Prince Julian, the newborn son of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia of Sweden, also received the title of Duke of Halland, and this has a very special meaning for Prince Carl Philip.
Prince Carl Philip’s great-uncle Prince Bertil was also Duke of Halland, and he was especially close to him. Bertil was the third son of King Gustaf VI Adolf and his first wife, Princess Margaret of Connaught, but by 1950 he found himself second in the line of succession after the death of his eldest brother Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten and the unequal marriage of his second oldest brother Prince Sigvard of Sweden. Gustaf Adolf left behind a young son – the future King Carl XVI Gustaf.
Prince Bertil met the love of his life, Lilian Craig, in 1943, but the couple did not marry as that would have meant losing his place in the succession and the possibility of his becoming regent for his young nephew. The two lived together discreetly at Villa Solbacken for many years, and they were finally able to marry when his nephew – who had become King in 1973 – approved his marriage after marrying a non-royal woman himself. They were married on 7 December 1976, with Lilian taking the title Princess Lilian, Duchess of Halland. Due to these circumstances, the couple never had children of their own and would grow especially close to their nieces and nephew – the children of King Carl XVI Gustaf.
Embed from Getty ImagesPrince Carl Philip was born on 31 August 1979, and Prince Bertil was one of his godparents, in addition to Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, his aunt Princess Birgitta and Prince Leopold of Bavaria. Carl Philip has Bertil as one of his middle names, and his eldest son Prince Alexander also has Bertil as one of his middle names. When Prince Bertil died in 1997, he left Villa Solbacken to Carl Philip with the provision that Lilian be allowed to remain there for the rest of her life. Lilian passed away in 2013, and Carl Philip and his family moved into Villa Solbacken in 2017.
Embed from Getty ImagesWith Prince Julian becoming the new Duke of Halland, Prince Carl Philip will have another lovely reminder of a much beloved man.
