When Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten, died in 1947, he left behind a nine-month-old son and heir and four daughters who collectively became known as the Haga Princesses. Although the four Princesses were older than their brother, they were not in the line of succession as Sweden did not adopt absolute primogeniture until 1980. So who were these sisters?
The eldest of the four is Princess Margaretha. She was born on 31 October 1934 at Haga Palace, the daughter of Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten, and his wife, Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. At the time of her birth, her great-grandfather King Gustaf V reigned. She received a private education alongside her sisters and then attended a dressmaking school. She met her future husband, John Ambler, in 1963, and their engagement was announced the following year. They were married on 30 June 1964 on the island of Öland, and Margaretha wore a wedding dress created by her school. She lost the style of Her Royal Highness upon marriage and has since been known as Princess Margaretha, Mrs Ambler. They went on to have three children together: Sybilla (b. 1965), Edward (b. 1966), and James (b. 1969), and they lived in the United Kingdom. They separated in 1994 but were never officially divorced. Margaretha was widowed in 2008.
The second sister is Princess Birgitta, who was born on 19 January 1937, also at Haga Palace. She met her future husband, Prince Johann Georg of Hohenzollern, in 1959, and the following year their engagement was announced. They were married in the Hall of State of the Royal Palace of Stockholm on 25 May 1961, with a Roman Catholic on 30 May in Germany. They were on to have three children together: Carl (b. 1962), Désirée (b. 1963), and Hubertus (b. 1966). She and her husband separated in 1990, but they were never officially divorced. Birgitta was widowed in 2016.
The third sister is Princess Désirée, who was born on 2 June 1938, also at Haga Palace. Her engagement to Baron Niclas Silfverschiöld was announced in December 1963, and they were married on 5 June 1964 in Stockholm. She lost the style of Her Royal Highness and has since been known as Princess Désirée, Baroness Silfverschiöld. They went on to have three children together: Carl (b. 1965), Christina-Louise (b. 1966), and Hélène (b. 1968). Désirée was widowed in 2017. She occasionally attends events in Sweden.
The fourth sister is Princess Christina, who was born on 3 August 1943, also at Haga Palace. She met her future husband, Tord Magnuson, in 1961. Their engagement was announced on 1 February 1974, and they were married on 15 June 1974 in Stockholm. She lost the style of Her Royal Highness and has since been known as Princess Christina, Mrs Magnuson. They went on to have three sons together: Gustaf (b. 1975), Oscar (b. 1977) and Victor (b. 1980). Christina was diagnosed with chronic leukaemia, and she was cured following stem cell treatment.
