Princess Estelle, Duchess of Östergötland


Princess Estelle of Sweden, Duchess of Östergötland is the elder child and only daughter of Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland. She is the eldest grandchild of King Carl XVI Gustaf, and is second in line of succession to the Swedish throne.

Birth

Princess Estelle was born to Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel at 04:26 CET on 23 February 2012 at the Karolinska University Hospital in Solna. The birth was greeted by two 21-gun salutes on the island Skeppsholmen, opposite the Royal Palace in the capital Stockholm. Her names and title were announced on 24 February 2012 by her grandfather King Carl XVI Gustaf at a cabinet meeting. After the cabinet meeting, a Te Deum was held in the palace's royal chapel. Prior to the official announcement of her name and title, an error resulted in the royal website displaying the false name and title Ulrika Marianna Annika David - Duchess of Upplands Väsby which was later removed. The staff eventually revealed the reason was that they were testing the system.
Estelle was baptised on 22 May 2012 at the Royal Chapel of Stockholm Palace in Stockholm, Sweden. Archbishop Anders Wejryd conducted the ceremony. Her godparents were her maternal uncle, Prince Carl Philip of Sweden; her paternal aunt, Anna Westling-Söderström; Willem-Alexander, the then-Prince of Orange; Crown Princess Mary of Denmark ; and Crown Prince Haakon of Norway. She was baptised in the family's antique baptismal gown, which was first worn by Prince Gustaf Adolf when he was baptised in 1906. Her name and date of the baptism were added in embroidery to the gown. On the date of the baptism, a limited-edition prayer book titled Princess Estelle's Prayerbook was released and published.
Princess Estelle is second in the line of succession to the Swedish throne and the first female in Swedish history to be born with a right to inherit the crown that cannot be superseded by the birth of a male heir, as well as the first person in Swedish history to be born of a female heir apparent. The only two princesses of Sweden to be born first in line for the throne were heir presumptive at their birth: Christina and Hedwig Sophia.

Education and royal functions

As second in line to the Swedish throne, Princess Estelle has been in the public eye since birth. On 17 May 2014, two-year-old Princess Estelle inaugurated a fairytale path, named in her honour as "Duchess Estelle's Fairytale Path" in Tåkern, Östergötland. At the time of her christening, she was presented with a miniature swan and certificate to the trail indicating that in the future she would perform official engagements there. She also visited Linköping Castle, where she was received by Elisabeth Nilsson, Kristina Zetterström and Ann-Catrine Hjerdt, the mayor of Linköping.
On 25 August 2014, Princess Estelle started preschool at Äventyret Preschool in Danderyd Municipality, Stockholm. She started to attend the Campus Manila School in August 2018.
On 2 January 2020, while skiing with her family and celebrating the New Year, Princess Estelle sustained a fracture to a leg, which did necessitate a visit to a hospital for an x-ray and the use of a cast and crutches, though the injury was believed to be minor, and the Swedish Royal Family did not cancel their holiday. The Princess is accomplished at skiing, which she has done since age 2. However, her mother, Crown Princess Victoria, stayed with Princess Estelle and decided not to travel to Norway for the funeral of her close friend Ari Behn, who is the former son-in-law of Norway's King Harald.

Titles, styles, and honours

Titles and styles

Estelle's full title is: Her Royal Highness Princess Estelle Silvia Ewa Mary, Duchess of Östergötland.

Honours