Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden to become a mother again in March 2016

The media is always speculating about royals being pregnant. And in most cases the media will sooner or later get it right. Speculations about Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden's "condition" has been circulating for some time, especially after photos from this summer's vacation were published. Today the Swedish Royal Court put an end to the speculations with the following confirmation:

The Crown Princess Couple is expecting a child

Their Royal Highnesses Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel are happy to announce that The Crown Princess is expecting their second child.

The birth is expected to take place in March of 2016.

No changes in the schedule of The Crown Princess Couple's public engagements are planned during the fall of 2015.

The prince or princess, to be born some time in March 2016 if everything goes as expected, will be Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel's second child. Their first child, Princess Estelle, Duchess of Östergötland, was born on 23 February 2012. Estelle's little brother or sister will be King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia's fourth grandchild, and will take his or her place as no. 3 in the line of succession.

National Day of Sweden

© The Swedish Royal Court (Photo: Kate Gabor).

In connection with the celebration of the National Day of Sweden -  «Svenska Flaggans Dag» (The Swedish Flag Day) - the Swedish Royal Court released a rather lovely photo of Princess Estelle (b. 23 February 2012), the daughter of Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel. The Swedish Royal Family took part in the celebrations at Skansen and held a reception at the Royal Palace in Stockholm.

The Swedish National Day is celebrated in memory of Gustav Vasa, who was elected King of Sweden on 6 June 1523. 6 June is also the day when Sweden promulgated a new Constitution (Instrument of Government) in 1809.

In two days Princess Madeleine, the youngest child and daughter of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia will marry Chris O'Neill in the Palace Church in Stockholm. For more information see the Royal Court's own wedding website.

Swedish Crown Princess couple celebrated the new year at Trysil, Norway

According to the Norwegian local newspaper Østlendingen, which mainly covers news from the Elverum area and Østerdalen in Hedmark county, Crown Princess Victoria, her husband Prince Daniel, their daughter Princess Estelle and several friends spent the New Year's weekend in the ski resort of Trysil.

The group is said to have arrived on 28 December and lived in a rental cottage south of Trysilfjellet. On New Year's Eve the group had a burger lunch (made of either moose or lamb meat) at Knettsetra which is situated at the alpine ski resort at Trysilfjellet ("The Trysil Mountain").

Updated on Thursday 3 January 2013 at 20:30 (subject title modified).

Princess Estelle of Sweden - after the christening

 I spent the Whitsun weekend at the island of Tjörn (north of Gothenburg). I didn't visit any bookstores during the stay - I am not sure if there were any in Skärhamn at all, although I passed a used bookstore - but when I went to the local supermarket I made sure to look at the various magazines which were on display.

The Swedish daily Expressen together with its sister newspapers GT and Kvällsposten had published a special issue in connection with Princess Estelle of Sweden's christening, which took place on Tuesday 22 May 2012. The magazine contains 176 photos showing the ceremony in the Palace Church, all the royal and "semi-royal" guests, members of the court and government as well as the many non-royal friends of the couple, including Caroline Kreuger Nilsson, who gave birth to the daughter Chloë 3 days before Princess Estelle was born (Crown Princess Victoria is one of Chloë's sponsors), her husband Jesper Nilsson as well as Caroline and Peder Dinkelspiel. There were also photos from the reception after the ceremony, besides the traditional "De kämpade för kärleken i sju år" ("They fought for their love for seven years"), presentations of Princess Estelle's uncle, Prince Carl Philip and aunt, Princess Madeleine, the Westling family and of Princess Estelle's royal friends and future colleagues,  including Prince Christian of Denmark, Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway, Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands and Infanta Leonor of Spain. You can also find flashbacks to the royal wedding in 2010 besides articles covering Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel's life as a married couple so far, the Bernadotte dynasty and the Haga Palace where the family of three now lives.

The special issue was published on Thursday 24 May and is for sale until Wednesday 30 May (i.e. tomorrow).

 

Copyright: Kungahuset.se. Official photo of Princess Estelle's sponsors Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, Anna Westling Söderström, the Prince of Orange (Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands), Crown Princess Mary of Denmark and Crown Prince Haakon of Norway together with Princess Estelle and her happy parents, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel.

The magazine therefore missed out on the official photos published by the Royal Court on Friday 25 May 2012.

The first issue of Swedish weekly magazine Svensk Damtidning after the christening came on sale on 25 May, so I gather that it missed out on the official photos as well. I didn't buy it, though. It is also on sale up to and including 30 May and boasts of 100 pages covering the Swedish royal event of the year (unless there should be a royal wedding in the fall...). If you miss out on the printed edition, then go to the magazine's website for articles and photos covering the great event.

I also bought the first issue of Sweden's new royal magazine, Kungliga Magasinet. Well, it is not that new anylonger, as it was published in April this year, but I only came across it this weekend. It is on sale also in Norway, but I haven't had much time to look for it. There is a huge Narvesen kiosk near Nationaltheatret metro station in Oslo, but too often I have to hurry from my work nearby to reach the train, meaning that I don't get enough time to check out for new magazines. Anyway, as the first issue was published in April, the June issue should be just around the corner. The first issue, 160 pages in all, includes among others an exclusive interview with Queen Silvia of Sweden, an article on her first granddaughter Princess Estelle, a presentation of Europe's royal heirs (Prince Christian of Denmark, Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands, Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway and Infanta Leonor of Spain, an interview with Count Carl Johan Bernadotte af Wisborg (made a few years ago in connection with the editor Roger Lundgren's biography of Princess Sibylla, mother of King Carl Gustaf), a story on Prince Bertil, who would have been 100 this year, a royal news section, in addition to articles on the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall's visit to Sweden, "the palace of the month" (Gripsholm) and the Royal Order of the Seraphim. And much, much more! For instance a presentation of the court jeweller Bolin and RDQ editor Ted Rosvall's article "En delad dynasti" ("A divided dynasty") about King Gustaf IV Adolf, who lost the throne in 1809, and other members of the Holstein-Gottorp dynasty. Besides - many great photos! A most promising debut, and one can only hope that Roger Lundgren will have greater success with his new magazine than he had with his previous one, Queen. Kungliga Magasinet is also on Facebook and Twitter. The former page is updated regularly, while the new royal magazine's Twitter account hasn't really "taken off". Svensk Damtidning is also on Facebook, I should add.

Christening of HRH Princess Estelle of Sweden

The christening of HRH Princess Estelle, the daughter of HRH Crown Princess Victoria and HRH Prince Daniel of Sweden, took place at the Palace Church in Stockholm on Tuesday 22 May 2012.

As has happened too often lately, other commitments made it impossible for me to write anything about the christening in advance or yesterday after the ceremony had taken place. On Monday I attended an extended committee meeting in connection with the preparations for the 31th International Congress for Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences, which will take place in Oslo in August 2014 (the 30th Congress takes place in Maastrict, the Netherlands in September 2012). And yesterday evening I attended the annual meeting of the Norwegian Genealogical Society. In other words, no time for blog writing. And as the ceremony took place in the middle of a work day, I didn't get the chance to watch any of it either.

But from what I have read and all the photos I have seen (there are at present 463 photos published at the official website's christening page, besides a film), the christening ceremony seems to have been a grand affair. The facts: The christening was officiated by Archbishop Anders Wejryd, assisted by Chaplain to The King and Bishop Emeritus Lars-Göran Lönnermark and Dean Åke Bonnier of the Cathedral Parish of Stockholm. Princess Estelle's sponsors were the Prince of Orange (Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands), Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Prince Carl Philip of Sweden and Ms. Anna Westling Söderström (Prince Daniel's sister).

The guest list, which can be viewed in full here, was long and impressive enough. It included, besides the Crown Princess couple and the main person: 

Sweden

• HM King Carl Gustaf  
• HM Queen Silvia  
• HRH Prince Carl Philip  
• HRH Princess Madeleine

HM The King's Family

• Princess Margaretha, Mrs. Ambler  
• HRH Princess Birgitta of Hohenzollern (née Princess of Sweden)  
• Désirée von Bohlen und Halbach, née Princess of Hohenzollern (daughter of Princess Birgitta) and her husband Eckbert von Bohlen und Halbach 
• Princess Désirée, Baroness Silfverschiöld 
• Baron Carl Silfverschiöld and Baroness Maria Silfverschiöld (son and daughter-in-law of the former) 
• Baroness Christina Louise De Geer and Baron Hans De Geer (daughter and son-in-law of Princess Désirée) 
• Baron Ian De Geer (grandchild of Princess Desirée) 
• Baroness Hélène Silfverschiöld and her partner Fredrik Diterle (the former the youngest daughter of Princess Désirée) 
• Princess Christina, Mrs. Magnuson and Tord Magnuson 
• Gustaf Magnuson and Vicky Andrén (son of Princess Christina; his partner) 
• Oscar Magnuson and Emma Magnuson (son of Princess Christina; his wife) 
• Victor Magnuson and Frida Bergström (son of Princess Christina; his partner) 
• Countess Marianne Bernadotte af Wisborg (widow of Count Sigvard Bernadotte af Wisborg, born Prince of Sweden) 
• Countess Gunnila Bernadotte af Wisborg (widow of Count Carl Johan Bernadotte af Wisborg, born Prince of Sweden) 
• Count Bertil Bernadotte af Wisborg and Countess Jill Bernadotte af Wisborg (the former a grandson of Prince Oscar Bernadotte, born Prince of Sweden) 
• Dagmar von Arbin (a granddaughter of Prince Oscar Bernadotte)

Belgium

• HRH Prince Philippe, Duke of Brabant and HRH Princess Mathilde

Denmark

• HM Queen Margrethe II and HRH Prince Henrik 
• HRH Crown Prince Frederik and HRH Crown Princess Mary

Finland

• HE President Sauli Niinistö and his wife Jenni Haukio

Iceland

• Dorrit Moussaieff (wife of President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson)

Luxembourg

• HRH Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and his fiancée Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy

The Netherlands

• HRH The Prince of Orange (Willem-Alexander) and HRH Princess Máxima

Norway

• HRH Crown Prince Haakon (HRH Crown Princess Mette-Marit had an engagement in the USA) 
• Princess Märtha Louise and Ari Behn

In addition numerous members of the families of Queen Silvia and Prince Daniel besides representatives of the official Sweden. Not included in the official guest list, but very much present and well covered by the media and the royalty watchers, were Prince Carl Philip's partner Sofia Hellqvist and Princess Madeleine's partner Chris O'Neill.

Interestingly enough it appeared that King Carl Gustaf had bestowed upon Princess Estelle the Royal Order of the Seraphim.  The arms and monogram of Princess Estelle (see images above) were also published. The four quarters of the arms show the lesser coat of arms of Sweden (field 1 and 4), the arms of Folkunga (field 2) and in field 3 the arms of Östergötland (Princess Estelle is Duchess of Östergötland), while the inescutcheon shows the arms of the House of Bernadotte. The arms are crowned by the princess crown. The monogram consists of the initial E and a princess crown above. The heraldic artist Vladimir A. Sagerlund has designed both the arms and the monogram, which were approved by the king.

Sweden: Princess Estelle stole the show on her granddad's birthday

Around 2000 people gathered at the Outer Courtyard of the Royal Palace in Stockholm when the public celebration of King Carl XVI Gustaf's 66th birthday took place today. According to the Royal Court's website as well as The Local/TT), the band of the Royal Swedish Navy played among others several marches as well as a medley of the glamrock group The Ark's songs and also the pop group Abba's "The winner takes it all". The traditional 21-gun salute from Skeppsholmen and the change of the guards also took place. The king took the time to receive flowers and drawings from many children.

Later the king appeared on one of the palace balconies, where he was joined by Prince Carl Philip, Queen Silvia and eventually also Crown Prince Victoria and Prince Daniel with their 2 months' old daughter Princess Estelle. This was of course received very well by the crowd, and has also made headlines in the Swedish newspapers. See for instance Aftonbladet.se and Expressen.se in addition to the links made above. A direct link to Expressen's TV coverage can be viwed here.

The then Princess Victoria also made a similar public appearance on the balcony on the king's 32nd birthday in 1978 when she was 9 months old. We will not have to wait so long for Princess Estelle's next public appearance, as her christening will take place on Tuesday 22 May at the Palace Church in Stockholm.

HRH Princess Estelle Silvia Ewa Mary, Duchess of Östergötland

In an extraordinary Council of State at Stockholm Palace yesterday, 24 February 2012, HM King Carl Gustaf announced that the newborn daughter of HRH Crown Princess Victoria and HRH Prince Daniel, had got the names Estelle Silvia Ewa Mary, that her call name was Estelle and that the king had bestowed on her the dukedom of Östergötland (Ostrogothia).

Most people, whether «experts» on royalty or not, were certainly taken by surprise by the choice of call name. Most of us expected a traditional royal name like Christina, Ulrika, Sofia or Margareta, not a name of French origin never used in the royal family before. Yes, the American-born wife of Count Folke Bernadotte af Wisborg, Estelle Romaine Manville (1904–1984), bore that name, and so do two of her grandchildren (Countess Maria Estelle Bernadotte of Wisborg, b. 1962, and Countess Astrid Désirée Estelle Bernadotte af Wisborg, b. 1987) as well as one of her great grandchildren (Countess Astrid Ruth Estelle Bernadotte af Wisborg, b. 1999), but they belonged or belong to the Bernadotte family, not the royal family. Did Crown Princess Victoria ever meet Countess Estelle? Not that it really matters. I gather that the Crown Princess couple first of all chose the name because they liked it and not because they wanted to name their daughter after a distant in-law.

The second and third name, Silvia and Ewa, after the princess' grandmothers, Queen Silvia and Anna Kristina Eva (*) Westling, were more predictable. When the princess was born on Thursday 23 February, I initiated at the Scandinavian Royals Message Board a name-guessing competition where one would get 5 points if one guessed the right call name, 3 points if one managed to put the other names in the right position and 1 point for each correctly guessed name but not put in the right position. Obviously no-one came up with Estelle, but quite a few suggested Silvia and Eva/Ewa. Funnily enough only two people – and I was one of them – managed to put the names Silvia and Ewa in the right position and thereby won the competition by scoring 6 points. Not sure where the Crown Princess couple got Mary (why not Maria?) from, I cannot find it in Prince Daniel's ancestry table, but it might indicate that Crown Princess Mary of Denmark will be one of Princess Estelle's sponsors at the christening.

I was certainly one of the many who would have preferred a more traditional royal name for the newborn princess, or at least a name with Swedish/Norse roots. For what is the monarchy about if not traditions? Now, I am not saying that all old traditions should be kept just for the sake of it - the witness declaration (confirmation) is a tradition which I view as rather empty and meaningless and could easily be dropped. But royal names, especially names for people in the direct line – Princess Estelle is the heir's heir and will one day inherit the Swedish throne – symbolize continuity, the long line of monarchs, and unite the past with the present and the future. Of course it was up to the parents to decide. And it is certainly nothing «wrong» with the name Estelle as such, even if it is not a traditional royal name, and we will get easily used to it. Some of the reactions after the name was announced were rather hilarious. It is nice that people care so much about royal names and royal traditions, though.

I read some funny comments on Twitter yesterday. Several people recalled that Joey Trabbiani in the sitcom «Friends», had an incompetent agent with the name Estelle. Not to forget George Constanza's mother Estelle in «Seinfeld». And the actress playing the character «Sophia» in «The Golden Girls» was Estelle Getty... I am of course not suggesting that Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel picked the name from a sitcom, though, just adding some humour into it. It seems needed after some of the reactions to the name!

(*) For some reason the Royal Court uses the spelling «Ewa» for Prince Daniel's mother, and maybe that is her own preference. It should be added, though, that she is officially registered as Anna Kristina Eva Westling, i.e. with a «v», not «w», cf. Ratiset.se.

Postscript 26 February 2012 at 09.00

It seems that the Countess Estelle Bernadotte af Wisborg connection was not so far-fetched as I had originally thought. The Swedish daily Aftonbladet published an article on Saturday 25 February where we are told that Crown Princess Victoria has loved the name Estelle since she was a little girl and that the countess was an important woman to King Carl Gustaf. Estelle's husband Count Folke Bernadotte af Wisborg was one of Carl Gustaf's sponsors («godparents») and he was a good friend to have after the king's father Prince Gustaf Adolf died in 1947. The king's mother Princess Sibylla and Countess Estelle remained close friends after the count was killed in 1948. According to royal expert Roger Lundgren Crown Princess Victoria also met Countess Estelle a few times before the countess died in 1984. Crown Princess Victoria is also close to Count Folke and Countess Estelle's son Bertil (b. 1935). Another son, the younger Count Folke, b. 1931, was very touched when he heard about the name choice, cf. VG.no's reproduction of Aftonbladet's article.

Sources for the postscript: VG.no 25 February 2012 and various comments made by Roger Lundgren at the Scandinavian Royals Message Board 25-26 February 2012.

Updated on Sunday 26 February 2012 at 09.00 (postscript and information about Countess Maria Estelle Bernadotte af Wisborg in the main article added), Friday 2 March 2012 at 16.40 (postscript corrected, cf. the comments section) and last time on Saturday 3 March 2012 at 09.00 (yet another Estelle example added).