Meet the Swedish Royals: A Guide to Sweden's Royal Family Tree

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo: Samir Hussein/WireImage

These days, theSwedish royal familyis largely ceremonial.

In 1975, the Swedish royal family lost all formal executive powers, but they retained their titles and continued to oversee their patronages and represent Sweden abroad. As of 2023, the official Swedish Royal House includes King Carl,Queen Silvia, their children and two of their grandchildren.

According to theSwedish Royal Court, one of the king’s most important duties is promoting Swedish interests in the country and worldwide. The king and queen have made countless visits abroad throughout their reign, and Princess Madeleine and her family evenlived in the United Statesfor five years.

Carl XVI Gustafunderwent heart surgeryin February 2023. The palace announced that he was “doing well” and expected to continue his reign for some time.

Getty Images/Thais Reyes for PEOPLE

Here is everything to know about Sweden’s royal family.

King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia

Samir Hussein/WireImage

King Carl XVI Gustafand Queen Silvia, née Sommerlath, met at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany. Carl became king after the death of his grandfather, Gustaf VI Adolf, in 1973.

The king announced his intention to marry Silvia in 1976, just over two years after ascending the throne. Silvia was the first woman to marry a sitting Swedish monarch in nearly 200 years. The night before the royal wedding,ABBAperformed “Dancing Queen” in honor of the future queen.

Carl and Silvia have three children: Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Madeleine.

Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland

Mark Cuthbert/UK Press/Getty

Princess Victoria was born on July 14, 1977. Swedish law only allowed male heirs to inherit the throne at the time, but this rule was amended when she was 2 years old, thus making the toddler heir apparent.

She married her husband,Prince Daniel, born Daniel Westling, on June 19, 2010. The two met at the gym in 2001 — he was her personal trainer — and dated for eight years before tying the knot. They have two children, Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar.

Princess Estelle Silvia Ewa Mary

Jonas Gratzer/Getty

Princess Estelle Silvia Ewa Mary, born on Feb. 23, 2012, is the oldest child of Victoria and Daniel. Because her mother is heir apparent, Estelle is currently second inthe order of succession.

Prince Oscar Carl Olof

Michael Campanella/Getty

Victoria and Daniel welcomed their second child,Prince Oscar Carl Olof, on March 2, 2016. He is presently third in line to the throne — though that position will shift if his older sister Estelle has children of her own.

Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia

Prince Carl Philipis the second child of Carl XVI Gustaf and Silvia, and he was born on May 13, 1979. He marriedPrincess Sofia, née Sofia Hellqvist, on June 13, 2015, and the pairhave four children, sons Alexander, Gabriel and Julian, and daughterInes,born in February 2025.

In October 2019, King Carl announced that the children of Carl Philip and his sister Princess Madeleine would no longer hold His or Her Royal Highness titles nor be official royal house members. The children would not be expected to perform royal duties for the family, but they would be styled with aristocratic titles and remain in the line of succession.

Prince Alexander Erik Hubertus Bertil

Erik Simander / Alamy

Prince Alexander Erik Hubertus Bertilwas born to Carl Philip and Sofia on April 19, 2016. Over 100 guestsattended his christeningwhen he was 4 months old, and as he’s grown, many have noted hisstrong resemblance to his mother.

Prince Gabriel Carl Walther

Carl Philip and Sofia’s second son,Prince Gabriel Carl Walther, joined the family on Aug. 31, 2017. In 2020, thetoddler accompanied his mom and dadat the Saterdalen nature reserve to visit an accessible bench built in his honor.

Prince Julian Herbert Folke

JONAS EKSTROMER/TT News Agency/AFP/Getty

Princess Madeleine and Christopher O’Neill

Carl XVI Gustaf and Silvia welcomedPrincess Madeleineon June 10, 1982. Madeleine married British-American banker Christopher O’Neill on June 8, 2013, and the pair have welcomed three children: Leonore, Nicolas and Adrienne.

In order to continue his finance career in the U.K., O’Neill declined to become a working member of the royal family or a citizen of Sweden and as such did not receive a royal title.

Madeleine and O’Neill lived in New York City in the early days of their marriage before moving back to Sweden. Theymoved to Floridawith their children in 2018, though they plan to return to Sweden in 2024.

While the family originally planned to return to Sweden in August 2023, Margareta Thorgren, the Royal Court of Sweden’s information manager,explained the reasonfor pushing the move. “It is simply that the time for the family, with all that a move entails, has been a little too short,” she said.

Princess Leonore Lilian Maria

Patrik C Osterberg/Stella Pictures/ABACAPRESS.COM/Alamy

Madeleine and O’Neill welcomed their first child,Princess Leonore Lilian Maria, on Feb. 20, 2014, in N.Y.C. At the time of her birth, Leonore was granted a royal title, though she is no longer an official member of the court.

Prince Nicolas Paul Gustaf

Rune Hellestad/ Getty

Prince Nicolas Paul Gustafwas born to Madeleine and O’Neill in Stockholm on June 15, 2015. Along with his immediate family, the young boyhas already livedin several cities, states and countries, including N.Y.C., Florida, London and Sweden.

Princess Adrienne Josephine Alice

Abaca Press/Alamy

Princess Adrienne Josephine Alice was born in Stockholm on March 9, 2018.Adrienne was christenedon her parents' fifth wedding anniversary, which also happened to be the same day her older sister was christened four years before her.

source: people.com