Sweden: Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia have become parents to their fourth child

The Swedish Royal Court announced today the birth of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia's fourth child, a girl:

7 February 2025

TRH Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia welcome their fourth child – a daughter

Today, Friday 7th February at 1.10 p.m., HRH Princess Sofia gave birth to a daughter at Danderyd Hospital in Stockholm.

The baby weighs 3645 grams and is 49 centimetres long.

Prince Carl Philip was present at Danderyd Hospital throughout the birth.

The pregnancy was announced in September 2024. The couple has three boys - Prince Alexander, b. 2016, Prince Gabriel, b. 2017 and Prince Julian, b. 2021. The new princes, who is no. 8 in the line of succession to the Swedish throne, is King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia's 9th grandchild.

The updated line of succesion:

1. HRH Crown Princess Victoria (b. 1977)
2. HRH Princess Estelle (b. 2012)
3. HRH Prince Oscar (b. 2016)
4. HRH Prince Carl Philip (b. 1979)
5. Prince Alexander (b. 2016)
6. Prince Gabriel (b. 2017)
7. Prince Julian (b. 2021)
8. Princess NN (b. 2025)
9. HRH Princess Madeleine (b. 1982)
10. Princess Leonore (b. 2014)
11. Prince Nicolas (b. 2015)
12. Princess Adrienne (b. 2018)

Due to the king's decision in 2019 to "downsize" the Swedish Royal Family, the princess is not a member of the Royal House, but "only" of the Royal Family. The name and ducal title will be announced by the King in a Council of State. The date of the council has not been announced yet.

 

It is difficult to guess what the name of the newborn princess could be. As always I hope for  a traditional royal name, or at least a traditional Swedish name, but I suppose we can expect something more modern.

The Swedish Tax Agency, which has taken over the name statistics from Statistics Sweden, has, by the way, just recently published the list of the most popular Swedish names given to girls and boys born in 2024. The top ten list of names for girls born in 2024 is as follows:

1. Alma
2. Alice
3. Olivia
4. Elsa
5. Vera
6. Saga
7. Selma
8. Astrid
9. Ella
10. Signe

It would be nice with a Princess Alice, a Princess Elsa or a Princess Astrid, don't you think?

UK: Princess Beatrice gives birth to second daughter

Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi became on 22 January 2025 parents to their second child, a daughter, as announced by Buckingham Palace via social media:

Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice and Mr Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are delighted to announce the safe arrival of their daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi, born on Wednesday, 22nd January, at 12:57pm. 

The baby was born weighing 4 pounds and 5 ounces.

The King and Queen, and other members of The Royal Family have all been informed and are delighted with the news. 

Princess Beatrice and Mr Mapelli Mozzi would like to thank all the staff at the hospital for their wonderful care. 

Her Royal Highness and her daughter are healthy and doing well, and the family are enjoying spending time together with Athena’s older siblings, Wolfie and Sienna.

The couple's first daughter, Sienna, was born on 18 September 2021. Eduardo Mapelli Mozzi also has a son, Christopher Woolf, born 2016, from an earlier relationship. The baby girl, who is no. 11 in the line of succession to the British throne, is the Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York's fourth grandchild.

The updated line of succession to the British throne (top 25):

1. The Prince of Wales (Prince William) (b. 1982) 
2. Prince George of Wales (b. 2013) 
3. Princess Charlotte of Wales (b. 2015) 
4. Prince Louis of Wales (b. 2018) 
5. The Duke of Sussex (Prince Harry) (b. 1984) 
6. Prince Archie of Sussex (b. 2019)
7. Princess Lilibet of Sussex (b. 2021) 
8. The Duke of York (Prince Andrew) (b. 1960) 
9. Princess Beatrice (b. 1988) 
10. Sienna Mapelli Mozzi (b. 2021) 
11. Athena Mapelli Mozzi (b. 2025)
12. Princess Eugenie (b. 1990) 
13. August Brooksbank (b. 2021)
14. Ernest Brooksbank (b. 2023) 
15. The Duke of Edinburgh (Prince Edward) (b. 1964) 
16. The Earl of Wessex (James Mountbatten-Windsor) (b. 2007) 
17. Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor (b. 2003)
18. The Princess Royal (Princes Anne) (b. 1950) 
19. Peter Phillips (b. 1977) 
20. Savannah Phillips (b. 2010) 
21. Isla Phillips (b. 2012) 
22. Zara Tindall (née Phillips; b. 1981) 
23. Mia Tindall (b. 2014) 
24. Lena Tindall (b. 2018) 
25. Lucas Tindall (b. 2021) 

Updated on 29 January 2025 at 22:15 (birth date of Athena corrected).

Norway: Queen Sonja to have a pacemaker implanted

The Norwegian Royal Court announced on Sunday 12 January 2025 that Queen Sonja of Norway the same day had been admitted to Lillehammer Hospital for observation after experiencing heart fibrillation while skiing. Her situation was not regarded as serious, and she was discharged the next day. By then her heart rate had gone back to normal.

The court announced today that Queen Sonja was to be admitted to Rikshospitalet (the National Hospital) in Oslo on Wednesday 15 January in order to get a pacemaker implanted the day after. She is expected to remain in hospital a day or two after the procedure has taken place.

Sweden: Funeral service for Princess Birgitta to take place on Sunday 15 December 2024

The Swedish Royal Court announced yesterday that the funeral service for Princess Birgitta, who died on 4 December 2024, 87 years old, will take place on Sunday 15 December 2024 at Drottningholm Palace Church. Afterwards she will be laid at rest at Kungliga begravningsplatsen (The Royal Cemetery) at Haga. In accordance with Princess Birgitta's own wishes, the ceremonies will be a private affair where only family and others who have got an invitation will be present.

On the funeral day flags will be fly at half staff at the Royal Palace, Drottningholm Palace and Haga Palace until after the princess has been buried.

Princess Birgitta of Hohenzollern, née Princess of Sweden (1937-2024)

The Swedish Royal Court announced today 4 December 2024 the death of Princess Birgitta of Hohenzollern. 

Princess Birgitta, b. Haga in Solna outside Stockholm 19 January 2024 was the second oldest daughter of Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden (1906-1947) and Princess Sibylla of Sweden, née Princess of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, and thus an elder sister of King Carl Gustaf. In 1961 Princess Birgitta married Prince Johann-Georg of Hohenzollern (1932-2016) and had by him 3 children. Since her marriage she lived for many years in Munich, Germany before moving to Mallorca after she had separated from her husband. 

The Swedish Royal Court has so far only stated that the princess died at Mallorca earlier today on 4 December 2024. The English-speaking local newspaper Majorca Daily Bulletin claims to know that she died at her home in Santa Ponsa. A friend of Princess Birgitta has, however, told Aftonbladet that she had been hospitalized lately due to a broken arm, but was about to be released from hospital when she died earlier this morning. The article doesn't explicitly say that she died at the hospital, though. Another friend of the princess has on the other hand told the newspaper Expressen that she died in a local hospital.

Princess Birgitta was at the time of her death still a member of the Swedish Royal House because she, unlike her sisters, had married into royalty. 

The court writes that details about the funeral service. which will be a private affair («Gravsättning sker i kretsen av Prinsessans familj») will be given later. In accordance with her wishes she will be laid at rest at Kungliga begravningsplatsen (The Royal Cemetery) at Haga.

Updated (4 December 2024 at 21:41):

After my blog article was updated the Swedisn Royal Court has made an English version of its press release, which I quote in full:

4 December 2024

HRH Princess Birgitta has passed away

HRH Princess Birgitta, sister of HM The King, passed away on the island of Mallorca on Wednesday 4th December 2024. The Princess was 87 years old.

On the occasion of the death of HRH Princess Birgitta, the following statement is made by HM The King:

“With great sadness, I have today received the news that my sister, Princess Birgitta, has passed away. My sister was a colorful and forthright person who will be deeply missed by me and my family. Together with all my family, I send my condolences to Princess Birgitta's children and grandchildren.”

Princess Birgitta was the widow of Prince Johann Georg of Hohenzollern (1932–2016) and lived on the Spanish island of Mallorca for many years. Princess Birgitta leaves behind her three children and their families.

Flags at half mast

HM The King has ordered the flags at Drottningholm Palace and Haga Palace to be flown at half mast on the 5th December.

Funeral arrangements

Her Royal Highness will be laid to rest at the Royal Cemetery in Haga Park in Stockholm, in keeping with the wishes of The Princess. The burial will take place in the presence of The Princess’ family.

Additional information regarding Princess Birgitta’s funeral will be provided at a later date.

Liechtenstein: Princess Marie Caroline is engaged

Yesterday the Hereditary Prince and Princess of Liechtenstein announced the engagement between their second child and only daughter, Princess Marie Caroline and Leeopoldo Maduro Vollmer. The wedding is planned for the late summer of 2025.

H.S.H. the Hereditary Prince and H.R.H. the Hereditary Princess von und zu Liechtenstein are delighted to announce the engagement of their daughter Princess Marie Caroline to Mr Leopoldo Maduro Vollmer.

Leopoldo is the eldest son of Francisco and Sofia Maduro Vollmer, born Vollmer de Marcellus, and he was born in Caracas on 28 October 1990. He studied first at the Colegio San Ignacio de Loyola in Caracas, and then in England, at Harrow School. Leopoldo obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of St Andrews and his postgraduate degree from Queens College, University of Cambridge. He began his career in 2013, working in Investment Banking in Paris and New York, before returning to London in 2016, where he now works in Investment Management.

H.S.H. Princess Marie Caroline was born in Grabs Hospital in Switzerland on 17 October 1996, and is the second child of the Hereditary Prince and Princess. After attending the Ebenholz Primary School in Vaduz and the Swiss International School Rheintal, she completed her schooling in England, at Malvern College. Princess Marie Caroline then studied at Parsons School of Design in Paris and New York, graduating in 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design. She currently lives in London and works in the fashion industry.

The wedding is planned for late summer next year.

Norway: A project to build a sarcophagus for King Harald and Queen Sonja has been started

© 2019 Dag Trygsland Hoelseth 

In the Norwegian government's proposal for the state budget 2025, which was presented today, the government has proposed to allocate NOK 20 million in project funds for the acquisition of a sarcophagus. The acquisition is carried out by the Royal Court.

The sacrophagus will be used as the final resting place for the king and queen in The Royal Mausoleum at Akershus Palace. Snøhetta, which among others was beind the Opera House in Oslo, has been chosen to design the sarcophagus. According to today's press release from the Royal Court, the status of the project is that the work "to design the sarcophagus has begun in an early phase".

The mausoleum was inaugurated in 1949 and includes the double sarcophaguses of King Haakon and Queen Maud (in white marble, see the photo above) and King Olav V and Crown Princess Märtha (in dark green marble). The coffin of Queen Maud was after her funeral kept at Akershus, where it waited for the construction of the mausoleum, which is a additio to the Akershus Castle Church. Due to the war the work was stopped and was not finished before 1948. The work on the sacropahgus was, however, not finished before the year after. In December 1949 Queen Maud's coffin was brought from the crypt of Gamle Aker Church, where it had been kept since Apri 1940, to Akershus Castle.  

For more details (in Norwegian) and photos of the mausoleum please read the article "Det kongelige mausoleum" at Slektshistoriewiki (the Norwegian genealogy wiki).