Countess Estelle Bernadotte (1904-1984)


If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Meraude

Serene Highness
Joined
Jan 8, 2011
Messages
1,305
City
-
Country
Antarctica
Thank you for that wonderful information. What a wedding they had!!
How was he killed?
 
Thanks for the information! Many years ago in an undergraduate international law class, we briefly covered a court case resulting from the death of a Count Bernadotte while he was engaged in UN business.
 
That's the first time I've seen a picture of her. I wonder what happened to the coronet she wore at her wedding. Perhaps this is the wrong place to ask.
 
She was a beautiful woman!
 
I am glad to get these pictures. I have wondered about Estelle Bernadotte, as she is sometimes referred to as obscure or unimportant when discussing the new Princess Estelle's name. I have thought that Crown Princess Victoria must have thought she was NOT unimportant, in order to give the baby Estelle's name. But her father's firm made asbestos roofing... that is not so good. Asbestos has been a big problem for many of us, as when it burned in a fire I was in in 2000. I expect asbestos is not made any more, but I am not sure.
 
Just curious, but what has her fathers business got to do with either the Countess or the fact that Victoria named ger daughter Estelle?
 
Doesn't have a lot to do with it, NGalitzine, except it shows from whence she came, the type of rich people in America who contributed partners to European nobles at that time. Perhaps similar to situation portrayed in Downton Abbey, the rich Americans who married European nobility. Shows her background, and why she and Count Folke were welcome at the White House soon after her wedding. Doesn't have anything to do with the apparent good works she did in Sweden after her marriage, or her apparent happy marriage to Count Folke (look at their reunion on Rhodes, very happy to see one another, tragic that he was only months away from assasination.) We always discuss background, I think, that's what makes people interesting instead of just place-holders. Sticking to the narrow subject makes her one-dimensional. She apparently was very three-dimensional, not just an obscure person as some have said on TRF. Who cares about mere "lists" of he-married-her, she-married-him, etc.? We like to know more, that's why we love Downton Abbey.
 
Last edited:
Lovely photo of Estelle with her sons Gustaf Eduard and Folke Jr.
https://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mbg4u6sDQn1ry9d2ho1_500.jpg

From Aftonbladet Retro Photos
Estelle Bernadotte at an unknown airport in 1941.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CBfp6-aVAAANgF5.png

Estelle Bernadotte dancing with Vilhelm von Essen at the Amaranther Ball on 3rd April 1954.
Amaranterbalen på Grand Hotel i Stockholm. Grevin | Standardprislista - Historisk Bildbyrå

Estelle Bernadotte on her way to the dinner at queen Margrethe's visit on 16th January 1973.
Karl Sandels Collection | Standardprislista - Historisk Bildbyrå
 
Last edited by a moderator:
That's the first time I've seen a picture of her. I wonder what happened to the coronet she wore at her wedding. Perhaps this is the wrong place to ask.
The wedding crown seems to still be in the family, both her daughters-in-law and a granddaughter-in-law have worn it at their weddings: Royal Jewels of the World Message Board: Re: fairy type tiara

The veil Estelle wore at her wedding was queen Sophia's: Bridal Veil of the Late Queen Sophia To Be Worn by Miss Estelle Manville - Article - NYTimes.com

Their marriage seems to have been very happy, to greet each-others this way after many years of marriage: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dHMUkWjxiWM/TKvy_nAwetI/AAAAAAAAG-0/SybsLAudQcg/s640/folke+and+wife.jpg
 
Last edited:
Countess Estelle Bernadotte at the reception of Finland's president J.K. Paasikivi on November 1949, Paasikivi on the left.
https://hs10.snstatic.fi/webkuva/taysi/700/1305556414110?ts=366

The obituary of Estelle
Estelle Ekstrand of Sweden - A Leader of the Girl Scouts - NYTimes.com

Svensk Damtidning has an article about countess Estelle Bernadotte.

Estelle had met Folke Bernadotte in Riviera in the summer 1928. They fall instantly in love, count Folke proposed only after 14 days. The wedding took place on 1st December 1928 in Pleasantville, Estelle's hometown. Estelle was 23 years old, and Folke almost ten years older. 250 guests were invite to the church, but at the wedding party there were 1500 guests. The couple lived first years in America, but moved to Sweden in 1931 and lived at the 20-room villa Dragongården in Djurgården. Nowadays at the house is the Embassy of China in Sweden. Folke resigned from the military two years after and started to work at the court, he became the Head of the Household of prince Gustaf Adolf, who had been his bestman at his wedding. Estelle and Sibylla became good friends and Estelle supported Sibylla when she started her new life in Sweden.
Estelle enjoyed the life in Sweden although she wasn't so taken with the cold winters. She visited USA some weeks every year, but Sweden was her home. Estelle gave birth to four boys. One of them died when he was only seven months old in 1934 and the other, Gustaf Edward, soon after his sixth birthday in 1936. Estelle was totally debilitated by grief and stayed at a rest home to recover. Estelle's sons Folke and Bertil Bernadotte are still alive.
The other big catastrophe in Estelle's life was when Folke Bernadotte was assassinated in Jerusalem. Estelle became a widow in the age of 44. Sibylla was also a widow now and they supported eachother.
Estelle took part at royal occasions and engaged herself in charity work at the Red Cross, Unicef and as the president of Swedish Girl Scout Association. Her scout name was Paki.
Estelle remarried in 1973 with Eric Ekstrand, a friend of Folke Bernadotte and a former master of the Household of princess Sibylla. He took also care of Sibylla's private fortune. The couple lived in Saint-Paul-de-Vence. At an interview before her death, Estelle told that if she could have had a job together with her honorary duties, she would have wanted to be an occupational therapist.
Image Upper.com - Free Image Hosting - View Image
Image Upper.com - Free Image Hosting - View Image
Image Upper.com - Free Image Hosting - View Image
 
Last edited by a moderator:
At Bukowskis "Important Winter Sale" auction on 11 December 2019 was sold (probably by Estelle and Folke Bernadotte's sons)
A German metal armour, composite, mid 1500's and later.
Helmet and cuirass 1500's, the rest later. Weight of helmet ca 2,5 kg. Cuirass with indistinct stamp. Similar to the Wallace Collection A211. Height 173, total height incl. wooden base 194 cm.
Provenance
Hiram Edward Manville and Henrietta Estelle Romaine, purchased in the 1920s in Europe.
Then Estelle Manville (1904-84) and Folke Bernadotte (1895-1948).
Estimate:
40 000 - 60 000 SEK
Hammer price: 760 000 SEK
A German metal armour, composite, mid 1500's and later. - Bukowskis

Sword, Wolfgang Stantler, Swordsmith, Münich, beginning of the 17th century.
Sword for the city guards of Münich. With the maker's mark, the letters S/T crowned, used by Wolfgang Stantler, the Munich bladesmith. The collection mark HZ on the blade is that of the Hauptzeughaus, Oberwiesenfeld, Münich, formerly the location of the Königl. Bayerische Armeemuseum. This sword presumably included in the 20th Century inter-war period dispersal sales from the museum.
Provenance
Hiram Edward Manville and Henrietta Estelle Romaine, purchased in the 1920's in Europe.
Then Estelle Manville (1904-84) and Folke Bernadotte (1895-1948).
Estimate: 20 000 - 25 000 SEK
Hammer price: 70 000 SEK
Sword, Wolfgang Stantler, Swordsmith, Münich, beginning of the 17th century. - Bukowskis
 
If I'm correct, she is not a blood relative of Crown Princess Victoria.

No, but I am, apparently (just had to share). A distant cousin of Folke Bernadotte and many other Swedish and other royals, too - long story. :whistling:

It's through the Baden line, mainly, and also due to the lineage of Josephine of Leuchtenberg, too. When I first started posting on this board many years back, I had no idea, just had an interest in royalty. :flowers:

:flowers:
 
Back
Top Bottom