A Boy for Carl Philip and Sofia - Alexander Erik Hubertus Bertil: April 19, 2016


If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
It is true but back to the 20th century. Nowadays, the man in the family also raises his children, I've seen couples who both work but also both clean the house and cook, including the husband. The stereotype that the women is always at home and just make babies and raise them is pretty much outdated in the 21st century.

Even though CG said he prefered his son over his daughter to be the successor, because man are more suited for the role, I'm quite surprised he didn't look to his cousin Queen Margrethe of Denmark or Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands. They were and are (in case for QM) capable queens who were not inferior than man and they managed to be KING of their people. He had examples of ruling women so close by and still said that, such a shame.

Would add Elizabeth to the list.

It was understandable back in the day when Margrethe came to the throne, there may be concerns about a reigning queen. It was the mindset of those days in the mid 20th century. And unlike the Netherlands (who had queens since the 1890's) and the UK who had reigning queens in the past, Denmark didn't have a history.

But for such an attitude today? Women balance families and jobs just as well as men. With three reigning queens on the throne when CG made the comment, it is amazing he could still be so close minded. Being queen would make Victoria no less a mother. The only time she has to be away from her kids is on tours. If CP was king, Sofia would be no different, she would be expected to accompany him on tours and be away from her kids.
 
I love the setting of these pictures. Historical backround looks wonderful and the colors provide very lovely spring feeling.
My favorites: Prince Carl Philip adoringly gazing down at the baby while touching his son's head and holding his hand around Sofia's waist and that picture with Carl Philip holding his son against his shoulder. Liked that the dog was also included in the photoshoot.
That's my favourite, too! They look so charmed with their beautiful baby boy. And I love the name they chose! I think it's great that all the siblings have given their babies a beautiful, individual and regal calling name and second and third names in honour of important persons in their lives.
 
The reason that Daniel was not in the photos that were released of Prince Oscar with his mother and sister is because Daniel himself took the pictures.

small correction. the one of Oscar and Victoria was taken by a professional photographer. Daniel took the one of Estelle and Oscar :flowers:
 
Don't underestimate the feelings for a male Heir. When in 1967 finally a prince was born in the Netherlands, the media was head over heels that finally a Prince of Orange has been born! In an interview in 1973 Queen Juliana said this furore about a boy had hit her: what did this explosion of joy say about her mother or she herself? We have moved on with times but these paternalistic feelings for a son are still widespread, all over the globe, in all cultures.
 
Last edited:
Well if we were still in 1967 when most women were expected to be barefoot and pregnant by 20 and not have a job outside of the home, perhaps you'd have a valid point. Fortunately almost 50 years later, most of the world has moved beyond that misogynistic view. Of course the people of the Netherlands were excited, he was the first prince born in over a hundred years. That is exciting. Not that people were sick of queens in the Netherlands, but it was amazing and happy news.
 
Of course the people of the Netherlands were excited, he was the first prince born in over a hundred years. That is exciting. Not that people were sick of queens in the Netherlands, but it was amazing and happy news.
I agree, I think that it had much more to do with Willem-Alexander being a different gender than the previous three heirs/monarchs. I suspect that there will be a similar reaction in Britain when a female heir apparent is born.
 
Don't underestimate the feelings for a male Heir. When in 1967 finally a prince was born in the Netherlands, the media was head over heels that finally a Prince of Orange has been born! In an interview in 1973 Queen Juliana said this furore about a boy had hit her: what did this explosion of joy say about her mother or she herself? We have moved on with times but these paternalistic feelings for a son are still widespread, all over the globe, in all cultures.

Because he was the first male offspring of the Family since over 100 years. If Queen's Wilhelmina and Juliana had sons there would have been not such an media spectacle.
 
When the Spanish Government finally changes the succession in order of firstborn, regardless the gender, then that is a fait-accompli.

But the spanish Government did exact this when changiong the succession of noble Titles. For example in the House of Medina Celi the Heir was the oldest son but second child of the late Duchess. But with the change suddenly his older sister became the Heiress.
 
It is true but back to the 20th century. Nowadays, the man in the family also raises his children, I've seen couples who both work but also both clean the house and cook, including the husband. The stereotype that the women is always at home and just make babies and raise them is pretty much outdated in the 21st century.

Even though CG said he prefered his son over his daughter to be the successor, because man are more suited for the role, I'm quite surprised he didn't look to his cousin Queen Margrethe of Denmark or Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands. They were and are (in case for QM) capable queens who were not inferior than man and they managed to be KING of their people. He had examples of ruling women so close by and still said that, such a shame.

It's sad that C-G still occasionally talks about it because everytime he does , he turns himself into a big laughing joke here in Sweden. He angers his people and the media loves to use his conservative opinions as an excuse to remove the monarchy.

His motto "För Sverige - I Tiden" (For Sweden - In The Time" is discussable. He has indeed modernised the swedish royal court and it's rituals very much since the time of his grandfather Gustaf VI Adolf. Has he modernised himself ?
I think he tries to. The way he spoke to Crown Princess Victoria at her wedding and the way he spoke about Princess Madeleine recently (regretting to not being more at home not understanding that it was very hard for her when her parents were away) indicates that he now knows that he did wrong and he tries to repair what still can be repaired by being a good grandfather instead.

2003 is 13 years ago now. Hopefully he "knows better" today when all his 3 kids are parents and atleast Daniel and Carl-Philip takes paternity leave like all modern men.

Victoria will likely come to the throne when Estelle and Oscar are past their childhood years and won't have the same problem as Queen Margrethe II had when she became Queen and had to leave two kids aged 4 and 3 at home with a father who never wanted to be at home, wanted to be King himself and has spent almost his whole life to insult his wife in public.
There is no risk anyway that Daniel would ever behave like that.
 
Last edited:
:previous:very nice post, thank you for all the history.
Nobody is perfect, we are all trying to do our best.:)
 
It's sad that C-G still occasionally talks about it because everytime he does , he turns himself into a big laughing joke here in Sweden. He angers his people and the media loves to use his conservative opinions as an excuse to remove the monarchy.

His motto "För Sverige - I Tiden" (For Sweden - In The Time" is discussable. He has indeed modernised the swedish royal court and it's rituals very much since the time of his grandfather Gustaf VI Adolf. Has he modernised himself ?
I think he tries to. The way he spoke to Crown Princess Victoria at her wedding and the way he spoke about Princess Madeleine recently (regretting to not being more at home not understanding that it was very hard for her when her parents were away) indicates that he now knows that he did wrong and he tries to repair what still can be repaired by being a good grandfather instead.

2003 is 13 years ago now. Hopefully he "knows better" today when all his 3 kids are parents and atleast Daniel and Carl-Philip takes paternity leave like all modern men.

Victoria will likely come to the throne when Estelle and Oscar are past their childhood years and won't have the same problem as Queen Margrethe II had when she became Queen and had to leave two kids aged 4 and 3 at home with a father who never wanted to be at home, wanted to be King himself and has spent almost his whole life to insult his wife in public.
There is no risk anyway that Daniel would ever behave like that.

Certainly if CG follows in the longevity of his family, even Oscar will hopefully be at least 18 when his mother is queen. The king would be 93 at that point but his family has a history of long lives. His two predecessors, his grandfather and great-grandfather were 90 and 92 when they died.

His father died tragically young but his father's siblings:
-Ingrid was 90
-Bertil was 85
-Carl Johan was 96
-Sigvard was just short of 96

One of his great Uncles, Vilhelm, lived to be in his eighties.

Certainly Victoria's kids will not face the fait (unless tragedy strikes) of Margrethe or Elizabeth's kids whose mother came to the throne early.

But then again time has also changed a great deal. One, travel is quicker and the time away from kids is much more limited. And husbands are thankfully stepping up and being full parents. No one would have complained if Margrethe or Elizabeth were men back then and came to the throne so young.
 
Do you think that Prince Alexander's christening date will be announced after Prince Oscar's christening?
 
Definitely yes; till his christening in eight days, there is Oscar who is in the centre of attention.
 
I am also wondering when Prince Alexander's christening will be announced, how many Godparents he will have, and who they will be.
 
Alexander's christening will be equal in ceremony as Leonore and Nicholas.
 
:previous: Not necessarily. Alexander is, after all, further up the line of succession than Leonore and Nicolas. I'm guessing it will be a smaller affair than Estelle and Oscar's christenings but definitely bigger than Leonore and Nicolas's – at a larger church and perhaps even with a foreign royal godparent (I'm thinking Prince Hubertus of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha).

Don't underestimate the feelings for a male Heir. When in 1967 finally a prince was born in the Netherlands, the media was head over heels that finally a Prince of Orange has been born! In an interview in 1973 Queen Juliana said this furore about a boy had hit her: what did this explosion of joy say about her mother or she herself? We have moved on with times but these paternalistic feelings for a son are still widespread, all over the globe, in all cultures.

You can't really use that example because in the case of WA, he was the first male heir in many years so everyone naturally thought it was exciting – akin to the Danish reaction to little Princess Isabella of Denmark's birth as she was the first Danish Princess born in 60 years but has got absolutely nothing to do with "paternalistic feelings".
 
Last edited:
It's almost a shame they couldn't do a double christening. I understand needing the focus to be on the Crown Princess family, but it still would have been neat :)


Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community mobile app
 
Its not just about focussing on Victoria's family. Its also about Alexander. He and his parents deserve their day as well. It is their first child. Alex should get to wear the christening gown like his cousins. He should get to be center stage one day. If he shared the day with Oscar, even if he got a royal godparent or two, the focus would be Oscar. Oscar would get the royal gown as the more senior prince.
 
I doubt Alexander would get a royal godparent unless it's a family member. He's 5th in line to the throne but he's not the son of a future monarch. Dad Carl Philip is no. 4. Madeleine could be Alexander's godparent (a wild card, I know). Oscar will get the same parade cradle as Leonore and Nicholas, and so would Alexander.
 
:previous: There's no rule that dictates that you have to be the child of a future monarch to get a foreign royal as a godparent – The Earl of Wessex is Prince Nikolai of Denmark's godfather ;) A precondition will obviously be that said royal is a friend of the couple and then it's debatable whether there are foreign royals who are close enough to CP and Sofia to be chosen over non-royal friends. Questionable but definitely not impossible.

I agree about the cradle though. I think it's pretty much a given that Karl XV's cradle will be used for Alexander's christening.
 
I am eagerly awaiting the June 6 National Day at the opening of the Palace Gate, in anticipation that Prince CP and Princess Sofia will bring Prince Alexander with them. I hope they do, I will be so disappointment if they don’t.
 
Expressen writes that Carl Philip and Sofia want to have Alexander's christening in Öland. In modern times there has been no royal christening in Öland, princess Margaretha got married there at the Gärdslösa church. The king makes the final decision though.
Expressen writes that all the royal media is at Öland on Victoria's birthday 14th July, so the christening could be on Saturday 9th or Saturday 16th July.
The National Day celebrations at Skansen and then reception at the Royal Palace and then Victoria celebrations on July 14th Öland are on their way. Is the court additionally able to arrange a royal christening amidst all the other events?
- There is an ongoing planning and when we know more, it will be communicated, Margareta Thorgren said.
Can it be Öland?
- As I said, when we have more information, we'll tell you.
Royal rule says three months of birth. Can the court push it forward to after the summer?
- There is nothing we can comment on the current situation. When the date and place are decided, we will announce it, Thorgen said.
The article has also listed the things which are in favour of christening in Öland and which are against it.
Prinsessan Sofias önskan om dopet för prins Alexander _ Svenska kungahuset _ Expressen
Translation

About the possible christening on 9th July - Carl Philip has STCC races on 10th July and normally the tests and qualifications are the day before.
 
Alexander's christening should be in another month - August. The Prince Couple looks like they are trying to bigfoot Victoria Day. Madeleine & CP were christened in August.
 
I think that early july would still be too soon. About Oland, everything is possible, especially since the king considers this baby his legitimate heir. I hope the christening will be in Stockholm, like all the others have been...
 
Alexander's christening should be in another month - August. The Prince Couple looks like they are trying to bigfoot Victoria Day. Madeleine & CP were christened in August.

I don't believe for a moment that the christening will take place on Victoria Day.
I don't think that Victoria will mind for a second if her nephew will be christened on one of the other July days.
She does not make resevations for the rest of the month because of her birthday on July 14th.
Besides I think that the christening will take place when the summer holidays are over. So September or October like with the christening of Nicolas
 
I guess the christening will take place either on the last weekend in July or the first weekend in August.
 
The King and Queen will in Bhutan after the National Day celebrations. So I'll bet last weekend in July.

September and October seems to late IMO I already thought that Nicolas was to old for the christening in October, and if Alexander is to be christened in September or October he will be 5/6 months old. It's impossible! July/August is the best possibility and I agree with principessa: last weekend in July or the first weekend in August.
 
:previous: While that is true, Sweden's national day is in June. The couple leave for Bhutan on the 8th of June and will be gone for three days. They will be back in Sweden long before July.

But that said, the babies tend to be at least 3 months, so I agree late July is more likely. Some time after Victoria's birthday.
 
In the end, I think the christening will be in Stockholm in August. Prince Alexander will be the first in succession of future Queen Estelle's cousins, and I think that the King will insists that the christening takes place in the Palace with godparents from other royal houses etc.

I would not rule out a royal christening on Öland for his future siblings. Carl Philip and Sofia made clear with their wedding that they will walk their own path, and I do not doubt that Öland is their preference. Princess Christina was baptized in Solna Church close to Haga Palace, so the Palace Chapel is not obligatory for royals.
 
Back
Top Bottom