Funeral and memorial services for Count Carl Johan Bernadotte af Wisborg

The funeral service for Count Carl Johan Bernadotte af Wisborg, b. Prince of Sweden, who died on 5 May 2012, took place at Mariakyrkan in Båstad yesterday, 14 May. Besides the immediate family - among them Count Carl Johan's widow Gunnila and his children from his first marriage, Monica Bonde and Christian Bernadotte - the service was attended among others by the late count's nephew, King Carl Gustaf, as well as Queen Silvia, Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Daniel, Prince Carl Philip, Princess Margaretha Mrs. Ambler, Princess Désirée, Baroness Silfverschiöld, Princess Christina Mrs. Magnuson, Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik of Denmark, Princess Benedikte of Denmark (and Princess of Saynb-Wittgenstein-Berleburg), former Queen Anne-Marie of the Hellenes and Countess Gunnila's cousin Ian Wachtmeister. See Expressen.se for a film taken outside the church.

A private memorial service took place at the Palace Church in Stockholm today at noon. Most of the people who attended the funeral service yesterday, were also present today, except for Prince Henrik and Queen Anne Marie. Princess Madeleine returned home from the United States in order to pay her respect, and Princess Birgitta also joined the mourners.

Following the memorial service, the casket was brought to Haga burial grounds where Count Carl Johan was laid to rest. Afterwards King Carl Gustaf hosted a lunch for selected guests at the Royal Palace in Stockholm.

In my blog article on 9 May, I commented that "As of now it seems that no members of the Norwegian Royal Family will attend the funeral, but the calendar at the official website might not have been updated". As it appeared, the Norwegian royal family was not represented at either services, which I suppose was not a big surprise. Count Carl Johan was - even if they had met on occasions - only a distant cousin, and both the king and crown prince had other engagements.


Updated on Thursday 16 May 2012 at 16.00 (typos corrected).