2001. In 2002, there was media speculation that Victoria was dating her personal trainer, Daniel Westling.

The relationship was confirmed later in the year and the duo dated for seven years before Daniel got down on knee and the pair were married on 19 June 2010. The duo have welcomed two children, Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar.

Victoria has been open about her health issues, including a battle with anorexia and an eating disorder. In the 2002 book, Victoria, Victoria!, she said: "I felt like an accelerating train, going right down... during the whole period. I had eating disorders and was aware of it, my anguish was enormous. I really hated how I looked like, how I was... I, Victoria, didn't exist. It felt like everything in my life and around me was controlled by others. The one thing I could control was the food I put in me."

Prince Daniel

Born on 15 September 1973 as Olof Daniel Westling, the royal initially worked as a personal trainer and ran Balance Training, which operated three gyms in Stockholm. Ahead of becoming a personal trainer, Daniel served in the Swedish army through conscription reaching the rank of lieutenant before being honourably discharged at the end of his 15-month period.

In 2010, Daniel married Crown Princess Victoria and the pair welcomed two children. When it comes to his royal work, Daniel is involved in areas around childhood fitness, founding the Prince Daniel's Race and Sports Day, and health. Three months after his engagement, Daniel had a kidney transplant due to a renal condition – Daniel's father was the donor.

Prince Carl Philip

Born on 13 May 1979, Prince Carl Philip is the second child of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia and is fourth in line to the throne. Due to male-favoured primogeniture rules at the time of his birth, Carl Philip was the heir apparent for seven months until rules changed to benefit the oldest child of a monarch.

Like many royals, sport holds a special place in the royal's heart and he has previously competed in the Vasaloppet, the longest cross-country skiing race in the world and the Scandinavian Touring Car Championship.

Between 1999 and 2009, Carl Philip dated PR agent Emma Pernald and after the end of their relationship, he moved onto glamour model Sofia Hellqvist. The pair dated for four years before Carl Philip proposed to Sofia and the couple walked down the aisle on 13 June 2015. The couple have welcomed three sons, Prince Alexander, Prince Gabriel and Prince Julian.

On 7 October 2019, Carl rescinded the royal titles of Carl Philip's children, a move that Carl Philip and his wife said would allow their children to have "normal" lives.

Princess Sofia

Born as Sofia Hellqvist on 6 December 1984, Princess Sofia worked as a glamour model before she met Prince Carl Philip. One of her most memorable photos saw her wearing only a bikini bottom and a live boa constrictor and she also competed in the reality competition Paradise Hotel, reaching the final.

Sofia started dating Carl Philip in 2010, with the pair marrying in 2015 and welcoming three children.

Princess Madeleine

Born on 10 June 1982, Princess Madeleine is the youngest child King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia and is eighth in line to the throne. Following her studies, Madeleine spent six months as an intern at UNICEF in child protective services. In 2012, she set up ThankYou by Childhood, which works to raise awareness of child sexual abuse.

In 2009, Madeleine became engaged to lawyer Jonas Bergstrom, however, their 2010 wedding was postponed due to "many things happening in an intense period of time", including Crown Princess Victoria's wedding. However, media speculation soon arose about the state of their relationship and on 24 April 2010, their wedding was called off.

Following the break-down of her engagement, Madeleine moved to New York City where she met American-British financier Christopher O'Neill. The couple's engagement was announced on 25 October 2012 and the pair married on 8 June 2013. The pair have welcomed three children, Princess Leonore, Prince Nicolas and Princess Adrienne.

Like with Carl Philip's children, Madeleine's children have lost their royal titles in order to give them a more "normal" life. The pair have since lived in New York City, but are now due to move back to Sweden.

Christopher O'Neill

Born on 27 June 1974, Christopher O'Neill is an American-British financier and was instrumental in setting up the European headquarters of Oppenheimer & Co. In 2013, he married Princess Madeleine and subsequently welcomed three children.

Unlike other royal spouses, Christopher doesn't have a royal title and doesn't undertake any royal duties on behalf of the Swedish royal family, allowing him to continue with his job in the financial sector.

Princess Estelle

Born on 23 February 2012, Princess Estelle is the oldest child of Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel and is second in line to the throne. Due to laws around succession, Estelle is the first female in Swedish royal history to not be superseded by her younger brother. Estelle currently attends the Campus Manilla School.

Prince Oscar

Born on 2 March 2016, Prince Oscar is the youngest child of Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel and is third in line to the throne. Like his older sister, Prince Oscar attends the Campus Manilla School.

Prince Alexander

Born on 19 April 2016, Prince Alexander is the oldest son of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia and is fifth in line to the throne. After the stripping of his royal title, the youngster became the Duke of Södermanland. In 2022, Alexander began attending Djurgårdsskolan, a small school with only 94 pupils.

Prince Gabriel

Born on 31 August 2017, Prince Gabriel is the second child of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia and is sixth in line to the throne. Following the stripping of his royal title, Gabriel became the Duke of Dalarna.

Prince Julian

Born on 26 March 2021, Prince Julian is the youngest son of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia and is seventh in line to the throne. While Prince Julian never had an official royal title, he has been bestowed the title of Duke of Halland.

Princess Leonore

Born on 20 February 2014, Princess Leonore is the oldest child of Princess Madeleine and Christopher O'Neill and is ninth in line to the throne. Following the stripping of her royal title, Princess Leonore became known as the Duchess of Gotland. Leonore has been studying in an American school while living in Miami with her family, but she will start at a Swedish school when she returns to the country.

Prince Nicolas

Born on 15 June 2015, Prince Nicolas is the middle child of Princess Madeleine and Christopher O'Neill and is tenth in line to the throne. Following the stripping of his royal title, Nicolas became the Duke of Ångermanland. Nicolas has been studying in an American school while living in Miami with his family, but he will start at a Swedish school when he returns to the country.

Princess Adrienne

Born on 9 March 2018, Princess Adrienne is the youngest child of Princess Madeleine and Christopher O'Neill and is eleventh in line to the throne. Following the stripping of her royal title, Adrienne became the Duchess of Blekinge. She will start attending a pre-school when she returns to Sweden.

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