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Sweden

A new royal baby in Sweden as Princess Sofia gives birth to baby boy

Princess Sofia of Sweden has given birth to a baby boy this evening at 6.25PM.

Both mother and child are doing well. It is the first child for Prince Carl Philip and Crown Princess Sofia, who were married on 13 June 2015 at the Royal Chapel at Stockholm Palace and the new Princess’ pregnancy was confirmed on 15 October 2015.

The newborn weighs 3595 grams and is 49 cm in length.

The new Prince will be fifth in line to succession to the throne of Sweden behind their aunt, Crown Princess Victoria and her daughter and son, Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar and their father Prince Carl Philip. A Te Deum thanksgiving service is scheduled for tomorrow as is usual for Swedish royal births and was most recently done for Princess Victoria’s second child Prince Oscar who was born on 2 March 2016. A royal 21-gun salute is expected to take place tomorrow. The name will be announced when the King meets with the Cabinet.

A christening is not expected to take place for another three to four months and will most likely be preceded by the christening of Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel’s newborn son Prince Oscar. It will probably take place in the Royal Chapel at Stockholm Palace and by then we will also know who the godparents will be.

A change in law in 1980 made the child’s aunt Crown Princess in favour of the child’s father Prince Carl Philip, who was born in 1979 and was briefly Crown Prince before the change in law took effect. This change in law was already well on its way when Prince Carl Philip was born and Crown Princess Victoria was treated as Crown Princess from birth.

Prince Carl-Philip announced the gender of the baby in a press conference from Danderyd Hospital on Tuesday evening.

Photocredit: Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia of Sweden by Bengt Nyman via Flickr.com