The Swedish Royal Family had a peaceful 2021 (global health crisis notwithstanding) that saw a reunion of the family after travel restrictions prevented movement between Sweden and the United States and the birth of a new prince.
January
The King got his COVID-19 vaccine while the Royal Court issued an update on Princess Sofia’s pregnancy. Crown Princess Victoria was as busy as ever that month but closed out January by wishing Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark good luck as Denmark and Sweden played against each other in the handball finals.
February
In February, we learned that the Swedish version of “The Crown” was underway, and the Royal Household started an investigation into a person pretending to be Prince Carl Philip.
Sadly, Queen Silvia was taken to the hospital after a fall. The Queen broke her wrist but made a surprise appearance later in the month.
There were two birthdays of the younger generation in February – Princess Leonore turned seven, and Princess Estelle turned nine.
March
March did not start off on a high note as Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel tested positive for COVID-19. However, The King’s sister, Princess Birgitta, returned to Sweden, and both Prince Oscar celebrated his fifth birthday and Princess Adrienne her third.
The biggest news of the month was the birth of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia’s third child, Prince Julian. He was the first grandchild of the King and Queen born without the style of Royal Highness. (Click here to learn why). Prince Julian received the dukedom of Halland – a moving tribute to a beloved uncle for the King and Carl Philip.
April
Princess Sofia paid tribute to her husband and three children in an Instagram post, saying, “Life has given me not just one but four beautiful princes.”
The Swedish Royal Family paid tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh after his death with King Carl XVI Gustaf, saying: “His service to his country will remain an inspiration to us all.”
The traditional Seraphim Toll took place in Stockholm in memory of Prince Philip – a formal ceremony for deceased members of the Order of the Seraphim.
April also saw the fifth birthday of Prince Alexander – the eldest of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia’s sons. Crown Princess Victoria also opened Stockholm Art Week, and Princess Madeleine surprised children on a virtual tour of the Royal Palace.
The month ended with the King marking his 75th birthday. All events were in line with health regulations.
May
The King and Queen Silvia opened a new exhibit at Solliden Palace, and the Crown Princess Family released new photos for Pentecost.
It was also revealed that Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia would be absent from National Day celebrations in June.
June
June is always a big month for the Swedish Royal Family with National Day celebrations on 6 June. The Crown Princess Family always send National Day greetings, and this year was no exception. The entire Royal Family marked the holiday with sweet Instagram tributes.
Sadly, a new poll revealed that Princess Madeleine’s approval in her home country was at an all-time low.
King Carl XVI Gustaf also celebrated his grandmother with a new exhibition. Princess Estelle unveiled new sculptures at her cultural foundation’s park.
Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden teamed up at a sea conference, and it was revealed that Prince Julian’s christening was going to break a 43-year-old tradition.
Prince Nicolas, the only son of Princess Madeleine and Chris O’Neill, turned six. The entire family was also able to return to Sweden from Florida for the first time since the pandemic began.
July
It was announced that the Royal Family’s visits to all of Sweden’s counties were set to resume after a pause due to the pandemic, and Crown Princess Victoria marked her 44th birthday with the traditional Victoriadagen celebrations.
Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia also unveiled new family photos.
The month concluded with the Royal Court releasing a new family photo. The family had not been gathered together since 2019.
August
August was quite busy for the Royal Family, with Princess Madeleine visiting a children’s hospital and Prince Daniel opening a new art gallery.
Of course, the highlight of the month was the christening of Prince Julian. Official photos were released a few days later to mark the occasion.
The visits to Sweden’s counties started again, and the King handed over the Stockholm Water Prize.
September
Crown Princess Victoria shared her experiences from living abroad, and Prince Gabriel turned four. The Crown Princess had to visit the county of Västerbotten alone as Prince Daniel had a cold.
The Swedish royals also welcomed a German state visit, and they also attended the opening of parliament (Riksdag).
The Crown Princess Family had a visit from their family and Norwegian counterparts, the Crown Prince Family of Norway.
October
As usual, Crown Princess Victoria marked the beginning of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Prince Daniel also honoured fallen police officers. Visits to the counties of Sweden continued, and the King and Queen attended a Holocaust remembrance event and forum focused on fighting antisemitism.
The Crown Princess and Prince Daniel also undertook a visit to Rome.
Princess Christina, the sister of the King, was given one of Sweden’s highest honours. The state visit from Spain was also announced.
November
Princess Sofia spoke out on cyberbullying, but Crown Princess Victoria was forced to cancel her visit to the Netherlands as the Omicron variant began to spread around Europe.
King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia both received their COVID booster shot, and the state visit from Spain began with a sparkling banquet.
There was also some family drama as Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia’s dog escaped their home but was returned safely. A man also tried to stop Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel from leaving a church.
December
December started off well as the King and Crown Princess welcomed the country’s first female prime minister. It was also announced that Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway would be officially visiting Sweden in 2022. However, later that month, the visit was postponed due to the global health crisis.
Princess Madeleine and her family also returned to Sweden for Christmas and received the Christmas trees at the Royal Palace. She was also granted a new leadership role in Childhood by her mother, Queen Silvia.
Crown Princess Victoria visited Paris and saw the construction on Notre Dame after a fire damaged much of the building in 2019. A baby elephant owned by the King of Sweden and Queen of Denmark tragically died.
The royals also attended a scaled-back Nobel Prize ceremony, and Queen Silvia was forced to cancel a trip to Dubai after becoming ill.
Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar sent St Lucia greetings and featured in the Crown Princess Family’s annual Christmas video lighting the last Advent candle.
On Christmas Eve, Crown Princess Victoria participated in a special reading of the Gospel of Luke on SVT. King Carl XVI Gustaf also addressed Swedes on Christmas Day.
