Sweden's Princess Estelle Is Growing Up So Fast
It seems we're all fascinated by the strange and lavish lives led by today's royals. Sweden's royals may not be as highly publicized in the U.S. as the British royal family, but they are an interesting family that is just as worth it to get to know. They lead unconventional lives, and you may be particularly surprised by how the royal Swedish children live. One of the young members of the Swedish aristocracy is Her Royal Highness Princess Estelle. Estelle is the daughter of Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel. If you remember her 2012 birth, then you'll be amazed by just how quickly she is growing up and coming into herself.
As heir to the throne, the princess has a lot of responsibility on her shoulders, as she will eventually step into her mother's role. But she seems to be up for the challenge. Princess Estelle is becoming a lovely young woman who shares many similarities with her mother and is winning the hearts of her people.
The Swedish royal family was overjoyed when she was born
On February 23, 2012, Sweden welcomed a new royal, Princess Estelle Silvia Ewa Mary, into the world. As the first child born to Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel, her family, as well as the rest of the country, was overjoyed by her arrival. Her parents showed their love for their family and Estelle's connection to her ancestry through their choice of name. Her middle name Silvia was after her grandmother on her mother's side, and Ewa came from her paternal grandmother. In the first photographs taken of the newborn, she was also wearing a white cardigan, knitted by her great-grandmother Alice — another nod to her historic heritage.
The palace announced her arrival and shared the first photos of the young princess a few days after her birth to allow some time for privacy for the new parents. As a member of the royal family, Estelle had millions of people excited for her birth. When sharing the news, the baby's grandfather King Carl XVI Gustaf said (via CBS News), "We have now been given a little Princess Estelle in Sweden and we are all, particularly me and the family, very, very happy and joyful for that."
Princess Estelle is second in line to the Swedish throne
Even from a young age, Princess Estelle had a lot on her shoulders. As the first child of Crown Princess Victoria, she was born into the Swedish line of succession. Her mother is the daughter of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia; she would assume the duty of Regent ad interim if the king and queen were unable to perform their duties as Heads of State, and the throne would pass to her upon their death. Princess Estelle is second in line, right behind her mother, and is set to be queen one day with her younger brother Oscar third in line behind her. Along with the title of Her Royal Highness, the king named the young princess the Duchess of Östergötland.
In preparation for her duties to the state, Princess Estelle is currently getting her education at Campus Manilla in Djurgården, an elite Swedish school. "It's a decision the Crown Princess couple has taken," royal spokesperson Margareta Thorgren said about selecting Estelle's school (via Harpers Bazaar). "Nobody in the royal family has gone there before; it's a relatively new school."
She fractured her leg in a skiing accident
Princess Estelle has displayed her adventurous spirit from a young age. Unfortunately, it got her into a bit of trouble when she was 7. The royal went on a family trip to the Alps, where she had a skiing accident. Upon hurting her leg on the slopes, the princess was rushed to a nearby hospital where X-rays found she'd fractured her leg. She had to wear a cast and walk with crutches until it healed. Although nobody wants to be stuck in a cast, especially a child, a spokesperson for the palace confirmed that she was doing well apart from the fracture (via People).
She may have only been 7, but the accident was not a beginner's mistake, as the princess was already an experienced skier. Due to the royal family's frequent ski trips, Estelle learned her way around the slopes quickly. Photographs of the young royal smiling in the snow strapped into her skis were shared when she was just 3 years old. But even experienced skiers can sustain injuries, and that's exactly what happened to her. Fortunately, the injury hasn't dampened her love for the sport as she's been photographed skiing with her family since.
She looked like the perfect princess in her birthday portraits
Each year, on family members' birthdays, the Swedish royals have professional portraits taken to share with the public. Yearly royal portraits offer a look into the family's lives and can cause a lot of talk and speculation, in the same way that Kate Middleton's portrait drew some harsh comparisons. Fortunately, Princess Estelle received positive responses for her eighth birthday portrait. Her Royal Highness truly looked like the perfect princess in the photos. The Swedish royal family's official Instagram shared a photograph of Estelle looking at the camera with a soft smile and her hair braided, and another one of her sitting on the palace floor laughing with her little brother. In the caption of the post, they wrote, "Today Princess Estelle turns 8!"
Royal fans rushed to the comments to wish Estelle a happy birthday and marvel at how quickly she was growing up. "Such incredibly beautiful children," one commenter wrote about Estelle and her little brother, "it's like seeing Viktoria and Daniel when they were children." Another fan commented, "Really the most beautiful Royal Princess."
Princess Estelle was a young student during the pandemic
Covid-19 disrupted normal life for people across the globe as many businesses and schools closed their doors to slow the spread of the virus. Being royal didn't keep Princess Estelle or her family from experiencing the effects of the pandemic. Just like so many other students, she was unable to finish the 2020 school year as normal. In March, Estelle's school sent out an email to all parents letting them know that classes were canceled for all students. "The purpose of closing the entire school is to ensure the safety of students, guardians and staff in a situation where many are concerned and where we now know that a student is confirmed infected with the coronavirus," the principal stated (via Hello!).
The crown's spokesperson Margareta Thorgren assured the public that Princess Estelle did not test positive for the virus. "I think people around the world and Sweden feel a great concern when a positive case for a child has been discovered. So, of course, it is a major concern among all parents at school today," Thorgren said (via Vanity Fair). Although she was clear of the virus, Estelle was sent home along with all the other pupils to continue her studies remotely. The pandemic caused a tumultuous school year for the 8-year-old as well as many other students and teachers.
She looks like a mini version of of her mother
To celebrate Lucia Day, or Saint Lucy's Day, the Swedish royal family shared a photo of Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar on Instagram. Lucia Day is a holiday commemorating the Christian Saint Lucy, who — as the story goes, brought Christians food by candlelight when they were hiding to avoid persecution. The holiday is celebrated in Sweden with songs, food, and pageantry on December 13 each year.
In the 2021 photo of the royal celebrations, Estelle is wearing a traditional Lucia Day costume and holding a basket of pastries while Oscar stands next to her in a Santa costume. The following photos in the post come from the same holiday celebrated in 1984. They're of a young Crown Princess Victoria getting ready for Lucia Day along with her siblings. In the archival photos, the queen is attaching candles to Princess Victoria's head. A wreath with candles is a part of the traditional St. Lucia costume, along with a white dress and red sash. Estelle wears a very similar dress in the 2021 photos.
Along with the beautiful tradition passed down through the generations, seeing Victoria and Estelle side by side at similar ages makes the family resemblance very obvious. In the childhood photos, Victoria looks like she could be her daughter's twin. It's clear the princess is taking after her mother.
Princess Estelle looked stunning in her mother's gown
Despite what some fashion police might tell you, there's nothing wrong with repeating an outfit. Even the late Queen Elizabeth II was seen wearing the same outfit twice in one month. Re-wearing clothes is a great way to reduce waste, and there's no reason not to enjoy an outfit more than once. The Swedish royal family demonstrated how fashion can be re-used perfectly when Princess Estelle wore a dress previously seen on her mother.
The green tulle gown which bridged the generations is a part of H&M's Conscious Collection, which supports sustainable style. The royals made it even more sustainable by putting it to good use twice. It was originally worn by Crown Princess Victoria when she attended the 2022 Swedish Chamber of Commerce gala dinner, and people were quick to spot the same dress when Estelle wore it to a concert celebrating the king's golden jubilee. Commenting on Instagram photos from the event, one fan wrote, "Estelle looks so beautiful in Victoria's dress!" The green gown was likely altered to fit the princess as she is still smaller than her mother. But, stepping into Victoria's recent hand-me-downs is another sign of how quickly the royal is growing up.
She attended a glamorous royal birthday
The Swedish royals have relationships with many other royal families, including with the Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Catherine, along with Denmark's royal family. To show their appreciation for Denmark's friendship, they attended Prince Christian's 18th birthday in December 2023. The occasion was no casual birthday bash but instead a glamorous royal gala with many powerful families in attendance.
Princess Estelle was 11 at the time and attended the birthday along with her parents. She wore a beautiful pink gown with flower embellishments and a bow around the waist that perfectly matched the bow in her hair. It was the perfect dress for her age, as she looked elegant for the occasion but not too uncomfortable or grown up. As the future queen, this was one of many more black-tie events that she will be expected to attend, and it seemed to go well.
The Instagram fan account @princessestelleofsweden shared several photos of the Swedish princess from the night of the birthday celebration. Royal fans were excited to see the young princess at the event, with many revealing how much they loved the dress and one fan commenting, "She looks like an angel."
Princess Estelle is already 12
It's always shocking to get a reminder of how fast time flies, and seeing child stars and royals reach milestones is one big reminder of it. While many royal devotees remember the day Princess Estelle was born, they may be surprised to learn that she turned 12 in 2024.
To mark the occasion, the official Instagram account for the Swedish royal family posted a reel with several photos and clips of the princess on a ski trip with her family. It's clear her childhood injury has not scared her away from the sport, as she was all smiles on the snowy day. The post also featured her little brother Prince Oscar and the adorable family dog on the trip.
"Big CONGRATULATIONS on your birthday," one user commented on the post. "It's so much fun to follow the lovely princess. She takes after her mother and will be a fantastic queen of Sweden one day." The 12-year-old princess has won over the hearts of many and received messages of support from followers around the world, including one saying, "Hip hip cheer to Estelle from Sweden's veterans abroad."
Royal fans are shocked to see how quickly she's growing up
Princess Estelle seems to be getting more mature by the day. Though still only a child, she's shown her abilities to conduct herself at official royal events, along with her appreciation for arts and culture. In March of 2024, the princess was photographed visiting an art exhibition with her father Prince Daniel. The pair looked pensive while looking at works in "The Third Hand" collection at the Museum of Modern Art in Stockholm, Sweden.
Wearing a neutral turtleneck with her hair down and delicate earrings, Estelle looked quite sophisticated for her age. Under the post of the father and daughter, one commenter said, "Are you sure this girl is 12? She looks way beyond her years! Incredible." And other followers were quick to point out how much the princess is starting to look like her mother. The resemblance between Princess Estelle and Crown Princess Victoria has been noticeable for years and is only becoming more obvious as Estelle grows up.
She twinned with her mother on this royal outing
The similarities between Princess Estelle and her mother were evident once again when the pair visited the royal sculpture garden for the inauguration of a new sculpture in 2024. Both Princess Victoria and Princess Estelle had on pale-blue button-down shirt dresses with a fabric belt at the waist. Estelle's dress was slightly shorter, cutting off above the knees. It also included a floral print and a flouncy panel at the bottom, all of which made her frock feel appropriately more girly and whimsical than the similar dress worn by her mother. Along with the dress, the mother-daughter duo wore practically identical sandals.
Victoria had her hair in a sleek ponytail for the occasion, while Estelle only had her hair half up. Despite that slight distinction, the similar hairstyles helped emphasize their similar bone structure, proving their outfits weren't the only thing making the royals look like twins. Princess Leonor of Spain is also growing up to look just like her mom, while Prince George is another royal child growing up to be his father's twin.
Princess Estelle fulfilled her royal duties greeting the King and Queen of Denmark
As the future queen and head of state, Princess Estelle will one day be expected to foster relationships between Sweden and other nations, just as her grandfather King Carl XVI Gustaf does today. Though she's still a tween, Estelle is already learning the importance of diplomacy. In 2024, she helped greet the Danish royal family when they came to Sweden for a State visit.
The Danish and Swedish royal families have a strong relationship dating back generations. In fact, today's royals are close family friends. Queen Mary of Denmark is one of Princess Estelle's godparents. She was named godmother along with King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, Prince Carl Philip, and Anna Westling Söderström. So, while greeting the visiting royals was a part of Princess Estelle's official duties, it was likely also an exciting day for the princess to see her godmother and the rest of the visiting family.