Palmstierna was born on 8 March 1919 in Johannes Parish, Stockholm, the son of Colonel, Friherre Henrik Palmstierna and his wife Inger. Palmstierna passed studentexamen in Skövde in 1939. He graduated from the Swedish Air Force Flying School in Ljungbyhed and was commissioned as an officer at the Västgöta Air Force Wing with the rank of fänrik. Palmstierna served as a flight instructor at the Swedish Air Force Flying School from 1943 to 1946 and was promoted to lieutenant in 1944. He attended the Staff Course at the Royal Swedish Air Force Staff College in 1949 and was appointed captain the same year. From 1953 to 1955, he served as squadron commander at Halland Air Force Wing. From 1955 he served as Aide-de-camp to Prince Bertil, Duke of Halland and the same year he was promoted to major. He was posted as chief of staff of the First Air Group from 1955 to 1959 when he was promoted to lieutenant colonel, and the same year he studied at the Swedish National Defence College. He was then posted to the Defence Staff from 1960 to 1963 as head of the Planning Department during which time he served as an expert in the 1960 and the 1962 Defense Committees. In 1963, Palmstierna was promoted to colonel and appointed commanding officer of Svea Air Corps. He was an expert in the 1965 Defense Investigation and in 1967, Palmstierna was appointed chief of Section 4 in the Defence Staff. Three years later, he assumed the position of Vice Chief of the Defence Staff and head of the Operations Command on 1 April 1970 and he was promoted to major general on 1 October the same year. Palmstierna was then chief of staff of the Eastern Military District from 1973 to 1978 and commanding offier of the Swedish Armed Forces Staff College from 1978 to 1984. Palmstierna was chairman of the boards of the Military Literature Association, Militärhistoriska Förlaget and the Military History Research Delegation. He was also a member of the boards of directors of the HDF-bolagen in Halmstad, Stafsjö bruk and Starfors skogar.
Personal life
In 1945, he married Louise Cavalli, the daughter of colonel Evert Cavalli and Greta. They had two children: Charlotte Marie, married in 1985 to Anders Wall, and Klas Henrik, who was married 1974–1981 to Countess Ylva Catharina Egilsdotter von Rosen. Palmstierna died on 5 August 1990 in Danderyd Parish, Sweden. He was buried in Djursholm Cemetery on 17 December 1990.
