Princess Estelle, Duchess of Östergötland

Princess Estelle
Duchess of Östergötland

Estelle prior to the wedding of her aunt Madeleine on 8 June 2013
Full name
Estelle Silvia Ewa Mary
House House of Bernadotte
Father Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland
Mother Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden
Born 23 February 2012
Karolinska University Hospital,
Solna, Sweden
Religion Baptised in the Church of Sweden
Swedish Royal Family

HM The King
HM The Queen

HRH Princess Birgitta

Princess Estelle, Duchess of Östergötland (Estelle Silvia Ewa Mary; born 23 February 2012), is the only child of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland. She is the first grandchild of King Carl XVI Gustaf, and is second in line of succession to the Swedish throne.

Birth

Estelle was born at 04:26 CET on 23 February 2012.[1] The birth was greeted by two 21-gun salutes on Skeppsholmen island, opposite the royal palace in the capital Stockholm.[2] Her names and title were announced on 24 February 2012 by her maternal grandfather, King Carl XVI Gustaf.[3] The father of the princess registered his legal surname as Bernadotte after marrying her mother who belongs to that royal dynasty. Princess Estelle, like other members of the royal family, does not have a surname.[4]

There has been speculation that Estelle was given her name in honor of Countess Estelle Bernadotte (1904–1984),[5][6] the American wife of Count Folke Bernadotte. On 24 February 2012, the King announced the name at a cabinet meeting saying that the name Estelle is very close to the heart of her mother and also the family.[6] Countess Estelle Bernadotte's son Folke Bernadotte Jr. said in an interview that he is very honoured that Estelle was (as he assumes) named after his mother, and that the royal family had a special relationship to her and her charity work.[7]

Royal monogram

Christening

Estelle with her parents, grandparents and godparents

Estelle was christened on 22 May 2012 at the Royal Chapel of Stockholm Palace in Stockholm, Sweden.[8] Her godparents were her maternal uncle, Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland; her paternal aunt, Anna Westling Söderström; King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands (then Prince of Orange); Crown Princess Mary of Denmark; and Crown Prince Haakon of Norway. She was christened in the family's antique christening gown which was first worn by Prince Gustaf Adolf when he was christened in 1906. Her name and date of christening was added in embroidery to the gown.[9] On the date of the christening, a limited edition prayer book titled Princess Estelle's prayer book (Swedish:Prinsessan Estelles bönbok) was released and published.[10]

Position

Estelle is second in the line of succession to the Swedish throne.[11] Princess Estelle is the first female in the history of Sweden to be born with a right to inherit the throne that cannot be superseded by the subsequent birth of a male heir. She is also the first person in the history of Sweden to be born the child of a female heir apparent. The only two princesses of Sweden[12] to be born first in line for the throne were heir presumptive at their birth: Christina (who eventually became queen regnant) and Hedwig Sophia (who was superseded by a younger brother).

Education and royal functions

As second in line to the Swedish throne, Estelle has been in the public eye since birth. On 17 May 2014, two-year-old Estelle undertook her first official engagement, which was inaugurating a fairytale path, named in her honour as "Duchess Estelle's Fairytale Path" in Tåkern, Östergötland. She also visited Linköping Castle, where she was received by Elisabeth Nilsson, Kristina Zetterström and Ann-Catrine Hjerdt, the mayor of Linköping.[13][14]

Estelle attended the wedding of her aunt, Princess Madeleine, Duchess of Hälsingland and Gästrikland and Christopher O'Neill on 8 June 2013, as well as the christening of her cousin Princess Leonore on 8 June 2014.

On 30 July, 2014 Crown Princess Victoria and Estelle visited Sollidens castle.[15]

On 25 August 2014, Estelle started preschool at Äventyret Preschool in Danderyd Municipality, Stockholm. The Äventyret Preschool was founded in 1992 and uses the Ur & Skur outdoor teaching methods to teach children about nature and to convey a sense of the natural world.[16] Äventyret means adventure in Swedish.[17]

Titles, styles, and honours

Titles and styles

Estelle is styled as: Her Royal Highness Princess Estelle of Sweden, Duchess of Östergötland.

Swedish appointments and honours

Ancestry

References

  1. ↑ "Kronprinsessan och Prins Daniel har fått en dotter" (Press release) (in Swedish). Royal Court of Sweden. 23 February 2012. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
  2. ↑ "Sweden's Princess Victoria gives birth to baby daughter". Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  3. ↑ "Princess Estelle Silvia Ewa Mary, Duchess of Östergötland" (Press release). Royal Court of Sweden. 24 February 2012. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
  4. ↑ Princess Estelle skirts Swedish naming laws, The Local, 24 March 2012.
  5. ↑ Namnvalet Estelle väcker reaktioner, Dagens Nyheter, 24 February 2012.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Estelle is Sweden's first royal baby in 30 years, Reuters, 24 February 2012.
  7. ↑ Prinsessan döps efter hans mor, Upsala Nya Tidning, 25 February 2012.
  8. ↑ "Estelle Silvia Ewa Mary, Swedish Royal Heir, Baptized (PHOTOS)". Huffingtonpost.com. 2012-05-22. Retrieved 2014-05-17.
  9. ↑ "Official site". Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  10. ↑ "Kronprinsessan närvarade vid lanseringen av Prinsessan Estelles bönbok".
  11. ↑ Nudd, Tim (23 February 2012). "Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria Has a Baby Girl". People. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  12. ↑ Lagerqvist & Åberg in Kings and Rulers of Sweden ISBN 91-87064-35-9
  13. ↑ "Google-kääntäjä" (in Finnish). Translate.google.com. Retrieved 2014-05-17.
  14. ↑ "Crownprincess Victoria, Prince Daniel and Princess Estelle open Crownprincess Victoria, Prince Daniel and Princess Estelle open Fairytale Path - Monarchy Press Europe". Dutchphotopress.com. Retrieved 2014-05-17.
  15. ↑ "Estelle's visit". Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  16. ↑ "Princess Estelle starts preschool". Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  17. ↑ "Princess Estelle of Sweden shines on first day of nursery". Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  18. ↑ Swedish Monarchy Website, Photos after the granting and on the way out at the end of the christening.
  19. ↑ "Fotografía LA PRINCESA ESTELLE, ESTRELLA DEL 40 ANIVERSARIO DE SU ABUELO, EL REY CARLOS GUSTAVO DE SUECIA 66063" (in Spanish). Europapress.es. Retrieved 2014-05-17.

External links

Princess Estelle, Duchess of Östergötland
Born: 23 February 2012
Swedish royalty
Vacant
Title last held by
Prince Carl		 Duchess of Östergötland
2012–present 		Incumbent
Lines of succession
Preceded by
Crown Princess Victoria		 Line of succession to the Swedish throne
2nd position 		Succeeded by
Prince Carl Philip