Prince Sigvard, Duke of Uppland
Encyclopedia
Sigvard Oscar Fredrik Bernadotte, Count of Wisborg (Drottningholm
, 7 June 1907 – Stockholm
, 4 February 2002) was a Swedish
industrial designer. He was the second son of King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden
and his first wife, Princess Margaret of Connaught and was originally known as Prince Sigvard, Duke of Uppland, but lost his royal titles in 1934 when he married a commoner.
he married commoner Erica Maria Patzek (Wilmersdorf
, 12 July 1911-Wilmersdorf
, 20 July 2007), daughter of Anton Patzek and wife Marie Anna Lala, and because it was an unequal match
, regardless of whether the monarch was willing to consent to the marriage, he lost his princely title and was excluded from the line of succession
. Sigvard and Erika had no children and divorced on 14 October 1943.
Only 12 days later on 26 October in Copenhagen
he married another commoner, Sonja Christensen Robbert (Copenhagen
, 12 October 1909 – 21 May 2004), daughter of Robert Alexander Christensen Robbert and wife Ebba Elisabeth Svenson. They had a son, Count Michael Sigvard Bernadotte af Wisborg, born in Copenhagen
on 21 August 1944. Sigvard and Sonja were divorced on 6 June 1961.
A month later, on 30 July 1961, he married in Stockholm
Gullan Marie or Marianne Lindberg (b. Helsingborg
, 15 July 1924), former Mrs. Gabriel Tchang (a son of a Chinese Minister in Stockholm by whom she had two children), daughter of Helge Lindberg and wife Thyra Dahlman, who then became Countess Marianne Bernadotte af Wisborg.
by Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg. In 28 May 1983 Sigvard announced to Tidningarnas Telegrambyrå
, TT that he will title himself prince again.
Over the years he petitioned for restoration of his princely title (although he did not seek re-instatement in the line of succession to the throne), but King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
never obliged, and remained estranged from his uncle. Sigvard went to the European Court of Human Rights
in an effort to re-claim his princely title. In 2004, after the death of Sigvard, the ECHR declared the application inadmissible.
From 1994 to 2002, he was the oldest living great-grandchild of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom
, and having reached the age of 94, he was her longest-lived male descendant until being overtaken by his younger brother Carl on 29 June 2011.
to everyday-use household items in plastic.
Drottningholm
Drottningholm, literally "Queen's Islet", is a locality situated in Ekerö Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden, with 410 inhabitants in 2005....
, 7 June 1907 – Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, 4 February 2002) was a Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
industrial designer. He was the second son of King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden
Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden
Gustaf VI Adolf - Oscar Fredrik Wilhelm Olaf Gustaf Adolf - was King of Sweden from October 29, 1950 until his death. His official title was King of Sweden, of the Goths and of the Wends. He was the eldest son of King Gustaf V and his wife Victoria of Baden...
and his first wife, Princess Margaret of Connaught and was originally known as Prince Sigvard, Duke of Uppland, but lost his royal titles in 1934 when he married a commoner.
Marriages
He married three times; on 8 March 1934 in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
he married commoner Erica Maria Patzek (Wilmersdorf
Wilmersdorf
Wilmersdorf is an inner city locality of Berlin, formerly a borough by itself but since Berlin's 2001 administrative reform a part of the new borough of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf.-History:...
, 12 July 1911-Wilmersdorf
Wilmersdorf
Wilmersdorf is an inner city locality of Berlin, formerly a borough by itself but since Berlin's 2001 administrative reform a part of the new borough of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf.-History:...
, 20 July 2007), daughter of Anton Patzek and wife Marie Anna Lala, and because it was an unequal match
Equal marriage
Equal marriage can refer to:*The custom or legal requirement of Ebenbürtigkeit practiced by royalty in Europe and elsewhere; see Royal intermarriage....
, regardless of whether the monarch was willing to consent to the marriage, he lost his princely title and was excluded from the line of succession
Line of succession to the Swedish Throne
The line of succession to the Swedish throne is determined by the Swedish Act of Succession. In 1980 Sweden adopted equal primogeniture, meaning that the eldest child of the monarch, regardless of gender, takes precedence in the line of succession...
. Sigvard and Erika had no children and divorced on 14 October 1943.
Only 12 days later on 26 October in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
he married another commoner, Sonja Christensen Robbert (Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, 12 October 1909 – 21 May 2004), daughter of Robert Alexander Christensen Robbert and wife Ebba Elisabeth Svenson. They had a son, Count Michael Sigvard Bernadotte af Wisborg, born in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
on 21 August 1944. Sigvard and Sonja were divorced on 6 June 1961.
A month later, on 30 July 1961, he married in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
Gullan Marie or Marianne Lindberg (b. Helsingborg
Helsingborg
Helsingborg is a city and the seat of Helsingborg Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 97,122 inhabitants in 2010. Helsingborg is the centre of an area in the Øresund region of about 320,000 inhabitants in north-west Scania, and is Sweden's closest point to Denmark, with the Danish city...
, 15 July 1924), former Mrs. Gabriel Tchang (a son of a Chinese Minister in Stockholm by whom she had two children), daughter of Helge Lindberg and wife Thyra Dahlman, who then became Countess Marianne Bernadotte af Wisborg.
Title
On 2 July 1951 he was created Count Bernadotte af WisborgBernadotte af Wisborg
The title Count of Wisborg is, since 1892, borne by the male-line descendants of four princes of Sweden who married morganatically without the consent of the King of Sweden and thereby lost the right of succession to the throne of Sweden for themselves, their children and their descendants...
by Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg. In 28 May 1983 Sigvard announced to Tidningarnas Telegrambyrå
Tidningarnas Telegrambyrå
Tidningarnas Telegrambyrå – The Newspapers' Telegram Bureau – is a Swedish news agency, the largest in Scandinavia, owned jointly by the country's newspapers and the media groups behind them. TT's services are used as the exclusive source of national news by many local media outlets...
, TT that he will title himself prince again.
Over the years he petitioned for restoration of his princely title (although he did not seek re-instatement in the line of succession to the throne), but King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
Carl XVI Gustaf is the reigning King of Sweden since 15 September 1973, succeeding his grandfather King Gustaf VI Adolf because his father had predeceased him...
never obliged, and remained estranged from his uncle. Sigvard went to the European Court of Human Rights
European Court of Human Rights
The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg is a supra-national court established by the European Convention on Human Rights and hears complaints that a contracting state has violated the human rights enshrined in the Convention and its protocols. Complaints can be brought by individuals or...
in an effort to re-claim his princely title. In 2004, after the death of Sigvard, the ECHR declared the application inadmissible.
From 1994 to 2002, he was the oldest living great-grandchild of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
, and having reached the age of 94, he was her longest-lived male descendant until being overtaken by his younger brother Carl on 29 June 2011.
Professional life
An industrial designer, Bernadotte was known for designing everything from luxurious silver objects for Georg JensenGeorg Jensen
Georg Arthur Jensen was a Danish silversmith.Born in 1866, Jensen was the son of a knife grinder in the town of Raadvad just to the north of Copenhagen. Jensen began his training in goldsmithing at the age of 14 in Copenhagen...
to everyday-use household items in plastic.
Issue
By his second marriage Count Sigvard had one son:- Count Michael Sigvard Bernadotte af Wisborg (b. CopenhagenCopenhagenCopenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, 21 August 1944), married in StuttgartStuttgartStuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, 6 February 1976 Christine Vellhöjer or Wellhöfer (b. StuttgartStuttgartStuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, 26 April 1947), daughter of Ernst Vellhöjer or Wellhöfer and wife Erna Kromer, and had an only daughter:- Countess Kajsa Michaela Sophia Bernadotte af Wisborg (b. StuttgartStuttgartStuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, 12 October 1980)
- Countess Kajsa Michaela Sophia Bernadotte af Wisborg (b. Stuttgart