Here's How The Swedish Royal Children Actually Live
Descended from the country's longest reigning monarch, Crown Princess Victoria and her husband, Prince Daniel, are next in line for the Swedish throne — and they've got the cutest kids of all time! Like other monarchies around the world, Sweden has also ditched the male-only order of succession, which means Victoria, and eventually her daughter, can inherit the title of queen when the time is right (per Kungahuset.se, the official website of the royal house).
Estelle and Oscar are the newest additions to the Swedish royal house. Thanks to a small handful of content shared by the crown and local reporters, the world has gotten to see what kind of people the future rulers will become. From the silly candid moments and genuine excitement to the prim and proper way they're expected to behave as royals, these children have captured the heart of the Scandinavian nation. From their ceremony-honored births to their casual outings with mom and dad, we'll explore how these two lucky youngsters live, and how they've become naturals at their unique jobs.
They were welcomed into the world with pomp and circumstance
When it comes to babies, the Swedish royal family has been known to pull out all the stops. When Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar were born, in 2012 and 2016, respectively, both were honored with a special gun salute (via Kungahuset.se). Because she was the firstborn, Estelle actually received two gun salutes! According to the crown's official website, the two children were later "christened in King Karl XI's 17th century silver baptismal font, using christening water from a source on Öland."
The media attention surrounding each birth was, as expected, pretty exciting and thorough. From baby Estelle's exact size and weight to all of the extended family's public well wishes, various outlets jumped on the details when the big moment arrived. TV4, a CNN affiliate, even caught a really sweet, candid comment from Crown Prince Daniel just after his daughter's birth: "Well, when I came down from the room, the little princess was laying on her mother's chest, and it looked like they were having a very cozy time, so it was hard to take my eyes off them." After his son was born, he joked with reporters, "I have not had time to feel just yet how it feels to be a father of two, but it feels good so far" (via Hello!).
The children are receiving a hands-on education
Early on in their education, the royal children attended different sensory-focused preschools. Estelle's preschool, Äventyret, utilized "outdoor educational methods to teach children more about nature," while Oscar's preschool, Lilla Kvikkjokk, followed Montessori practices (via Kungahuset.se). According to Montessori for Today, the idea behind the educational method is to let a child freely explore his or her own education, emotions, and abilities so they can better know themselves and get excited about learning.
Once they completed preschool, both children switched over to Campus Manilla, a primary and secondary school within Royal Djurgården grounds. Djurgården, as Visit Stockholm describes it, is a peaceful location right in the middle of the city. Though the historic island is well known for its museums, beautiful greenery, and cultural events, it is also a center for education. Talk about an amazing place to go to school!
It's not all sunshine and rainbows for the two royal children, though. As Campus Manilla's website states, secondary school admission depends on the students' final grades, so Estelle and Oscar will have to work as hard as everyone else there to move up.
Estelle and Oscar, unlike their cousins, are a part of the working royal family
Shortly after their births, the two children received their own formal titles, monograms, and crowns, which you can see for yourself on the royal family's official website. Estelle was dubbed the duchess of Östergötland, an area she visited this year (per Royal Central UK), while Oscar was named duke of Skåne. Though both are still very young, they help out where they can! The kids participated in a trash cleanup for Coast Guard Day in 2022; they also helped their mother cheer on the Swedish paralympic team for the 2021 Olympic games.
Though their cousins have royal blood and formal titles of their own, the extended family's status as members of the working royal house was rescinded in 2019. According to People's copy of the official palace statement, the king chose to remove the titles "to establish which members of The Royal Family may be expected to perform official duties incumbent on the Head of State or related to the function of the Head of State." In other words, these up-and-coming royals won't be expected to carry the same official burdens as Estelle and Oscar.
Though public opinion has generally been divided on similar decisions, the extended family seems happy about the change. "Chris and I think it's good that our children are now getting a greater opportunity to shape their own lives as private individuals in the future," Princess Madeleine wrote in an Instagram post following the announcement.
They celebrate Christmastime with their family like we do
In 2021, Estelle and Oscar wished the world a merry Christmas on the royal house's official website, and they were 100% dressed for the part. Oscar's cute winter sweater and Estelle's vintage red dressing gown (with the matching bow, of course) make the image look just like a classic Christmas card!
They had even more fun while celebrating St. Lucia's Day (via Instagram). Last year, Estelle wore a white gown and red sash, and Oscar donned a red sweater and Santa hat. In the past, both children have dressed in the traditional white gowns of St. Lucia's Day (via Instagram). The day is as popular in Sweden as Christmas Day is, if not more so.
In Sweden, Lucia is a beloved mystical figure who brings light to their gloomy winters (per Sweden.se, Swedish Institute). St. Lucia's Day is held every year on December 13, when an "exotic-looking" procession finds children gathered in the dark wearing their gowns and singing songs. Legend has it Lucia wore light in her hair, so girls in the procession have wreath crowns adorned with candles — although they can be electric these days.
They have pets!
Lockdowns during the pandemic had the world adopting furry creatures en masse for comfort and companionship, per The Washington Post. The Swedish royal family joined the rapidly expanding pet parents club by adopting a dog of their own, a curly-haired brown puppy they named Rio. The public first got a glimpse of the tiny fluff ball early on in 2020, when the family posed for a cute photoshoot outdoors (via Instagram). Roughly a year later, the royal family released more photos of the family dog, this time seated between the two children.
In classic princess style, Estelle also owns a pony! On her 7th birthday, she posed for an adorable snowy photo with Viktor, the white Welsh pony (per Daily Mail). Viktor has given rides to both children, even sleigh rides, and looks like royalty with his hair braided. "She loves to ride," the crown princess said of her daughter (per Svenskdam.se). "It's the only thing she does ... if she gets to choose."
They're part of a really active, outdoorsy family
On their own, Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel are very outdoorsy and active. To this day, it's Victoria's goal to visit all of Sweden's national parks. "By visiting all of Sweden's national parks, the Crown Princess wants to promote outdoor life, encourage movement, and get more people to discover what Sweden has to offer in the form of nature experiences," the royal house announced on Instagram. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that their family vacations take them into the great outdoors.
Since they were babies, Estelle and Oscar have gone on many family trips around the world, where they've enjoyed skiing, hiking, and sailing. In this skiing video posted to Instagram by the crown, one can begin to guess what they're like as a family when the cameras are turned off. Estelle was the daredevil in this scenario, speeding out front of the group and encouraging her brother to join her. Her dad told reporters she's pretty much a pro at this point: "She's much better than me. She's been out on the slopes every season during the past couple of years" (per The Local). Meanwhile, Oscar, who was not even 3 years old at the time, was incredibly smooth on his skis, only ever wobbling when he and his mother appear to bump skis accidentally. Impressive!
They're adorable and cheeky IRL
Though most pictures of the two show them cuddling and getting along, the occasional candid reveals a more realistic sibling bond between Estelle and Oscar. In one image from 2018, Estelle grabs her brother's shoulder and says something to him. Oscar stares straight ahead, looking a little pouty.
In 2019, the young princess displayed her own pouty face while checking out some royal Swedish relics. Perhaps she was intrigued because, as Town & Country points out, the Swedish royals don't often wear the crowns but only bring them out for ceremonial events.
In another hilarious display of cheekiness, both children got pumped about exercise, to hilarious results. In this fan-uploaded video, Estelle did her best to fake jumping jacks while Oscar spun himself silly and collapsed into giggles on the ground. Last but not least, Oscar giving his mom a big smooch on the lips takes the cake for cutest, most hilarious Swedish royal moment. At this point, we're really not sure who is going to be the bigger ham in the family, but we're excited to see what kind of teens they'll become!
They're also very proper
Like all royals, Oscar and Estelle are expected to set an example when it comes to proper, dignified behavior. One of the best (and cutest) examples we've seen is the matching outfits between the crown princess couple and their children. On numerous occasions, the family has been photographed in perfect color coordination. On Victoria's 45th birthday, father and son donned matching beige suits; in 2020, Estelle was her mother's "mini-me" in a matching brown overcoat. The family also makes a habit of wearing matching traditional costumes for Sweden's National Day each year.
As she gets older, Princess Estelle has been slowly mastering the art of being a working royal. In early 2022, the royal house posted a video of her touring Linköping Castle and other areas of her duchy. The young princess, seen wearing a white pantsuit for the occasion, put forth her best behavior: She listened attentively, held her hands smartly together in front of her, and smoothly unveiled several new art additions along the way. At only 10 years old, she appears to already have the royal routine in the bag! Though the masses have yet to see as much from little Oscar, it's likely he'll follow in his sister's footsteps with the same natural grace.
They don't miss out on the fun
Set aside any notions you may have about these royal children being stuck inside with tutors all day — Estelle and Oscar get out to local parks and events a LOT. In 2018, the crown princess took both children to Haga Park for some skateboarding. Then-2-year-old Oscar preferred to stay with his mom, looking hilariously serious about the whole thing.
This royal family also really loves their sports! Princess Victoria met her husband-to-be while training at the gym he owned (via Vanity Fair), so it makes sense that they've adopted physical wellness into their official royal agenda and family life (via Kungahuset.se). They take their kids to sporting events throughout the year, including everything from local competitions to world championships. Estelle has become quite patriotic herself! She even painted her nails with the colors of the Swedish flag for King Carl XVI Gustaf's 72nd birthday parade. As you can see in this photo of mother and son, Oscar is still warming up to the idea of watching games — we'll see how he feels in a few years!
They enjoy all the perks of a royal life
Though they have the most down-to-earth royal parents ever and enjoy goofing off like regular children, make no mistake: Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar have it good. From their ponies and carriage rides to perfectly manicured little outfits and personalized crowns, these kids are definitely living their best lives. They currently live at Haga Palace, which their parents were given access to after their royal wedding. As you can see from images of the palace obtained by Express, this family is basically living the aesthetic many Instagrammers would sell their souls for.
You won't see the family draw attention to the general glitziness of their stations very often, but when they do, it's all tiaras, private balls, and only the best hotels. In 2022, they got to stay at a James Bond-like ice hotel in Sweden! They apparently spent the night in a special suite that was designed by Victoria's brother, so you can be sure the family has some influence in interesting places.