King Carl XVI Gustaf is a controversial figure. Having become King after the death of his grandfather, King Gustaf VI Adolf, he has been incredibly vocal about having his firstborn, Victoria as his heir over his only son, Carl Philip. His third child is Princess Madeleine, who lives with her husband and three children in Florida, USA. Now, why would he be upset? Let us explain.
When Victoria was born in July 1977, she wasn’t Crown Princess. Instead, she was Her Royal Highness Princess Victoria of Sweden. When her younger brother, Carl Philip, was born in May 1979, he was dubbed His Royal Highness The Crown Prince of Sweden, Duke of Värmland.
However, Carl Philip’s status as heir did not last long. According to Carl Philip’s page on the official Swedish Royal Court website, the line of succession was agnatic, meaning that it was the firstborn son who was the heir to the throne. However, in 1980, the rule was changed so that the King’s eldest child was to take the throne instead.
Is King Carl XVI Gustaf Still Fuming?
Royal Central says the Swedish change in succession “still irks” the king. In the piece written by Brittani Barger, the King said in an SVT interview:
“It’s tricky to have laws that work retrospectively. It doesn’t seem wise.”
King Carl XVI Gustaf
You would think Carl Gustaf would be pleased to have his eldest daughter as his heir. In parts, he probably does feel some pride. However, it appears he is also an old traditionalist, where men are more important than women. You’d think he’d be proud that his country was the first monarchy in the world to adopt a system where men and women had equal claim to the throne.
The king’s comments had to be clarified when he added that Carl Philip and Victoria were very close and that his heir took her role as the future Queen of Sweden seriously.
A likely reason for his apparent disdain is that he has very little power when it comes to political issues. Carl Gustaf’s role is nothing more than ceremonial and as a representative for Sweden.
Does The King Of Sweden Truly Not Want Victoria As The Next Monarch?
Do we believe the King of Sweden hates the idea of his daughter becoming Queen? Not entirely, but even after forty years, he still holds a grudge, it seems. As a father, he appears to love Victoria a great deal. But, on the other hand, it does appear that he favours his son over her.
