How special was Prince Bertil to the Bernadottes? Bertil was the third son of King Gustaf VI Adolf and an uncle of the current King Carl Gustaf. Carl Gustaf lost his father (Bertil’s oldest brother) in a plane crash when he was barely one year old. His grandfather remained on the throne and Carl Gustaf became the hereditary prince.
Bertil suddenly came second in line for the succession to the throne. He did have an older brother, Sigvard, but he had given up his rights to the throne by marrying a burgher girl.
With an older king, there was a good chance that Bertil would one day have to act as regent (or temporary deputy king) for the minor Carl Gustaf. Bertil was madly in love with the British dancer Lilian Davies, but she was not of noble birth. Bertil therefore postponed his marriage. Otherwise, he would lose his rights to the throne and be unable to help Carl Gustaf.
However, King Gustaf Adolf died old enough. Grandson Carl Gustaf came of age in 1973 – at the age of 27 – to become king. Three years later Bertil married Lilian in Drottningholm Castle. The couple remained childless but built up a close relationship with Carl Gustaf’s three children, including Prince Carl Philip.
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