Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, Duke of Värmland (Carl Philip Edmund Bertil; born 13 May 1979) is the only son and the second of three children of
King Carl XVI Gustaf and
Queen Silvia. , Prince Carl Philip is fourth in the line of succession, after his older sister,
Crown Princess Victoria
Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, Duchess of Västergötland (Victoria Ingrid Alice Désirée; born 14 July 1977) is the heir apparent to the Swedish throne, as the eldest child of King Carl XVI Gustaf. If she ascends to the throne as expect ...
, his niece and goddaughter
Princess Estelle, and his nephew
Prince Oscar. He lives with his wife,
Princess Sofia, and four children in Villa Solbacken in
Djurgården
Djurgården ( or ) or, more officially, , is an island in central Stockholm, Sweden. Djurgården is home to historical buildings and monuments, museums, galleries, the amusement park Gröna Lund, the open-air museum Skansen, the small resident ...
,
Stockholm
Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
.
Early life and education
Prince Carl Philip was born at
Stockholm Palace, Sweden, on 13 May 1979 at 07:20 (
CET).
He was baptised at the
Royal Chapel on 31 August 1979.
Carl Philip was
heir apparent
An heir apparent is a person who is first in the order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person. A person who is first in the current order of succession but could be displaced by the birth of a more e ...
to the throne of Sweden (and thus held the title Crown Prince) for seven months, until 1 January 1980 when a change in the constitution came into effect which made natural birth order the basis for succession to the throne, replacing the principle of
agnatic primogeniture. His elder sister
Victoria became heir apparent and Crown Princess, with Carl Philip becoming second in line.
During 1984–1986, Prince Carl Philip attended the Västerled parish preschool. In the autumn of 1986, he started school at Smedslättsskolan in
Bromma which he attended at junior level.
For the intermediate level, he attended Ålstensskolan in Bromma, proceeding from there, in the autumn of 1992, to senior level at
Enskilda Gymnasiet in Stockholm.
In the autumn of 1994, Carl Philip enrolled at
Kent School. He then continued his studies in a science programme at
Lundsbergs upper secondary school.
He graduated in the spring of 1999. In 2007–2008, he studied
graphic design
Graphic design is a profession, academic discipline and applied art that involves creating visual communications intended to transmit specific messages to social groups, with specific objectives. Graphic design is an interdisciplinary branch of ...
at the
Rhode Island School of Design
The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD , pronounced "Riz-D") is a private art and design school in Providence, Rhode Island. The school was founded as a coeducational institution in 1877 by Helen Adelia Rowe Metcalf, who sought to increase th ...
for one year. In 2011, Prince Carl Philip finished his studies in Agricultural and Rural Management at the
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in
Alnarp
Alnarp () is a village and university campus in Lomma Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders ...
.
Carl Philip has
dyslexia
Dyslexia (), previously known as word blindness, is a learning disability that affects either reading or writing. Different people are affected to different degrees. Problems may include difficulties in spelling words, reading quickly, wri ...
, as do his father King Carl XVI Gustaf and his sister Crown Princess Victoria.
Interests

Prince Carl Philip has been a scout and is fond of outdoor life. He is keen on sport and athletics, especially
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
, swimming, sailing and
skiing
Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow for basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International S ...
. In 2003, he completed the historic Swedish "
Vasaloppet
(Swedish language, Swedish for 'the Vasa race') is an annual long distance cross-country skiing (sport), cross-country ski race held on the first Sunday of March. The course starts in the village of :sv:Berga, Malung-Sälens kommun, Berga, jus ...
", the longest cross country ski race in the world. Carl Philip also enjoys car racing, a passion he inherited from his great-uncle and godfather,
Prince Bertil, and has a licence to compete. Prince Carl Philip has taken part in the racing series
Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia in a Porsche 911 GT3. Since
2013
2013 was the first year since 1987 to contain four unique digits (a span of 26 years).
2013 was designated as:
*International Year of Water Cooperation
*International Year of Quinoa
Events
January
* January 5 – 2013 Craig, Alask ...
he has raced in the
Scandinavian Touring Car Championship.
The prince completed his military service at the Amphibious Battalion at
Vaxholm Coastal Artillery Regiment as a combat boat commander (
Combat Boat 90) in the autumn of 2000. In December 2002, the Prince was promoted to
second lieutenant, and in 2004 to the rank of
lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...
in the
Swedish Amphibious Corps. In 2007 and 2008 he went to the
Swedish Defence University. The course was divided in three weeks autumn 2007 and three weeks spring 2008. After that course he was appointed
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
. On 1 October 2014, Prince Carl Philip achieved the rank of
major
Major most commonly refers to:
* Major (rank), a military rank
* Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits
* People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames
* Major and minor in musi ...
.
With a great interest for design and drawing, the prince began studying graphic design in Stockholm in 2003, studies which he continues still. In 2012 he founded
Bernadotte & Kylberg with Oscar Kylberg. The company has since designed products for many brands.
Activities and charity work
Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia's Foundation was established to mark the occasion of the couple's marriage in 2015.
The foundation's purpose is to counteract bullying.
In 2013, the Prince Carl Philip Racing Cup was founded. The racing cup aims to help young people with karting talents progress within the sport.
The Prince with the
Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences
The Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (, IVA), founded on 24 October 1919 by King Gustaf V, is one of the royal academies in Sweden. The academy is an independent organisation, which promotes contact and exchange between business, ...
conducts a range of visits to companies, with focus on the companies' creative work.
Prince Carl Philip is a patron of several organizations such as The Swedish National Dyslexia Association, The Swedish Rural Economy and Agricultural Societies, The International Union for Conservation of Nature, The Royal Swedish Motorboat Club and others.
Personal life and family
Prince Carl Philip dated Emma Pernald from 1999 to 2009.
Pernald worked at a
PR firm for several years. However, the prince and Pernald broke off their relationship in March 2009. She revealed in the Swedish newspaper ''
Expressen
(''The Express'') is one of two nationwide evening newspapers in Sweden. Describing itself as independent liberal, was founded in 1944; its symbol is a wasp and its slogans are "it stings" or " to your rescue".
The newspaper awards the cultu ...
'' that she and the prince mutually decided to go their separate ways. Pernald made no further comment as to the reason for the break-up.
In April 2010, Carl Philip was linked in the press with former
glamour model Sofia Hellqvist.
In August 2010, Royal Court spokesperson Nina Eldh confirmed the relationship between Carl Philip and Hellqvist in a statement released by the palace. On 27 June 2014, it was announced that Carl Philip and Hellqvist were engaged.
They
married on 13 June 2015 in Stockholm's Royal Palace chapel, and thousands of people lined the streets for the occasion.
In an interview he criticized the press for suggesting that Hellqvist was not welcome in the royal family. He told the press that the opposite was true and that his family easily accepted her into the family. He compared the "bullying" of her past to that of himself being bullied for having dyslexia.
The couple was due to move into the Villa Solbacken which had been vacant since the death of
Princess Lilian and, while it was being renovated, they lived in
Rosendal Palace until 2017.
Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia have four children:
*Prince Alexander Erik Hubertus Bertil, Duke of
Södermanland
Södermanland ( ), locally Sörmland, sometimes referred to under its Latinisation of names, Latinized form Sudermannia or Sudermania, is a Provinces of Sweden, historical province (or ) on the south eastern coast of Sweden. It borders Österg� ...
, born on 19 April 2016.
*Prince Gabriel Carl Walther, Duke of
Dalarna
Dalarna (; ), also referred to by the English exonyms Dalecarlia and the Dales, is a (historical province) in central Sweden.
Dalarna adjoins Härjedalen, Hälsingland, Gästrikland, Västmanland and Värmland. It is also bordered by Nor ...
, born on 31 August 2017.
*Prince Julian Herbert Folke, Duke of
Halland
Halland () is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden (''landskap''), on the western coast of Götaland, southern Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Småland, Skåne, Scania and the sea of Kattegat. Until 1645 and the Second Treaty of Br ...
, born on 26 March 2021.
*Princess Ines Marie Lilian Silvia, Duchess of
Västerbotten, born on 7 February 2025.
All four children were born at
Danderyd Hospital.
On 7 October 2019, Carl Philip's father, the king, issued a statement rescinding the
royal status of Prince Alexander and Prince Gabriel in an effort to more strictly associate Swedish royalty to the office of the
head of state
A head of state is the public persona of a sovereign state.#Foakes, Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representative of its international persona." The name given to the office of head of sta ...
; they are still to be styled as princes and dukes of their provinces, and they remain in the line of succession to the throne. Carl Philip and his wife commented that their sons now will have more freedom of choice for their future lives.
Honours
National honours
* Knight and Commander of the
Royal Order of the Seraphim (RoKavKMO)
* Commander of the
Royal Order of the Polar Star (KNO)
* Knight of the
Royal Order of Charles XIII (RCXIII:sO, not worn as Prince Carl Philip is not a Freemason)
* Recipient of the
King Carl XVI Gustaf's Jubilee Commemorative Medal I (30 April 1996)
* Recipient of the
Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel's Wedding Commemorative Medal (8 June 2010)
* Recipient of the
King Carl XVI Gustaf's Jubilee Commemorative Medal II (23 August 2013)
* Recipient of the
King Carl XVI Gustaf's Jubilee Commemorative Medal III (30 April 2016)
*Recipient of the
King Carl XVI Gustaf's Jubilee Commemorative Medal IV (15 September 2023)
* Recipient of the
* Recipient of the
Swedish Armed Forces Conscript Medal
* Recipient of the
Swedish National Defence College Commemorative Medal (''Försvarshögskolans minnesmedalj'')
* Recipient of the Medal of Merit in gold (''Fredsbaskrarna Sveriges förtjänstmedalj i guld'') (22 January 2013)
Foreign honours
*: Member 1st Class of the
Order of the Balkan Mountains
*: Grand Cross of the
Order of Rio Branco
*: Grand Cross of the
Order of Merit
The Order of Merit () is an order of merit for the Commonwealth realms, recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or the promotion of culture. Established in 1902 by Edward VII, admission into the order r ...
*: Member 1st Class of the
Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana
*: Grand Cross of the
Order of the White Rose of Finland
* : Grand Officer of the
Order of the Legion of Honour (30 January 2024)
*: Grand Cross 1st Class of the
Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (, or , BVO) is the highest state decoration, federal decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. It may be awarded for any field of endeavor. It was created by the first List of president ...
*: Grand Cross of the
Order of Honour
*: Grand Cross of the
Order of the Falcon
*: Knight Grand Cross of the
Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic () is the most senior Italian order of merit. It was established in 1951 by the second President of Italy, President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi.
The highest-ranking honour of the Republi ...
(2 November 2018)
*: Grand Cordon of the
Order of the Star of Jordan
*: Grand Officer of the
Order of the Three Stars
*: Grand Cross of the
Order of Adolphe of Nassau
*: Honorary Commander of the
Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (2005)
*: Grand Cross of the
Order of the Crown (11 October 2022)
*: Grand Cross of the
Order of St. Olav (1 September 2005)
*: Grand Cross of the
Order of Faithful Service
*: Knight Grand Cross of the
Order of Civil Merit (16 November 2021)
*: Grand Officer of the
National Order of Merit
Military ranks
* December 2002:
Second Lieutenant
* 14 December 2004:
Lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...
* December 2007:
Captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
* 1 October 2014:
Major
Major most commonly refers to:
* Major (rank), a military rank
* Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits
* People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames
* Major and minor in musi ...
Arms
File:Coat of arms of Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland.svg, Coat of arms
File:Royal Monogram of Prince Carl Philip of Sweden.svg, Monogram
Prince Carl Philip's coat of arms is based on the
greater coat of arms of Sweden. It features in the first and fourth quarters, the
Three Crowns; in the second, the lion of the
House of Bjälbo; and in the third, the eagle of the arms of
Värmland
Värmland () is a ''Provinces of Sweden, landskap'' (historical province) in west-central Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Dalsland, Dalarna, Västmanland, and Närke, and is bounded by Norway in the west.
Name
Several Latinized version ...
, representing the titular designation of his dukedom. In the centre, on an
inescutcheon, is the dynastic arms of the
House of Bernadotte
The House of Bernadotte is the monarchy of Sweden, royal family of Sweden, founded there in 1818 by King Charles XIV John of Sweden. It was also the monarchy of Norway, royal family of Norway between 1818 and 1905. Its founder was born in Pau, Py ...
. Surrounding the shield is the chain of the
Order of the Seraphim
The Royal Order of the Seraphim (; ''Seraphim'' being a category of angels) is the highest order of chivalry of the Kingdom of Sweden. It was created by Frederick I of Sweden, King Frederick I on 23 February 1748, together with the Order of the ...
.
Ancestry
References
External links
The Royal Court of Sweden: Prince Carl PhilipBernadotte and Galliera princely inheritance(in Swedish)
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carl Philip, Sweden, Prince of
1979 births
Living people
Varmland
House of Bernadotte
Kent School alumni
Rhode Island School of Design alumni
Swedish Lutherans
Carl Philip 1979
Swedish heirs apparent who never acceded
People educated at Enskilda Gymnasiet
Royalty from Stockholm
Knights of the Order of Charles XIII
Grand Crosses of the National Order of Faithful Service
Grand Crosses 1st class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Recipients of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana, 1st Class
Honorary commanders of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia
Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon
Order of Civil Merit members
Royalty and nobility with dyslexia
Sons of kings
Swedish racing drivers
Grand Crosses of the Order of the Crown (Netherlands)
Sportspeople from Stockholm
Swedish royalty and nobility with disabilities
Cyan Racing drivers
Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia drivers