Swedish Princess Dead at 87: King Gustaf Pays Emotional Tribute to 'Colorful' Sister After She Passed Away in Majorca
The princess was known for her colorful lifestyle, most of it while living in Spain.
Dec. 4 2024, Published 2:09 p.m. ET
Princess Birgitta of Sweden has died at the age of 87, the Swedish Royal Palace announced.
The palace has yet to inform the public of Birgitta's cause of death, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Princess Birgitta of Sweden died at the age of 87.
The royal, who was married to the late Prince Johann Georg of Hohenzollern, was also the second sister of King Carl XVI Gustaf.
Gustaf released an emotional tribute to his sibling and said: "With great sadness today, I have received the news that my sister, Princess Birgitta, has died.
"My sister was a colourful and straightforward person who will be deeply missed by me and my family."
He concluded: "Together with my entire family, I send my condolences to Princess Birgitta's children and grandchildren."
The royal was the second sister of King Carl XVI Gustaf.
The princess spent the majority of her latter life outside of Sweden, opting to reside in Majorca, Spain instead. She welcomed three kids: Prince Carl, Princess Desiree, and Prince Hubertus, with her husband.
The couple tied the knot in 1961, and while they separated in 1990, Birgitta and Johann remained married allowing her to retain her royal title.
Birgitta, who was known for her relaxed lifestyle — different from other royal family members — spent her time focused on charitable causes. She co-founded the HELP Foundation, which supports vulnerable children worldwide.
In 2009, she revealed her love of helping those in need, and said: “Whenever people ask what I want to do for charity, I always reply: only if it’s about children, because they are our future.”
Despite Birgitta being away in Spain, she would return to Sweden for major events including royal weddings. She also took the chance to respond to a controversy involving her brother in 2023.
The King's heir to the thrown is his eldest child, Crown Princess Victoria. However, when she was born, she had no succession rights and her younger brother Prince Carl Philip was first in line for a few months. Victoria became a heir in January 1980, when her sibling was dropped to second in line.
In a documentary, the King said ‘‘It is rather tricky to have laws that work retroactively. It seems crazy; I still think so. I mean, you can accept that the next generation … that’s OK, but my son Prince Carl Philip, he was born, and then they change [the law] and he is deprived of it all. That’s quite peculiar.”
The princess spent decades living in Spain, and not Sweden.
Birgitta was also quick to respond in an interview, touching on her brother's comments on the heir to the throne.
She said at the time: ”There shouldn’t be any problems. We are born to what we were born. You have to abide by the rules of the family, it’s the same everywhere.”
Carl Philip was just seven months old at the time of the major heir change, while his older sister was three years old. If Victoria ascends to the throne as it is expected, she would only be the country's fourth queen and the first since 1720.
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