Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Prince Gustaf Adolf |
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| Duke of Västerbotten | |||||
Gustaf Adolf in 1932
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| Born | Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden 22 April 1906 Stockholm Palace, Stockholm, Sweden |
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| Died | 26 January 1947 (aged 40) Kastrup Airfield, Copenhagen, Denmark |
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| Burial | 4 February 1947 Royal Cemetery, Solna, Sweden |
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| Spouse |
Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
(m. 1932) |
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| House | Bernadotte | ||||
| Father | Gustaf Adolf, Crown Prince of Sweden (later Gustaf VI Adolf) |
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| Mother | Margaret of Connaught | ||||
Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten (born April 22, 1906 – died January 26, 1947) was a Swedish prince. For most of his life, he was second in line to become the King of Sweden. He was the oldest son of Gustaf VI Adolf, who became king three years after Gustaf Adolf's death.
The current King of Sweden, Carl XVI Gustaf, is Prince Gustaf Adolf's son. Prince Gustaf Adolf died in an airplane crash on January 26, 1947, at Kastrup Airport in Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Who Was Prince Gustaf Adolf?
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Gustaf Adolf was born in Stockholm, Sweden, on April 22, 1906. He was the first son of Prince Gustaf Adolf and Princess Margaret. His family often called him by his last given name, Edmund.
He finished his schooling in 1925 at Stockholm Palace. After that, he joined the military. He attended officer training schools and became an officer in the Swedish Army. By 1943, he had reached the rank of lieutenant colonel. He held this rank until his death.
Prince Gustaf Adolf's Interests and Duties
Prince Gustaf Adolf was very active in sports and youth organizations. He was the president of the Swedish Olympic Committee from 1933 until he died in 1947. He even competed in show jumping at the 1936 Summer Olympics.
He was also a big supporter of the Boy Scouts. He joined as a boy and later became a Scoutmaster. He earned his Wood Badge beads, which is a special training award for Scout leaders. When the Swedish Scout Council was created, he became its first president, also known as the Chief Scout.
He led the Swedish Scouts at the 5th World Scout Jamboree in 1937 and at the World Scout Moot in 1939. He was also a member of the World Scout Committee from 1937 until his death.
Besides Scouting and sports, Prince Gustaf Adolf was involved in many other organizations. He was chairman of the Royal Swedish Aero Club and the Royal Automobile Club. He was also an honorary member of several important Swedish academies, including the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
Prince Gustaf Adolf During World War II
As a representative of Sweden, Prince Gustaf Adolf met with some leaders of Nazi Germany, including Adolf Hitler and Hermann Göring. This led to some people wondering if he supported the Nazis. However, many people who knew him well, and who were against the Nazis, said that these rumors were not true. The Swedish Royal Court also stated that he did not have Nazi sympathies.
Prince Gustaf Adolf showed his support for Finland during the Continuation War (1941–1944). He even wanted to fight as a volunteer soldier in the Winter War (1939–1940), but his grandfather, the King, did not allow it.
Some important Swedish politicians did not want Gustaf Adolf to become king. One politician even said that the prince was "a person who must never be King."
Marriage and Family Life
On October 20, 1932, Prince Gustaf Adolf married his second cousin, Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Their wedding took place in Coburg, Germany.
They had five children:
- Princess Margaretha, Mrs. Ambler (born 1934)
- Princess Birgitta of Sweden (born 1937)
- Princess Désirée, Baroness Silfverschiöld (born 1938)
- Princess Christina, Mrs. Magnuson (born 1943)
- King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden (born 1946)
Prince Gustaf Adolf's Tragic Death
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Prince Gustaf Adolf died in an airplane crash on January 26, 1947. The accident happened at Kastrup Airport in Copenhagen, Denmark. He was returning to Stockholm after a hunting trip and a visit with Princess Juliana and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands.
The plane was a Douglas DC-3 from KLM airlines. It had flown from Amsterdam and made a planned stop in Copenhagen before heading to Stockholm. Shortly after taking off from Copenhagen, the plane climbed to about 50 meters (150 feet), then it stopped flying forward and fell nose-first to the ground. The plane exploded when it hit the ground. All 22 people on board, including 16 passengers and six crew members, died. Famous American singer Grace Moore and Danish actress Gerda Neumann were also on the flight.
An investigation found that a young, inexperienced employee had worked on the plane. Also, the plane's captain did not properly complete his final safety checks before takeoff. He took off without realizing that some important locking pins, which prevent the plane's controls from moving, were still in place.
At the time of his death, Prince Gustaf Adolf was second in line to the Swedish throne. His father was the crown prince, who later became King Gustaf VI Adolf in 1950. After Gustaf Adolf's death, his only son, Carl Gustaf, who was only 9 months old, became second in line to the throne. Carl Gustaf later became King Carl XVI Gustaf in 1973.
Honours and Titles
| Styles of Prince Gustaf Adolf |
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| Reference style | His Royal Highness |
| Spoken style | Your Royal Highness |
Military Ranks
1927: Fänrik (a junior officer rank) in the Svea Life Guards and the Life Regiment Dragoons- 1928: Fänrik in the Life Regiment of Horse
- 1941: Major in the General Staff Corps, Svea Life Guards, and the Life Regiment of Horse
- 1943: Lieutenant Colonel in the General Staff Corps, Svea Life Guards, Västerbotten Regiment, and in the Swedish Cavalry
Awards and Honours
Prince Gustaf Adolf received many awards and honours from Sweden and other countries:
- From Sweden
- 1906: Knight of the Royal Order of the Seraphim
- 1906: Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Sword
- 1906: Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star
- 1906: Crown Prince Gustaf V and Crown Princess Silver Wedding Medal
- 1907: King Oscar II and Queen Sofia's Golden Wedding Medal
- 1928: King Gustaf V's Jubilee Commemorative Medal
- Knight of the Order of Charles XIII
- From Other Countries
Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold (Belgium)
Knight of the Order of the Elephant (Denmark)
Order of the Cross of the Eagle, 1st class (Estonia)
Grand Cross of the Order of the White Rose of Finland (Finland)- First Class of the Order of the Cross of Liberty (Finland)
Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary (Hungary)
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion (Netherlands)
Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav with Collar (Norway)
Grand Cross of the Saxe-Ernestine House Order (Germany)
Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (United Kingdom)
Coat of Arms
The coat of arms used by Prince Gustaf Adolf was based on the Kingdom of Sweden's arms. It also included a special section with the arms of Västerbotten, which was the duchy he was named after.
Images for kids
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Gustaf Adolf in 1932
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Gustaf Adolf at his christening in 1906
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Prince Gustaf Adolf at a sports event in 1940
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Prince Gustaf Adolf with Hermann Göring and King Gustaf V in 1939
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Gustaf Adolf as painted by Bianca Wallin in 1939
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Gustaf Adolf's and Sibylla's grave
See also
In Spanish: Gustavo Adolfo de Suecia (1906-1947) para niños
