Biographies (the King, Queen & Princess Lilian)
 

Could some one write a bio on
The King, Queen, Carl Philip and Lilian for starts…
This could be great for hose that are not that familiar with the Swedish royal family

From the Royal Court's website (www.royalcourt.se):

PRINCESS LILIAN

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Biography

Princess Lilian was born on August 30, 1915 in Swansea, Wales. She is daughter to William and Gladys Mary Davies, both now deceased.

Lilian Davies was married to the actor Ivan Craig for a few years. During the Second World War Mrs. Craig worked in a factory that produced radio sets for the British merchant navy. She also worked at a hospital for wounded soldiers.

Prince Bertil and Mrs. Craig met for the first time in London in 1943. The married in 1943. They married at the Drottningholm Palace Chapel on December 7, 1976.

Princess Lilian is The Duchess of Halland. She resides at Djurgården in Stockholm.

Royal Engagements

Princess Lilian shared her husband Prince Bertil´s interest in sports. Prince Bertil was Chairman of the Swedish Sports Confederation for 44 years (1947-91). After his death, Princess Lilian took over many of his honorary duties.

Every year she distributes grants from the “Prince Bertil and Princess Lilian's Sports Foundation". The purpose of the foundation is to promote Swedish sport through grants to leaders and instructors towards their further education and distributes grants at the Friends of the Swedish Sports Confederation's annual meeting.

Popular Award Presenter

Prince Bertil's interest in Motor Sport is honoured by Princess Lilian through her distribution of medals at the Royal Swedish Automobile Club's annual meeting. She is also a loyal award presenter at the annual motor race “Prince Bertil's Memorial" at Djurgården in Stockholm and at the Stockholm Open international tennis competition.

As Duchess of Halland, Princess Lilian takes part in the Halland Academy's Festival Day. It is also tradition that Princess Lilian distributes the Söderbergska Award in Medicine and the Hasselblad Award.

Interests

Children and youths have a true friend in Princess Lilian

For many years she has taken great interest in the work of SOS-Barnbyar Sverige (Children´s Villages Sweden). The organisation aims to provide a home, a childhood and an education to children who have lost their parents.

Princess Lilian often takes part in various fund-raising events in support of SOS-Barnbyar Sverige and has also visited SOS-Barnbyar abroad.

From the Royal Court's website (www.royalcourt.se):

KING CARL XVI GUSTAF

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Biography
Carl XVI Gustaf, the Swedish Head of State, was born on April 30, 1946 at Haga Palace.

He is son of the then Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf and Princess Sibylla of Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha. He was baptised Carl Gustaf Folke Hubertus at the Royal Chapel on June 7, 1946.

The King has four older sisters: the Princesses Margaretha, Birgitta, Désirée and Christina. His father Prince Gustaf Adolf died in a plane crash in 1947 in Copenhagen. Princess Sibylla died in Stockholm in 1972.

Crown Prince at four years of age
With the accession of Gustaf VI Adolf to the throne in 1950, following the death of Gustaf V, the four-year-old Carl Gustaf became Crown Prince.

Crown Prince Carl Gustaf became the Swedish Head of State at the age of 27, following the death of King Gustaf VI Adolf, who died on September 15, 1973.

The new King took “For Sweden - With the times" as his motto, thereby declaring his intention of meeting the demands of society on a modern monarch.

Education
The Crown Prince was taught privately during his preschool years at the Royal Palace of Stockholm. He started school in the autumn of 1952 and attended Broms School and the Sigtuna Boarding School, where he matriculated in 1966.

Matriculation was followed by military service. The Crown Prince completed two and a half years' training in the Army, Navy and Air Force, with a special emphasis on naval training. Amongst other military activities, he took part in a long voyage on the mine-laying vessel Älvsnabben in the winter of 1966-67.

Naval Officer Examination
The Crown Prince passed his Naval Officer Examination in 1968. He later completed a command course at the Swedish National Defence College and complemented his naval training with officer´s duties on board various ships in the Swedish Navy.

In 1968-69 the Crown Prince followed a program of academic studies, comprising history, sociology, political science, financial law and economics at the University of Uppsala. Later, he also studied economics at the University of Stockholm.

Practical social studies
He then followed a specially composed programme of field trips to national and local authorities, industries, factories, laboratories and schools.

The Crown Prince studied the judicial system, social welfare organizations and institutions, trade unions and employer associations, with a special emphasis on the work of the Riksdag (the Swedish parliament), the government and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

International studies
In order to acquire international experience The Crown Prince took part in the work of the Permanent Mission of Sweden to the United Nations in New York and with SIDA (Swedish International Development Cooperation) in Africa . He also spent considerable time in London- at Hambro Bank, the Swedish Embassy and the Swedish Chamber of Commerce - and in France at the Alfa Laval plant in Nevers.

In addition, The Crown Prince represented Gustaf VI Adolf on a number of official occasions. In 1970, for example, he headed the Swedish delegation to the World Exhibition in Osaka, Japan.

Family
During the Olympic Games in Munich, Germany in 1972, the Crown Prince met Miss Silvia Sommerlath.

She was serving at the games as an interpreter and hostess. Silvia Sommerlath was born in Heidelberg on December 23, 1943. She is the daughter of Walther Sommerlath and his Brazilian wife Alice, née de Toledo, both now deceased.

The Royal Wedding in 1976
The engagement of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Silvia Sommerlath was officially announced on March 12, 1976. They were married three months later at the Stockholm Cathedral on June 19, 1976.

King Carl Gustaf and Drottning Silvia have three children: Crown Princess Victoria, born on July 14, 1977, Prince Carl Philip, born on May 13, 1979 and Princess Madeleine, born on June 10, 1982.

Under the Order of Succession introduced in 1980 by the Swedish parliament, the throne passes to the eldest child.

The Royal Family resided at the Royal Palace of Stockholm through 1981, after which they moved to Drottningholm Palace.

Royal Engagements

Nature and the environment
King Carl XVI Gustaf is actively involved in issues concerning nature and the environment and has great knowledge in both these areas.

The King has personally instituted the King Carl Gustaf Environmental Competition and the “Royal Colloquium", an international environmental symposium held in Sweden with participants from all over the world.

The King has been chairman of the Swedish branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) since 1988.

Scout Movement
The King has been interested in scouting since childhood. He became a cub scout with the name Mowgli in 1955 and a scout in 1958.

As Crown Prince, one of his first official duties was to participate in a scout camp in Sweden at the age of 10. Since then, The King often takes part in different types of scouting activities both in Sweden and abroad.

King Carl Gustaf is Principal Honorary Member of the Swedish Guide and Scout Association, Honorary Member of the Swedish Guide and Scout Council and has been Honorary Chairman of the World Scout Foundation since 1977.

Technology
In recent years The King has accompanied Royal Technology Missions under The Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering's auspices to study technological and industrial know-how and to encourage co-operation in these areas with various countries such as Japan, Italy, the UK, the USA, South Korea, South Africa and Brazil.

Interests

Cars
From an early age The King has had a great interest in cars and tools. As Crown Prince, for his fifth birthday, he received a pedal car, a trowel, bricks, gardening tools and a real yoke with two pails.

Today, he maintains a great interest in motor sport: at the vintage car rally on the island of Öland The King likes to drive an old Volvo PV 60 that he received as a present on his 50th birthday.

Nature, Sports and Outdoor life
King Carl XVI Gustaf has enjoyed nature and the outdoors since childhood, with outdoor and sporting activities as his favourite pastimes. The King is a highly skilled skier. He has participated in the Vasa Ski Race three times - in 1977, 1987 and 1997. During the summer months he enjoys boating activities.

At the Royal Family's private summer palace Solliden on the island of Öland The King puts a lot of energy into cultivating the garden. His focus is not so much on the flowerbeds but on heavy work such as laying new water pipes, cleaning out dams, or thinning out oak forests.

The Royal Family has a cottage in Storlien in the province of Jämtland which The King inherited from his parents. And after the death of Prince Bertil, the Royal Family took over Villa Mirage in St. Maxime, France.

Art, Music and Food
The King is also interested in art, music and food.

In recent years he has exhibited parts of his collection of graphic art and has initiated a number of musical events at the Royal Palace of Stockholm.

The King is a member of the Swedish Academy of Gastronomy.

Hunting
Hunting is among The King's leisure interests. Every year he participates in Royal hunts at Halle and Hunneberg and in Bergslagen. He also participates in the cloven-foot animal hunt at Tullgarn.


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From the Royal Court's website (www.royalcourt.se):

QUEEN SILVIA

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Biography

Queen Silvia was born in Heidelberg, Germany, on December 23, 1943.

She is the daughter of the late Walther Sommerlath and his Brazilian wife Alice, née de Toledo, also deceased. The Queen has three older brothers: Ralf, Walther and Jörg Sommerlath.

The Sommerlath family lived in Sao Paulo, Brazil between 1947 and 1957, where Walther Sommerlath was President of the Brazilian subsidiary of Swedish Uddeholm, amongst other things. The family returned to West Germany in 1957.

Education and Professional Life
Silvia Sommerlath matriculated in Düsseldorf in 1963. Between 1965 and 1969 she attended the Munich School of Interpreting, majoring in Spanish.

Speaks six languages
After graduation, Silvia worked at the Argentinean Consulate in Munich. In addition to Swedish, The Queen also speaks German, English, French, Spanish and Portuguese.

Work with the Olympic Committee
The Organising Committee for the Munich Olympics employed Silvia as training hostess between 1971 and 1973. She then became Deputy Head of Protocol of the Organising Committee for the Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria.

Family
Miss Silvia Renate Sommerlath met The Crown Prince Carl Gustaf at the 1972 Olympic Games.

The engagement of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Silvia Renata Sommerlath was announced on March 12, 1976. They married the same year on June 19 at the Stockholm Cathedral.

Initially the Royal Family lived in an apartment at the Royal Palace of Stockholm. In 1982 they moved to Drottningholm Palace.

Official Duties
Queen Silvia often accompanies King Carl Gustaf on official journeys in Sweden and state visits abroad.

She is a regular visitor to national and municipal authorities and institutions, as well as schools, universities etc., for information-gathering purposes.

She frequently takes part in anniversaries, congresses and symposium openings and other official events.

The Queen belongs to the Lutheran Church of Sweden.

Royal Engagements

World Childhood Foundation
In the spring of 1999 The Queen took the initiative of founding the World Childhood Foundation (WCF). The mission of the foundation is to work towards better living conditions for children all over the world. The foundation supports a large number of projects in 15 countries.

Today, WCF is found in Sweden, Brazil, Germany and the U.S.

Mentor
The Queen is an Honorary Member of the International Mentor Foundation. The focus of this organisation is the prevention of drug misuse.

The Silvia Home
The Silvia Home in Drottningholm has been established as a result of The Queen's own initiative and personal commitment. The Silvia Home Foundation, where The Queen is an active working Chairman, promotes scientific research and offers education, specialized training and care in the field of dementia.

Research Funds
Queen Silvia works actively on behalf of the disabled. She is Chairman of the Royal Wedding Fund, which supports research in sports and athletics for disabled youngsters.

She is also Chairman of the Queen Silvia's Jubilee Fund for research on children and children's disabilities.

Disabled youngsters
The Queen has been very involved in the publishing of a book entitled “Go for It". The book, which is The Queen's own initiative, aims to encourage sports and other past-time activities for disabled youngster. The book is available in Swedish, English, German and Spanish.

Hearing Impaired
The Queen has studied sign language so as to be able to communicate more effectively with the hearing impaired. In 1990 she was awarded the “Deutsche Kulturpreis" for her efforts on behalf of the disabled.

Queen Silvia holds honorary positions in a large number of organisations and societies, such as the Swedish Amateur Athletic Association, the Children's Cancer Foundation of Sweden and the Swedish Save the Children Federation.

Interests

The Queen shares an interest for nature and the outdoors with The King.

As a newly wed, The Queen learned to appreciate Swedish mountain life. She enjoys skiing in the environs of the Royal Family´s cottage in Storlien.

At the Solliden Palace on the island of Öland, The Queen is able to cultivate different leisure interests, such as waterskiing and riding.

The Queen takes pleasure in gardening and flowers.

Together with The King, she takes care of the beautiful Solliden Park, inherited from Queen Victoria.

The Queen enjoys going to the theatre, the opera and concerts.


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State visits made by the king before he was married

October 1974 - State Visit to Norway - H.M. King Olav V
November 1974 - State Visit to Finland
April 1975 - State Visit to Denmark - H.M. Queen Margrethe II
June 1975 - State Visit to Iceland
July 1975 - State Visit to England - H.M. Queen Elizabeth II
October 1975 - State Visit from Finland
November 1975 - State Visit from Norway - H.M. King Olav V
March 1976 - State visit from Yugoslavia
May 1976 - State Visit from Austria
March 1977 - State Visit to

State Visit made by the King and Queen

October 1976 - State Visit to the Netherlands - H.M. Queen Juliana
March 1977 - State Visit to Belgium - H.M. King Baudouin
June 1978 - State Visit to The Soviet Union
September 1978 - State visit to Yugoslavia
March 1979 - State Visit to The Federal Republic of Germany
October 1979 - State Visit from Spain - H.M. King Juan Carlos
November 1979 - State visit from Austria

State Visit To Mexico - November 2002
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...read.php?t=711

State Visit to Thailand jan - feb 2003
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...read.php?t=184

State Visit To Romania - April 2003
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...read.php?t=252

State Visit From Germany - May 2003
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...read.php?t=366

State Visit To Finland - August 2003
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...read.php?t=707

State Visit From Jordan - October 2003
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...read.php?t=955

State Visit To Vietnam - February 2004
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...ead.php?t=1801

State Visit To Brunei - February 2004
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...ead.php?t=1820

State Visit To Iceland - September 2004
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...ead.php?t=3525

State Visit from Latvia March 2005
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...ead.php?t=5447

Official Visit from Sweden June 10-11, 2005
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...ead.php?t=6154

Official Visit from Norway to Sweden - 1-2 September 2005
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...ead.php?t=6932

State Visit from Malaysia - 14-16 September 2005
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...ead.php?t=7145

These are geat any info on The King's wider family e.g. sisters

Prinsessan Lilian berättar om sin uppväxt - Det kungliga bröllopet | SVT Play

A brief video about Princess Lilian's life.