Prince Bertil, Duke of Halland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Prince Bertil |
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| Duke of Halland | |||||
Bertil in 1964
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| Born | 28 February 1912 Stockholm Palace, Stockholm, Sweden |
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| Died | 5 January 1997 (aged 84) Villa Solbacken, Djurgården, Stockholm, Sweden |
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| Burial | 13 January 1997 Royal Cemetery, Solna, Sweden |
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| Spouse |
Lilian Davies
(m. 1976) |
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| House | Bernadotte | ||||
| Father | Gustaf VI Adolf | ||||
| Mother | Margaret of Connaught | ||||
| Religion | Church of Sweden | ||||
Prince Bertil, Duke of Halland (born Bertil Gustaf Oskar Carl Eugén) was a member of the Swedish royal family. He was born on February 28, 1912, and passed away on January 5, 1997.
Prince Bertil was the third son of King Gustaf VI Adolf and his first wife, Princess Margaret of Connaught. He was also the uncle of the current King of Sweden, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. For a time, from 1973 to 1979, he was next in line to the Swedish throne.
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Early Life of Prince Bertil
Bertil was born in Stockholm, Sweden, on February 28, 1912. He was the fourth of five children born to Princess Margaret of Connaught and Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf.
His brothers and sisters were Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Vasterbotten, Prince Sigvard, Duke of Uppland, Princess Ingrid, and Prince Carl Johan, Duke of Dalarna.
The family lived in several royal homes. These included apartments at Stockholm Palace and Ulriksdal Palace near the capital. They also had a summer home called Sofiero Castle in southern Sweden.
Prince Bertil's Royal Role
Prince Bertil was given a very old title: Duke of Halland. This title had been used for royal relatives in the past.
A big change happened in 1947. His older brother, Prince Gustaf Adolf, sadly passed away. This left his young son, Prince Carl Gustaf, as the next in line to the throne.
Another older brother, Sigvard, had already given up his right to the throne. This was because he married someone who was not royal, which was not allowed by the rules at the time.
Because of these events, it looked like Prince Bertil might become a regent. A regent is someone who rules a country when the king or queen is too young or unable to rule.
When Carl Gustaf became king, Prince Bertil remained next in line to the throne. He continued to act as the King's deputy, helping with royal duties. This continued until Carl Gustaf's first son, Prince Carl Philip, was born in 1979.
In 1980, the rules about who could inherit the throne changed. Only King Carl XVI Gustaf and his children could now inherit it. However, a special rule was made for Prince Bertil. This meant he could still be in line for the throne. He was third in line, and later fourth, after Princess Madeleine was born in 1982.
Prince Bertil's Personal Life
Prince Bertil became a naval officer. During World War II, he worked at the Swedish embassy in London.
In 1943, Bertil met Lilian Craig. She was from Wales and not a royal. To keep his place in the line of succession, Bertil and Lilian did not marry for many years.
They lived together privately from the 1940s. Their main home was in Sainte-Maxime, a town in the south of France.
After his father, King Gustaf VI Adolf, passed away in 1973, the new king, Carl XVI Gustaf, married a non-royal woman. This meant he could approve Bertil and Lilian's marriage. They finally married at Drottningholm Palace on December 7, 1976.
Prince Bertil loved cars. He owned a special Aston Martin DB2 and a Chevrolet Corvette. He even opened a Volvo car plant in Canada in 1963. A parking garage in Sainte-Maxime is named after him.
He was also very active in sports, especially tennis and boules. In 1947, he became the head of Sweden's Sports Confederation and the Olympic Committee.
Prince Bertil passed away at his home in Stockholm in 1997. Princess Lilian was by his side. They are buried together at the Royal Cemetery in Haga Park.
Arms
When Prince Bertil became the Duke of Halland, he was given a special coat of arms. This design was based on the royal arms of Sweden. It also included a symbol for Halland, his dukedom.
See also
In Spanish: Bertil de Suecia para niños
