Crown Princess Victoria Of Sweden – 'Godmother of Europe'

Nov 25, 2020 by apost team

She's stylish, she's motherly, she's relatable; it's no secret that Crown Princess Victoria has a special place in our hearts. The heir apparent to the Swedish throne has 18 – yes, you read that right – 18 godchildren spread out across Europe, a fact that has earned her the unofficial title of 'Godmother of Europe.' From future Kings and Queens to old friends, it seems as though the 43-year-old keeps proving to be a favorite among new parents. 

Given the Swedish Royal family's close relationship with the Danish crown, it comes as no surprise that Princess Victoria is the godmother of Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary's first child, Prince Christian. According to Hello Magazine, Crown Princess Mary is the godmother of Princess Victorias daughter, Princess Estelle, while her brother, Prince Oscar, is the godchild of both Princess Mary and Prince Frederik. 

Dutch Princess Catharina-Amalia, the heir apparent to the throne in the Netherlands, is another lucky lady who gets to call Princess Victoria her godmother. Her father, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, is, in turn, a godfather of Princess Estelle.

Another godchild of Princess Victoria is Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway, second in line to succeed the throne from her grandfather, King Harald V. Her mother, Mette-Marit, Crown Princess of Norway, is Princess Estelle's godmother while her father, Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway, is godfather to Prince Oscar. 

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Other Royal children of Europe on the long list of Princess Victoria's godchildren include Prince Constantine Alexios of Greece and Denmark, Princess Eléonore of Belgium, Princess Katharina of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. She has also baptized a number of her nieces and nephews, in line with a new unofficial tradition adopted by the children of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden. Princess Victoria is also the godmother of niece Princess Leonore, daughter of her sister Princess Madeleine, and nephew Prince Alexander, son of Prince Carl-Philip. From her mother's side, she is godmother to Vivien Sommerlath and Prince Leopold. From her father's side, she has Ian de Geer, Madeleine von Dincklage, and Désirée.

Apart from children in her family, Princess Victoria is also the godmother to a number of her friends' children. She baptized Caroline and Peder Dinkelspiel's son, Willem, then Diana, daughter of Andrea Brodin and Niclas Engsäll's daughter, Ian, so to Karl-Johan and Leonie Persson, and lastly Chloé, daughter of Caroline and Jesper Nilsson.

Princess Victoria is first in line to the Swedish throne, with her father, Carl XVI Gustaf, being the currentl reigning king. She married her former personal trainer, Prince Daniel, in 2010, with whom she has two children; Princess Estelle, 8, and Prince Oscar, 4. 

At her Royal wedding, the Crown Princess included many of her godchildren in the ceremony. Prince Leopold, Prince Christian of Denmark, and Ian de Geer all served as page boys, while Princess Catharina-Amalia and Princess Ingrid Alexandra served as bridesmaids.

According to the Vancouver Sun, the wedding was hailed as "Europe's biggest royal wedding" at the time since Prince Charles married Princess Diana in 1981. The ceremony was huge in Sweden, with many Royal fans flocking to Stockholm to catch a glimpse of the happy couple. Cheering crowds and singing volunteers gathered around as Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel rode through the streets in a fairytale horse-drawn carriage. 

For the occasion, the Princess donned an ivory duchesse silk gown by legendary Swedish designer Pär Engsheden complete with an impressive five-meter train. It was all tied together with her mother's remarkable diadem, which strikingly resembles a crown. 

A favorite of the Royal family, Princess Victoria is said to be beloved by Swedes for her 'down-to-earth' persona. While most Royals tend to keep their private lives away from the public, the 43-year-old breaks away from precedent with her open and honest character. 

According to the BBC, Princess Victoria spoke candidly at a conference in 2002 about living with dyslexia, even revealing she was bullied as a child in school as a result. 

"I used to think I was stupid and slow," Princess Victoria said at the time.

"For me school was fun, but it was also very demanding. When one has reading and writing difficulties, it can be tough sometimes. It can sound like a simple problem, but it isn't. I know."

 In a 2017 documentary about her life, the Princess also opened up about her struggle with both anorexia and anxiety as a teenager, according to People. 

That honesty has evidently contributed to her popularity amongst Swedes. In a 2017 poll by the Swedish magazine Svensk Damtidning, the Princess was found to be the favorite member of the Swedish Royal family by a landslide, with 40% even saying they'd like to see her father step down so she can take the throne. 

How many godchildren do you have? Let us know in the comments, and make sure you pass this along to your friends and family!