HRH The Crown Princess's Biography
The Princess was born at Karolinska Hospital in Solna at 21:45 on 14 July 1977, and was the first child of Their Majesties The King and Queen.
The King and Queen with the newborn Princess Victoria at Solliden Palace in 1977. Photo from the Bernadotte Library's image archive.
Following her birth, the newborn princess was witnessed by Speaker of the Riksdag Henry Allard, Prime Minster Torbjörn Fälldin, Marshal of the Realm Gunnar Lagergren and First Lady of the Court Countess Alice Trolle-Wachtmeister.
The Princess was christened by Archbishop Olof Sundby in the Royal Chapel at the Royal Palace on 27 September 1977. Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands, Princess Désirée, Baroness Silfverschiöld, Crown Prince King Harald (V) of Norway and Mr Ralf Sommerlath were appointed godparents at the christening.
The Crown Princess's christening in the Royal Chapel at the Royal Palace on 27 September 1977. Photo from the Bernadotte Library's image archive.
When The Crown Princess was born, Sweden still had an agnatic order of succession, meaning that only males could inherit the throne, and she was therefore born a princess. Legislation on full cognatic succession was introduced in 1980, meaning that the oldest child inherits the throne, and Princess Victoria thereby became Crown Princess of Sweden.
On 9 January 1980, The King decided to grant The Crown Princess the title duch*ess of Västergötland.
Princess Victoria during the Christmas photo session at the Royal Palace in 1978. Photo: Tobbe Gustavsson/TT
The Crown Princess spent her early years living at the Royal Palace in Stockholm's Gamla Stan. In 1981, The King and Queen, The Crown Princess and her newborn brother Prince Carl Philip moved from the Royal Palace to Drottningholm Palace on Ekerö, just outside the capital.
Schooling
In 1982, The Crown Princess started preschool in Västerled Parish.
The Crown Princess starts school. Photo: Jan Collsiöö/TT
In August 1984, The Crown Princess started the first grade at Smedslätt School in Bromma. She continued her primary schooling at Ålsten School. The Crown Princess then began her secondary schooling at Carlssons School in Stockholm in 1990.
In summer 1992, The Crown Princess was confirmed at Borgholm Church on Öland.
The Crown Princess was confirmed at Borgholm Church on Öland in summer 1992. Here, The Crown Princess is pictured with The King and Queen, her siblings and Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, one of The Crown Princess's godparents. Photo: Hans T Dahlskog/TT
The Crown Princess began her upper secondary education in 1993, studying the natural sciences and social sciences programme at Enskilda Upper Secondary School in Stockholm. Three years later, in 1996, The Crown Princess graduated.
The Crown Princess graduated from Enskilda Upper Secondary School in Stockholm in 1996, and was driven in an open-top car to the Royal Palace. Photo: Mark Earthy/TT
Coming of age
I will always remain loyal to The King and to the Riksdag. I will also carefully respect Sweden's constitutional laws.
HRH The Crown Princess's speech on the occasion of her coming of age, 14 July 1995.
The Crown Princess came of age on 14 July 1995. During a ceremony in the Hall of State at the Royal Palace, The Crown Princess gave a speech which was broadcast on TV, in which she promised always to remain loyal to The King and to the Riksdag. That same day, The Crown Princess received the insignia of the Royal Order of the Seraphim.
The Crown Princess's coming of age. Photo: Roger Tillberg/Stella
Post-upper secondary education
After completing her upper secondary studies, The Crown Princess moved to France to study French at the Catholic University of the West's International Centre of French Studies in Angers between 1996 and 1997.
In autumn 1997, The Crown Princess studied a specially devised programme to gain a deeper insight into the work of the Riksdag and the Swedish Government.
In spring 1998, The Crown Princess moved to the USA to study political science and history at Yale University. While studying in the USA, The Crown Princess also spent time learning about the work of the Swedish Embassy in Washington DC and the Permanent Mission of Sweden to the United Nations in New York.
On returning to Sweden, The Crown Princess enrolled at Uppsala University where she studied courses in conflict resolution and international peace promotion.
In spring 2001, The Crown Princess worked with Sweden's Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
She then completed two special study programmes. In autumn 2001, The Crown Princess was based at the Government Offices of Sweden, and she spent the following spring at Sida, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.
Autumn 2002 saw The Crown Princess learn about the work of the Swedish Trade Council during a practical placement at the Swedish trade offices in Paris and Berlin.
The Crown Princess during her military training at SWEDINT in Södertälje, in 2003. Photo: Björn Larsson Ask/TT
In 2003, The Crown Princess carried out basic military training at the Swedish Armed Forces International Centre (SWEDINT).
That same year, she also completed a study and work experience programme in agriculture and forestry.
In 2004, The Crown Princess travelled to Saudi Arabia and Hungary with official Swedish delegations. That same year, she also visited UN bodies in Rome and Geneva, carried out study visits to companies in Sweden and continued with her official engagements.
In autumn 2004, The Crown Princess studied at the Swedish Defence University, focusing on Political Science, International Relations and Conflict Resolution.
The Crown Princess's foreign travels on behalf of Sweden continued in 2005, including visits to Australia, Japan and Turkey. The Crown Princess also visited a number of aid projects in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka during 2005. In autumn 2005, The Crown Princess spent a month at the Swedish Embassy in Beijing.
During 2006 and 2007, The Crown Princess studied the diplomatic programme at the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
The Crown Princess begins the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs' diplomatic programme in Stockholm in 2006. Photo: Henrik Montgomery/TT
The Crown Princess continued with her studies in Political Science at Stockholm University during autumn 2007 and spring 2008. She also spent a period with Sweden's Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels.
In spring 2009, The Crown Princess completed a bachelor's degree at Uppsala University, majoring in peace and conflict studies.
Family
The engagement between HRH The Crown Princess and Mr Daniel Westling was announced on 24 February 2009..
The Crown Princess and Mr Daniel Westling on the announcement of their engagement in 2009. Photo: Alexis Daflos/The Royal Court of Sweden
The wedding took place in Stockholm Cathedral on 19 June 2010.
The Crown Princess Couple's wedding on 19 June 2010 drew hundreds of thousands of well-wishers onto the streets of Stockholm. Photo: Paul Hansen
Having been placed at the disposal of the Swedish Government in the 1960s, Haga Palace became a royal home once again in autumn 2010 when The Crown Princess and Prince Daniel moved in.
The Crown Princess and Prince Daniel's first child, Princess Estelle, was born in 2012. Their second child, Prince Oscar, was born in 2016.
The Crown Princess with her family on Öland in summer 2021. Photo: Pelle T Nilsson/SPA