Swedish Prince Alexander Celebrates 10th Birthday with New Family Portrait
Prince Alexander of Sweden, the youngest son of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia, marked his 10th birthday on April 19, 2024, with the release of an official family photograph shared by the Swedish Royal Court. The image, taken at their residence in Stockholm, shows the young prince smiling alongside his parents and older brother, Prince Gabriel. The portrait was published on the Royal Court’s official website and social media channels as part of the traditional celebration of a royal birthday.
The release of the birthday photo follows longstanding Swedish royal custom, where official images are issued to commemorate milestones in the lives of members of the Bernadotte family. Prince Alexander, born on April 19, 2016, at Karolinska University Hospital in Solna, is fourth in line to the Swedish throne after his older brother Prince Gabriel, his father Prince Carl Philip, and his paternal aunt, Crown Princess Victoria. His position in the line of succession remains unchanged following the 2019 revision of the Swedish Act of Succession, which removed the male-preference primogeniture rule but did not alter the existing order for those already born.
Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland, is the second son of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia. He married Sofia Hellqvist, now Princess Sofia, in 2015. The couple has two sons: Prince Gabriel, born in 2017, and Prince Alexander. Both children have been raised with a degree of privacy, though they occasionally appear in official engagements and family portraits released by the Royal Court. Their upbringing emphasizes a balance between royal duties and a relatively normal childhood, in line with the modernized approach of the Swedish monarchy.
The Swedish Royal Court confirmed that Prince Alexander celebrated his birthday with a private family gathering. No public events were scheduled for the occasion, consistent with the practice for younger members of the royal family who do not undertake official duties. The Court emphasized that the birthday photograph was taken in a relaxed setting at the family’s home in Djurgården, Stockholm, where they reside when not at their official residence, the Royal Palace.
Prince Alexander’s Role and Public Presence
As a minor, Prince Alexander does not perform any official royal engagements. His public appearances are limited to family events such as weddings, baptisms, and birthday celebrations. He attended the christening of his cousin, Prince Julian, in 2021, and has been seen at National Day celebrations on the Royal Palace balcony. Despite his low public profile, he remains a figure of interest due to his position in the line of succession and the continued public fascination with the Swedish royal family.
Princess Sofia has spoken in past interviews about her efforts to provide her children with a grounded upbringing. In a 2022 interview with Swedish television network SVT, she emphasized the importance of outdoor activities, education, and limiting media exposure. She noted that both Prince Gabriel and Prince Alexander attend a local school in Stockholm and participate in extracurricular activities like sports and music, similar to other children their age.
Prince Carl Philip, known for his passion for design and motorsports, has too expressed his desire to give his sons a sense of normalcy. He has participated in public events with his children, such as the annual National Day parade and the opening of the Riksdag, but ensures these appearances are brief and age-appropriate. The Royal Court maintains that all public engagements for minor royals are carefully evaluated to protect their well-being and privacy.
The Swedish Royal Family’s Modern Approach
The Bernadotte family has undergone significant modernization in recent decades, particularly under King Carl XVI Gustaf’s reign. The 1980 amendment to the Act of Succession established absolute primogeniture, allowing Crown Princess Victoria to inherit the throne ahead of her younger brother. Further changes in 2019 limited the number of royal highnesses and removed certain princely titles from the children of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Madeleine, aiming to streamline the monarchy and reduce public costs.
As a result of these changes, Prince Alexander and his brother Prince Gabriel retain their titles as Princes of Sweden and the style of His Royal Highness, but they are not expected to undertake official duties in the same way as senior royals. The King has stated that the monarchy’s future will rely on a smaller core of working members, focusing on Crown Princess Victoria’s heir, Princess Estelle, and Prince Oscar. This reflects a broader trend among European monarchies to balance tradition with contemporary expectations of accountability and relevance.
Despite their non-working status, Prince Alexander and Prince Gabriel remain part of the royal household and are included in official family events. They are also covered by the Swedish Royal Court’s security and administrative support. The Court publishes an annual report detailing the finances and activities of the royal household, which is submitted to the Riksdag for review. The most recent report, released in March 2024, confirmed that the appanage (state funding) for the royal family remained stable, with allocations covering official duties, property maintenance, and security.
Public Interest and Media Coverage
The release of Prince Alexander’s birthday photograph generated attention across Scandinavian and international media outlets, particularly due to the rarity of new images of the young prince. Swedish newspapers such as Dagens Nyheter and Svenska Dagbladet featured the photo in their online editions, highlighting the family’s continued appeal to the public. International outlets including Reuters and the Associated Press have previously covered the births and milestones of Prince Carl Philip’s children, noting their role in representing a younger generation of the Bernadotte dynasty.
Social media platforms also saw increased activity around the birthday, with royal followers sharing the official image and commenting on the prince’s resemblance to both his parents. The Royal Court’s Instagram account, which has over 600,000 followers, posted the photograph with a simple caption wishing Prince Alexander a happy birthday. The post received tens of thousands of likes and hundreds of comments within hours of publication.
Royal commentators have noted that the Swedish public maintains a generally favorable view of the monarchy, with recent surveys indicating support levels above 60%. A 2023 Sifo poll commissioned by Swedish television showed that 62% of respondents favored retaining the monarchy, citing its symbolic value and non-partisan role. The same poll indicated that younger members of the royal family, including Prince Carl Philip’s children, are viewed positively for their modern approach and relatability.
Looking Ahead
Prince Alexander will turn 11 in April 2025. Unless otherwise announced by the Royal Court, his birthday is expected to be marked with another private family photograph, continuing the tradition of low-key celebrations for minor royals. He will continue his education and extracurricular activities, with no official duties anticipated before reaching adulthood.
The next significant event involving Prince Alexander is expected to be the celebration of National Day on June 6, where he may appear on the Royal Palace balcony with his family, as he has done in previous years. The Royal Court typically releases its schedule of public engagements for the royal family several weeks in advance, though appearances by minor royals are often confirmed closer to the date based on their availability and well-being.
For official updates on the Swedish royal family, including birthday announcements, public engagements, and statements, the Royal Court’s website (kungahuset.se) remains the primary source. The Court also publishes press releases and updates through its official social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter/X.
As Prince Alexander grows up away from the intense scrutiny faced by senior royals, his life reflects the evolving nature of European monarchies — one that seeks to preserve tradition while adapting to modern expectations of privacy, normalcy, and limited public expenditure. His birthday photograph, simple yet meaningful, offers a glimpse into a childhood shaped by both heritage and the quiet efforts of his parents to let him grow up as any other child might.
If you have thoughts on the Swedish royal family’s approach to raising the next generation, or memories of following royal milestones over the years, we invite you to share them in the comments below. Please feel free to share this article with others who may be interested in European royalty and modern monarchy.