FAQ

Here are some questions and answers about the Swedish monarchy. If you have any more questions, just add them on the The Scandinavian Royals Message Board.
If you find any examples of bad grammar or spelling, and I am sure you will, do not hesitate to tell me. I will appreciate it.
This page was last updated on 5 of October 2002.

 
1. What is the name of the Swedish Royal Family and how did this family gain the throne?
2. Can a woman become Queen Regnant in Sweden?
3. Have there been any Queen Regnants in Sweden?
4. Where can I find the Act of Succession in English?
5. Who are in line of succession to the Swedish throne?
6. If the current Act of Succession with cognatic succession had applied when the House of Bernadotte became the Royal House of Sweden in 1818, who would then have been Sovereign of Sweden today?
7. If Gustaf IV Adolf hadn't been deposed in 1809, who would then have been King of Sweden today according to Salic law?
8. If Gustaf IV Adolf hadn't been deposed in 1809, who would then have been Sovereign of Sweden today if Primogeniture succession had applied?
9. Who was the last King to be crowned?
10. Why were the Kings of Sweden also Kings of Norway 1814-1905?
11. Which Monarch reigned for the longest period?
12. Which Monarch reigned for the shortest period?
13. Which Kings have died inbattle?
14. Have any Kings been murdered?
15. Can a Prince/Princess of Sweden marry whomever he/she wants?
16. How many Royal Dukes can exist at the same time in Sweden?
17. Which Dukedoms have never been created?
18. Which are the current Dukedoms and who will inherit them?
19. Who are the Princes of Sweden today?
20. Who are the Princesses of Sweden today?
21. What power does the King have today?
22. Which are the Swedish noble titles?
23. Who inherites a noble title?
24. How many Counts of Barons are created each year?
25. What is the Swedish Coat of Arms?
26. What are the Royal Regalia?
27. Which are the Swedish Orders?
28. How is King Carl XVI Gustaf related to other European Monarchs?
29. What kind of duties does the King perform?
30. What more is there to say about the current Royal family?
31. Can the Royal family be reached by email?
1. What is the name of the Swedish Royal Family and how did this family gain the throne?
The name is Bernadotte. In 1810 Jean Baptiste Bernadotte was elected Crown Prince of Sweden. In 1818, upon the death of King Carl XIII, he became King Carl XIV Johan of Sweden and King Carl III Johan of Norway.
So why did Bernadotte become Crown Prince and later King of Sweden? King Carl XIII had become King after his nephew Gustaf IV Adolf had been deposed. He accepted a new constitution, which stipulated that the power should be divided between the King and the Parliament. Since Carl XIII had no children, a Crown Prince had to be elected. The Parliament elected the Danish Prince Kristian August of Augustenborg, and he changed his name to Carl August. In May 1810 Carl August died of stroke. False rumours said that he had been murdered by the Gustavians, who wanted Gustaf IV Adolf's son Gustaf elected. As a result of the rumours, the highest member of the Royal Court, Count Axel von Fersen (a Gustavian), was lynched. Several candidates were now discussed: Prince Fredrik Kristian of Augustenborg, King Fredrik VI of Denmark, Prince Kristian Fredrik of Denmark and some Prince of Oldenburg. But a French general was elected: Jean Baptiste Bernadotte, who changed his name to Carl Johan and was adopted by Carl XIII. A Swedish lieutenant Mörner had been sent to Napoleon to inform the Emperor about what was happening in Sweden. Mörner believed that Sweden needed a French Marshall as King and asked Bernadotte, the Prince of Pontocorvo, of he would accept. After that Mörner went to Napoleon to get the Emperor's consent. Napoleon wanted to get rid of Bernadotte and accepted. Back in Sweden, Mörner told the Parliament that Bernadotte had accepted and that Napoleon supported him. So the Parliament was more or less forced to elect Bernadotte.

To the top

2. Can a woman become Queen Regnant in Sweden?
Yes, the Act of Succession was changed in 1980. Before that Salic Law applied, but now Sweden has cognatic succession, which means that the eldest child inherites the throne.

To the top

3. Have there been any Queen Regnants in Sweden?
Yes, there have been three Queen Regnants.
Margareta, Queen 1389-1396. Born 1353 at Söborg, Denmark. Parents: King Valdemar Atterdag of Denmark and Helvig of Sönderjylland. Ruled Denmark from 1376 and Norway from 1380 in the name of her son Olav. Defeated Albrekt 24 of February 1389 and was recognized as Queen of Sweden (a title she had used since 1375). She later ruled in the name of Erik, who in 1389 had been elected King of Norway and in 1396 King of Denmark and Sweden. She died 28 of October 1412 onboard her ship in the port of Flensborg. Married 9 of April 1363 at Copenhagen's Palace to King Håkan VI of Norway. Child: Olav (1370-1387).
Christina, Queen 1632-1654. Born 7 of December in Stockholm. Parents: King Gustaf II Adolf and Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg. Queen upon the death of her father on 6 of November 1632. Crowned in Stockholm 20 of October 1650. Abdicated in Uppsala 6 of June 1654 and converted to Catholicism on Christmas Night 1654.. Died in Rome 9 of April 1689.
Ulrika Eleonora, Queen 1719-1720. Born 23 of January 1688 at Stockholm's Palace. Parents: King Carl XI and Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark. After her brother's, Carl XII, death 30 of November, she proclaimed herself Queen on 5 of December. The Parliament did not accept that she would have a right to inherite the throne and she was forced to renounce this right. 23 of January she was elected Queen by the Parliament, but in return she had to accept a new constitution, which decreased her power. This period is known as the Freedom time in Swedish history. Crowned in the Cathedral of Uppsala 17 of March 1719. Abdicated on 29 of February 1720 in favour of her husband, Fredrik I. Died 24 of November 1741 in Stockholm. Married 24 of March 1715 to Hereditary Prince Fredrik of Hesse.

To the top

4. Where can I find the Act of Succession in English?
You can find the Act of Succession in English right here. It's a translation of the entire Act, except some parts in the beginning and the end, where King Carl XIII says that he accepts the Act.

To the top

 
5. Who are in line of succession to the Swedish throne?
The list is very short:
1. Crown Princess Victoria (b. 1977), Duchess of Västergötland. The King's elder daughter.
2. Prince Carl Philip (b. 1979), Duke of Värmland. The King's son.
3. Princesse Madeleine (b. 1982), Duchess of Hälsingland and Gästrikland. The King's younger daughter.

To the top

6. If the current Act of Succession with cognatic succession had applied when the House of Bernadotte became the Royal House of Sweden in 1818, who would then have been Sovereign of Sweden today?
Queen Margarethe II of Denmark. If cognatic succession had applied, Carl XV would have been succeded by his daughter Lovisa in 1872, instead of by his brother Oscar. Lovisa had been succeded by Christian III, followed by Fredrik II and Margareta II.

To the top

7. If Gustaf IV Adolf hadn't been deposed in 1809, who would then have been King of Sweden today according to Salic law?
No one! Gustaf IV Adolf had been succeded by his son Gustaf, but Gustaf had no sons, and the Royal family would have been extinct.

To the top

8. If Gustaf IV Adolf hadn't been deposed in 1809, who would then have been Sovereign of Sweden today if Primogeniture succession had applied?
Believe it or not, but the answer is King Carl XVI Gustaf. Well, provided of course, that all marriages would have taken place, which they wouldn't. Gustaf IV Adolf had a son, Prince Gustaf, who had a daughter. This daughter had no children. Therefore the claim would have passed to Gustaf IV Adolf's daughter Sophia Wilhelmina. Her son was Friedrich I of Baden. When his sons had died, leaving no heirs, the claim would have passed to his daughter Victoria. Victoria married Crown Prince Gustaf (later King Gustaf V) (which she would not have done, hadn't Gustaf IV Adolf been deposed, since Gustaf would not have been Royal at all.) Any way, Victoria's eldest son was King Gustaf VI Adolf, whose eldest son was Prince Gustaf Adolf, whose only son is the current King.

To the top

9. Who was the last King to be crowned?
That was Oscar II. He was crowned as King of Sweden in Stockholm 12 of May 1873 and as King of Norway in the Cathedral of Trondheim 18 of July 1873. He was deposed as King of Norway by the Norwegian Parliament 7 of June 1905. He died 8 of December 1907 at Stockholm's Palace.

To the top

10. Why were the Kings of Sweden also Kings of Norway 1814-1905?
In 1810 Jean Baptiste Bernadotte was elected Crown Prince of Sweden. The Swedes hoped that he would regain Finland, that had been lost to Russia in 1809. Bernadotte, however, had other plans. In 1814 he and the army defeated Denmark, and the Danes had to leave Norway to Sweden. The Norwegians opposed this and elected a King of their own, Kristian Frederik. Therefore Bernadotte attacked Norway and forced Kristian Frederik to give up his claim. Sweden accepted the new Norwegian Constitution of May 17, 1814, and Norway agreed to have the King of Sweden (Carl XIII) as their King (but in Norway he was called Carl II.) When the King died in 1818, Bernadotte became King Carl XIV Johan of Sweden and Carl III of Norway. In the end of the 19th century the Norwegians became more and more nationalistic and they wanted to end the union. In 1905 the Norwegian Parliament deposed King Oscar II. A war was avoided, and the negotiations in Karlstad resulted in a peaceful separation. The Danish Prince Carl was elected King of Norway. He took the name Haakon VII.

To the top

11. Which Monarch reigned for the longest period?
That was Magnus Eriksson, who reigned for 45 years, 1319-1364. He lived 1316-1374.

To the top

12. Which Monarch reigned for the shortest period?
There are some Kings 1000 years ago, that one cannot say for certain for how long they reigned. But if we concentrate on the last 800 years, the answer is Queen Ulrica Eleonora, who reigned for 1 year, 1 month and 6 days 1719-1720.

To the top

13. Which Kings have died in battle?
Magnus Nilsson, King of Sweden 1125-1130, died in the battle of Fotevik on June 4, 1134.
Magnus Henriksson, King of Sweden 1160-1161, was defeated and killed by Karl Sverkersson near Örebro in 1161.
Sverker Karlsson, King of Sweden 1195-1208, died in the battle of Gestilren in July 1210.
Gustaf II Adolf, King of Sweden 1611-1632, died in the battle of Lützen on November 6, 1632.
Carl XII, King of Sweden 1697-1718, was killed on November 30, 1718, during a campaign in Norway. The question of whether the bullet came from the enemy
or from his own troops has never been resolved.

To the top

14. Have any Kings been murdered?
Yes, several.
Ragnvald Knaphövde, King abt 1125, was elected King, and started the requested tour around the country. He was obliged to leave a hostage at the border of each county, but when he came to Västergötland, he did not bother to do so. Therefore the men of Västergötland killed him.
Sverker the Elder, King 1130-1156. He was murdered on Christmas Day 1156, on his way to Church.
Karl Sverkersson, 1161-1167, was murdered by Knut Eriksson on April 12, 1167. Knut Eriksson succeeded him.
Erik XIV became King upon the death of his father in 1560 but was deposed by his brother, Johan III, in 1568. He was imprisoned and on February 26, 1577, he died. He was probably poisoned with arsenic in his pea soup. If so, the order must have come from his brother and successor.
Gustaf III, King 1771-1792, was shot at a masked ball on March 16, 1792, by Captain J J Ancarström, and died 13 days later.
(Carl XII died on November 30, 1718, during a campaign in Norway. It is possible that he was murdered. If so, the man behind this plot might have been his brother-in-law, Prince Fredrik of Hesse, who was King of Sweden 1720-1751.)

To the top

15. Can a Prince/Princess of Sweden marry whomever he/she wants?
No, he/she needs the consent of both the King and the Government.

To the top

16. How many Royal Dukes can exist at the same time in Sweden?
The Princes (and since 1980 the Princesses) in line of succession are given a dukedom since 1772. The dukedoms are the historical parts of Sweden, often translated to "counties" in English. There are 25 counties. However, there have never been more than 11 Dukes at the same time.

To the top

17. Which Dukedoms have never been created?
There have never been any dukes of Blekinge, Öland, Bohuslän, Dalsland, Härjedalen, Medelpad, Ångermanland, Lappland or Norrbotten.

To the top

18. Which are the current Dukedoms and who will inherit them?
The current Dukedoms are Värmland (Prince Carl Philip), Västergötland (Crown Princess Victoria) and Hälsingland and Gästrikland (Princess Madeleine). The titles are not inheritable.
Princess Lilian is Duchess of Halland, because she is the widow of the Duke of Halland.
If a Prince/Princess was born today, there are some other Dukedoms that the King is unlikely to create for him/her. These are Dalarne, Småland and Östergötland. The reason is that the Princes who had those titles are still alive. Prince Carl Johan, Prince Lennart and Prince Carl lost their princely titles and their Dukedoms when they married without respecting the provisions in the Act of Succession.

To the top

19. Who are the Princes of Sweden today?
There is only one Prince of Sweden. That is the King's son Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland.
The King's grandfather's first cousin is called Prince Carl, but that is a Belgian title. When Prince Carl married a non-Royal, he lost his title. He was given a personal princely title by his brother-in-law, the King of Belgium.

To the top

20. Who are the Princesses of Sweden today?
Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, Duchess of Västergötland. Daughter of King Carl XVI Gustaf.
Madeleine, Princess of Sweden, Duchess of Hälsingland and Gästrikland. Daughter of King Carl XVI Gustaf.
Birgitta, Princess of Sweden and of Hohenzollern. Sister of King Carl XVI Gustaf.
Lilian, Princess of Sweden, Duchess of Halland. Widow of the King's uncle Prince Bertil.

To the top

21. What power does the King have today?
None. The Constitution of 1974 gives the King no power. He does not appoint Prime Ministers and he does not sign laws or international treaties.

To the top

22. Which are the Swedish noble titles?
There are three kinds of nobility in Sweden. You can be a Greve (Count), Friherre (Baron) or you can be a noble without a title.

To the top

23. Who inherits a noble title?
If the title was created before 1809, all the male descendants of the original Count are Counts and all the male descendants of the original Baron are Barons. Their wives and daughters are Countesses or Baronesses. All male descendants of a noble without a title are nobles. This is the continental system.
But if the title was created after 1809, the title is inherited with male primogeniture (the British system). The wife of a Count is a Countess, but the daughter is not, and the wife of a Baron is a Baroness, but the daughter is not. The titleless nobility is inherited in the same way.
The former Swedish Princes Sigvard, Carl Johan and Lennart, who lost their titles when they married without the King's consent, have been given the title Count af Wisborg, and all their male descendants are Counts, despite the fact that the titles were created after 1809. The reason is that it is not a Swedish title. They were given the title by the Grand Duchess of Luxemburg. In the 19th century, Prince Oscar was given the same title by the Grand Duke of Luxemburg.
The former Swedish Prince Carl was in 1937 given the title Prince Bernadotte by the King of Belgium. His descendants were given countly titles. (Prince Carl has one daughter.)

To the top

24. How many Counts or Barons are created each year?
None. The King no longer has the right to create noble titles. The Royal Dukedoms are not seen as noble titles.

To the top

25. What is the Swedish Coat of Arms?
A Cross paty throughout Or between 1 and 4 Azure three Crowns Or (Sweden) 2 and 3 Azure three Bendlets sinister wavy Argent over all a Lion rampant crowned Or (Folkunger) over all an escutcheon Per bend Azure and Gules a Bend Argent over all a Vase Or (Vasa) impaling Azure an Eagle displayed Sable in chief seven Stars Or and in base a Bridge with two towers over Water azure (Bernadotte).
You find a picture here.

To the top

26. What are the Royal Regalia?
The Regalia are the Crown, the Spire, the Apple and the Key.
You find a picture of them here.

To the top

27. Which are the Swedish Orders?
The Swedish Orders are
In the 1970s the Parliament decided that Orders should not be given to Swedish citizens. Since it is necessary to give Orders to leading officials from other countries from time to time, the King can do so. So it is all right to give an Order to a foreigner, but not to a Swede. However, the Order of Carl XIII was seen as a "private" Order and wasn't effected by the new law, so that one can be received by Swedish citizens. The Order of Carl XIII is though only for freemasons.
In the 1990s the law was changed, and now the King can give the Order of the Seraphim to members of the Royal House.

To the top

28. How is King Carl XVI Gustaf related to other European Monarchs?
Denmark
King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Margrethe II are first cousins. They are descendants of the Swedish King Gustaf VI Adolf. These are the lines: Gustaf VI Adolf - Gustaf Adolf - Carl XVI Gustaf and Gustaf VI Adolf - Ingrid - Margrethe II.
Norway
King Carl XVI Gustaf and King Harald V are second cousins once removed. They are descendants of the Swedish (and Norwegian) King Oscar II. These are the lines: Oscar II - Gustaf V - Gustaf VI Adolf - Gustaf Adolf - Carl XVI Gustaf and Oscar II - Carl - Märtha - Harald V.
Belgium
King Carl XVI Gustaf and King Albert II are second cousins once removed. They are descendants of the Swedish King Oscar II. These are the lines: Oscar II - Gustaf V - Gustaf VI Adolf - Gustaf Adolf - Carl XVI Gustaf and Oscar II - Carl - Astrid - Albert II.
United Kingdom
King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Elizabeth II are third cousins. They are descendants of the British Queen Victoria. These are the lines: Victoria - Arthur - Margaret - Gustaf Adolf - Carl XVI Gustaf and Victoria - Edward VII - George V - George VI - Elizabeth II.
Spain
King Carl XVI Gustaf and King Juan Carlos are third cousins. They are descendants of the British Queen Victoria. These are the lines: Victoria - Arthur - Margaret - Gustaf Adolf - Carl XVI Gustaf and Victoria - Beatrice - Eugenie (Ena) - Juan - Juan Carlos.
Luxembourg
King Carl XVI Gustaf and Grand Duke Jean are third cousins. They are descendants of the Swedish King Oscar II. These are the lines: Oscar II - Gustaf V - Gustaf VI Adolf - Gustaf Adolf - Carl XVI Gustaf and Oscar II - Carl - Astrid - Joséphine-Charlotte - Henri.
The Netherlands
King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Beatrix are third cousins. They are descendants of Georg Victor zu Waldeck und Pyrmont. These are the lines: Georg Victor - Helene - Carl Eduard - Sibylla - Carl XVI Gustaf and Georg Victor - Adelheid Emma - Wilhelmine - Juliana - Beatrix.
Monaco
King Carl XVI Gustaf and Prince Rainier III are fifth cousins once removed. They are descendants of Karl Ludwig, Margrave of Baden. These are the lines: Karl Ludwig - Fredrike - Sophia - Freidrich I of Baden - Victoria - Gustaf VI Adolf - Gustaf Adolf - Carl XVI Gustaf and Karl Ludwig - Karl Ludwig - Marie Elisabeth - Mary Victoria Douglas-Hamilton - Louis II - Charlotte - Rainier III.
Liechtenstein
King Carl XVI Gustaf and Prince Hans Adam II are fifth cousins. They are descendants of Karl Ludwig of Hohenlohe-Langeburg. These are the lines: Karl Ludwig - Ernst - Adelheid - Karoline Mathilde - Victoria Adelheid - Sibylla - Carl XVI Gustaf and Karl Ludwig - Marie - Adelhied - Marie-Therese - Elisabeth - Franz Josef II - Hans Adam II.
Bulgaria
King Carl XVI Gustaf and King Simeon II are fourth cousins once removed. They are descendants of Franz Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. These are the lines: Franz Friedrich - Ernst I - Albert - Leopold - Carl Eduard I - Sibylla - Carl XVI Gustaf and Franz Friedrich - Ferdinand - August - Ferdinand I - Boris III - Simeon II.
Greece
King Carl XVI Gustaf and King Constantinos II are third cousins. They are descendants of the British Queen Victoria. These are the lines: Victoria - Arthur - Margaret - Gustaf Adolf - Carl XVI Gustaf and Victoria - Victoria - Sophie - Pavlos I - Konstantinos II.
Portugal
King Carl XVI Gustaf and Prince Duarte Pio are fourth cousins once removed. They are descendants of Karl Ludwig, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. These are the lines: Karl Ludwig - Ernst - Adelheid - Karoline Mathilde - Victoria Adelheid - Sibylla - Carl XVI Gustaf and Karl Ludwig - Marie - Adelheid - Miguel - Duarte Nuno - Duarte Pio.
Romania
King Carl XVI Gustaf and King Mihai I are third cousins. They are descendants of the British Queen Victoria. These are the lines: Victoria - Arthur - Margaret - Gustaf Adolf - Carl XVI Gustaf and Victoria - Alfred - Marie - Carol II - Mihai I.

To the top

29. What kind of duties does the King perform?
The King's duties, as defined in the 1974 Constitution Act, are mainly of an official, ceremonial nature. The King pays state visits abroad and receives foreign heads of state on state visits to Sweden. He opens the annual session of the Riksdag and chairs the special council which meets whenever there is a change of government, as well as regular "information councils" together with the members of the Government. He also chairs meetings of the Advisory Council on Foreign Affairs and receives the credentials of foreign ambassadors in Stockholm. The King holds supreme rank in the three arms of Sweden's defence forces. He is a member of the established (Lutheran) Church of Sweden.
In keeping with a royal tradition that goes back to medieval times, the King has toured every county of Sweden ("Eriksgata" in Swedish). He makes regular field trips to industry, to national and local authorities, institutions, schools and universities, and he frequently takes part in jubilees, congress and symposium openings and other official events.
As part of his daily work at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, the King receives the Speaker of the Riksdag, Cabinet Ministers, representatives of the Church and the defence establishment, and representatives of Swedish and foreign organisations, for briefings on current events.

To the top

30. What more is there to say about the current Royal family?
Plenty. You can find some additional information about HM the King, HM the Queen, HRH Crown Princess Victoria, HRH Prince Carl Philip, HRH Princess Madeleine and HRH Princess Lilian if you follow the links.

To the top

31. Can the Royal family be reached by email?
No!

To the top