The Swedish princess who lost her title to marry a British commoner

A generation of Swedish royal princesses lived at Haga Palace, and the eldest among them lost her title for love.

Princess Margaretha Désirée Victoria was born on 31 October 1934, the eldest child of Prince Gustaf Adolf and Princess Sybilla.

Women were barred from the Swedish throne at the time, and Princess Margaretha was not born in the line of succession. Her father was third in line to the throne when she was born.  

In time, Princess Margaretha was joined by three younger sisters, Princess Birgitta, Princess Désirée, and Princess Christina. They grew up at Haga Palace with their parents and were known as the Haga Princesses in their youth. A younger brother joined the family in 1946; today, he reigns as King Carl XVI Gustaf.

Sadly, Prince Gustaf Adolf was killed in an aeroplane crash in 1947, leaving behind a widow with five children, including a nine-month-old son. In 1950, Princess Margaretha’s grandfather succeeded to the throne, making her younger brother a crown prince.

Princess Margaretha was privately educated at the Haga Palace, and, according to the Swedish Royal Court, she studied ceramics and textiles at Nyckelvik School and later trained in occupational therapy at the Karolinska Hospital.

In 1960, she and her cousins Princess Margrethe of Denmark (later Queen Margrethe) and Princess Astrid of Norway undertook an official visit to the United States to mark the first transatlantic flight of Scandinavian Airlines. During their stay, they visited Hollywood, met stars like Elvis Presley, and visited Disneyland.

She and her sisters were prominent in Swedish society in their youth. Princess Margaretha was known for a romance with the Scottish aristocrat Robin Douglas-Home that never progressed far enough to consider marriage.

The Princess would meet British businessman John Ambler at a dinner party in 1963 and were engaged on 28 February 1964. The first of the Haga Princesses to marry, Princess Margaretha wore a simple wedding dress created at the Märthaskolan and a traditional wedding crown from the church in Öland where the couple were married. Her veil was a Brussels lace creation that was once worn by Queen Louise.

Princess Margaretha and John Ambler married on 30 June 1964 at the Gärdslösa Church on the island of Öland. Her grandfather gave her away, and Princess Margaretha subsequently became Princess Margaretha, Mrs Ambler and lost her royal style.

The couple lived in the United Kingdom and had three children together: Sybilla, Charles and James Ambler, in 1965, 1966 and 1967. As Princess Margaretha had no succession rights of her own, her children were not born with styles, titles, or succession rights to the throne.

Princess Margaretha and John Ambler announced their separation in 1994 but never officially divorced. Following a long period of bad health, John passed away in 2008 at the age of 83.

Princess Margaretha still joins the Swedish Royal Family at family events like weddings, christenings and funerals but lives in the United Kingdom and does not carry out engagements on behalf of her brother.