Ahead of his jubilee in September, we are taking a look at the King of Sweden’s life. Learn about his christening below:
King Carl XVI Gustaf was born on 30 April 1946 as the last of Prince Gustaf Adolf and Princess Sibylla’s five children at Haga Palace. Carl Gustaf has four older sisters: Princess Margaretha, Princess Birgitta, Princess Désirée and Princess Christina. He was christened into the Church of Sweden on 7 June 1946 in the Royal Chapel of Stockholm Palace by the Archbishop of Uppsala, Erling Eidem.
The then Prince and future King’s godparents were his paternal uncle, future King Frederick IX of Denmark; his paternal aunt, Queen Ingrid of Denmark (former Princess of Sweden); the future Queen Juliana of the Netherlands; the future King Olav V of Norway; his maternal uncle, the then Friedrich Josias, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha; his paternal great-grandfather, King Gustaf V; his paternal grandfather, the future King Gustaf VI Adolph; his paternal step-grandmother, Queen Louise of Sweden; Countess Maria Bernadotte of Wisborg; and Count Folke Bernadotte.
The little Prince was granted the title of Duke of Jämtland, and his full name was Carl Gustaf Folke Hubertus.
Like many of his family members both before and after, His Majesty wore the Swedish Royal Family’s antique christening gown; it was first worn in 1906 by the future King Gustaf VI Adolf. Their names and the dates of their christenings were embroidered on the gown after the ceremonies. Like many a christening dress, it is made of light, crisp cotton batiste and covered in Valenciennes, a popular type of bobbin lace. It has small cap sleeves, trimmed with more lace. The gown was first used in 1906 at the christening of King Carl XVI Gustaf’s grandfather, Prince Gustaf Adolf, who was baptised on June 15th, 1906, in the White Sea Room at the Royal Palace in Stockholm.
