Gustaf VI Adolf (born Oscar Fredrik Wilhelm Olaf Gustaf Adolf; 11 November 1882 – 15 September 1973) was the King of Sweden. He ruled from 1950 until his death in 1973. He was the oldest son of Gustaf V and Victoria of Baden.

Before becoming king, Gustaf Adolf was the crown prince for almost 43 years. As king, he agreed to changes in the Swedish constitution. These changes removed the last political powers of the Swedish monarchy. He was also an archeologist who loved studying ancient cultures, especially those from Ancient Italy.

Early Life and Royal Family Connections
Becoming Crown Prince
- Journey to the Near East (1934–1935)
Becoming King (1950–1973)
Hobbies and Interests
Family Life
Royal Symbols
See also

Early Life and Royal Family Connections

Gustaf Adolf was born at Stockholm Palace. When he was born, he was given the title Duke of Scania. His family, the Bernadotte family, had ruled Sweden for a long time.

He was also related to the House of Vasa through his mother's side. His mother, Victoria, was a descendant of Gustav IV Adolf from the House of Holstein-Gottorp (Swedish line). He was also the great-grandson of Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany. This connected him to the House of Hohenzollern.

Becoming Crown Prince

Gustaf Adolf wearing his ducal coronet in Stockholm Palace around 1900.

Gustaf Adolf became the Crown Prince of Sweden on 8 December 1907. This happened after his grandfather, King Oscar II, passed away.

Journey to the Near East (1934–1935)

From September to December 1934, Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf went on a long trip. He traveled to several countries in the Near East with his wife, Crown Princess Louise. His children, Princess Ingrid and Prince Bertil, also joined them.

The journey started from Stockholm on 13 September. They traveled by train through Europe to Messina, Italy. From there, they boarded a ship called Vasaland to Greece. They visited cities like Patras and Aegion. On 20 September, they arrived in Piraeus and then took a train to Athens. In Athens, they met the President of Greece. They also explored ancient sites like Delphi.

After Greece, they sailed to Thessaloniki and then to Istanbul in Turkey. In Istanbul, they met President Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. They visited the capital city, Ankara, and the city of Bursa.

On 10 October, they continued their journey by ship to Smyrna. From there, they traveled by train to Aleppo. The Crown Prince got a mild illness, so they stayed in Aleppo for about two weeks.

On 1 November, they flew to Baghdad in Iraq. They met King Ghazi of Iraq and other important leaders. After a week in Baghdad, they traveled by train and car to Tehran, the capital of Iran. They met the Shah of Iran and visited important places. They also saw the construction of the Trans-Iranian Railway. They then visited Isfahan and Persepolis, an ancient city.

The royal family then returned to Baghdad. On 5 December, they flew to Damascus in Syria. They met the President of the Syrian Republic. They also visited Baalbek, an ancient city with ruins.

Next, they went to Beirut in Lebanon. They were welcomed by the French government and the President of the Lebanese Republic. The Crown Prince visited new port facilities and offices of Swedish companies.

Their journey continued to Jerusalem in Palestine. They arrived on 11 December. They visited Haifa, where the Crown Prince laid a wreath at a monument. They also explored places like Capernaum and Nazareth. They visited Jaffa and Tel Aviv, seeing more Swedish company offices.

Around 20 December, they took a two-day trip to Jericho and the Dead Sea. They also visited Amman, the capital of Transjordan, and the ancient city of Petra. They met the Emir of Transjordan.

Finally, they traveled to Cairo in Egypt. They were guests of the Egyptian government. They spent Christmas there, staying near the pyramids. The Crown Prince and Prince Bertil also visited Alexandria.

Becoming King (1950–1973)

On 29 October 1950, Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf became king. He was almost 68 years old. He became king after his father, King Gustaf V, passed away. His personal motto was Plikten framför allt, which means "Duty before all."

During his time as king, Sweden was working on a new constitution. This new document would replace the old one from 1809. Many Swedes wanted changes, including reducing the king's power.

King Gustaf VI Adolf was very popular with the Swedish people. His popularity helped keep the monarchy in Sweden. He was respected for his knowledge in many areas, like architecture and botany. People also liked his humble and simple nature. He avoided showing off his royal status. Even though the king still had some powers on paper, he usually followed the advice of his ministers.

King Gustaf VI Adolf passed away in 1973, just before his 91st birthday. He died in a hospital in Helsingborg, near his summer home, Sofiero Castle. He had been ill with pneumonia. His grandson, Carl XVI Gustaf, became the new king. Carl XVI Gustaf was 27 years old at the time.

Before he died, King Gustaf Adolf approved a new constitution. This new law took away the last political powers of the monarchy. It made the king a ceremonial figurehead. This new constitution became active in 1975, two years after his death.

Hobbies and Interests

Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf meets some English footballers (around 1910–1915).

King Gustaf VI Adolf was known as a "professional amateur professor." He was a very dedicated archaeologist. He even became a member of the British Academy in 1958 for his work in botany.

He went on archaeological trips to China, Greece, Korea, and Italy. He also helped start the Swedish Institute in Rome.

The King had a huge private library with 80,000 books. What's amazing is that he had read most of them! He was very interested in books about Chinese art and East Asian history. He loved the history of civilization and took part in many archaeological digs.

His other big hobby was botany, which is the study of plants. He especially loved flowers and gardening. He was an expert on the Rhododendron flower. At Sofiero Castle, his summer home, he created a beautiful collection of Rhododendrons.

Like his sons, Prince Gustaf Adolf and Prince Bertil, King Gustaf VI Adolf also loved sports. He enjoyed tennis, golf, and fly fishing for charity. He was the president of the Swedish Olympic Committee and the Swedish Sports Confederation until 1933. His sons later took over these roles.

Family Life

Gustaf Adolf with his first wife, Margaret, and their children in 1912.

Gustaf Adolf married Princess Margaret of Connaught on 15 June 1905. The wedding took place at Windsor Castle in England. Princess Margaret was the daughter of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught. He was the third son of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.

Gustaf Adolf and Margaret had five children:

Name	Birth	Death	Notes
Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten	22 April 1906	26 January 1947(1947-01-26) (aged 40)	Married Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. He died in a plane crash. He was the father of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.
Prince Sigvard, Duke of Uppland	7 June 1907	4 February 2002(2002-02-04) (aged 94)	Later known as Prince Sigvard Bernadotte, Count of Wisborg.
Queen Ingrid	28 March 1910	7 November 2000(2000-11-07) (aged 90)	She became the Queen of Denmark. She was the wife of Frederick IX of Denmark and mother of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark.
Prince Bertil, Duke of Halland	28 February 1912	5 January 1997(1997-01-05) (aged 84)	He married Lillian Davies. They had no children.
Prince Carl Johan, Duke of Dalarna	31 October 1916	5 May 2012(2012-05-05) (aged 95)	Later known as Prince Carl Johan Bernadotte, Count of Wisborg.

Crown Princess Margaret passed away suddenly on 1 May 1920. She was expecting their sixth child.

Gustaf Adolf married his second wife, Lady Louise Mountbatten, on 3 November 1923. The wedding was at St. James's Palace. Lady Louise was the sister of Lord Mountbatten. She was also an aunt to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Lady Louise became the Queen of Sweden.

His second marriage had one stillborn daughter on 30 May 1925.

King Gustaf VI Adolf was the grandfather of the current King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. He was also the grandfather of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark.

Royal Symbols

As Prince and Duke of Scania (1882-1905)	As Crown Prince and Duke of Scania (1907-1950)	The King's Coat of Arms	Royal Monogram of King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden