NordenBladet – On this day 40 years ago, Crown Princess Victoria – the daughter of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia – became heir to the Swedish throne. When she was born on 14 July 1977, she was titled as Princess Victoria as Sweden’s line of succession was ruled by agnatic primogeniture, meaning only men could inherit the throne (since 1810). When her younger brother, Carl Philip was born on 13 May 1979, he was the Crown Prince of Sweden.
Two years after Victoria’s birth (the same year Carl Philip was born), the Swedish Riksdag (Parliament) introduced legislation to allow for absolute primogeniture – meaning that the eldest child of the monarch, regardless of gender, is first in the line of succession.
The Riksdag voted in favour of absolute primogeniture, and it went into effect on 1 January 1980. At that point, Victoria became Crown Princess of Sweden and Duchess of Västergötland. Carl Philip was demoted to Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland as the laws of succession was backdated.
Sweden was the first country to adopt absolute primogeniture, and many countries in Europe have since followed in their footsteps. Of the reigning European monarchies, only Liechtenstein, Monaco and Spain do not abide by absolute primogeniture.
Crown Princess Victoria is married to Prince Daniel. They have two children, Princess Estelle (b. 2012) and Prince Oscar (b. 2016), second and third in the line of succession to the Swedish throne, respectively.