Inside Princess Sofia And Prince Carl Philip's Marriage
Everyone loves a good old Cinderella story. A lonely prince searches for love in all corners of the earth only to unexpectedly finds his future princess in an unlikely everyday commoner. Against all odds, they endure. They wed. They have beautiful babies. Everyone lives happily ever after. The end...
For most, this vision is an unobtainable dream — nothing but a favorite fairytale. For Prince Carl Philip of Sweden and his bride, Princess Sofia, the fantasy became a reality when the two unlikely lovebirds fell hard and fast for one another (via South China Morning Post). As the only son of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, Prince Carl Philip was raised in regal surroundings. His future bride, however, came from humble beginnings far away from castles, balls, and tiaras. Still, in a world of billions, these two found their way to one another, proving that love can bloom even in the strangest of circumstances.
Together these two royals now have it all. Money, influence, and most importantly, each other. They have weathered intense initial scrutiny from the public and managed to build a true love, friendship, and family that is anything but fictional. The marriage of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia of Sweden is perhaps our favorite fairytale of all time.
Their backgrounds couldn't have been more different
Regarding love and royalty, it is pretty standard for both people in a relationship to come from similar social circles. Occasionally, however, a royal and a commoner find their way into one another's hearts. Prince Carl Philip was born and raised the only son of an esteemed king and queen. He had the very best education, grew up in a palace, and knew throughout his entire life he had a claim (albeit a distant one) to the Swedish throne, according to the Swedish Royal Court. However, he likely did not imagine who he would go on to marry.
There must be something in that Swedish water because all three of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia's children turned to everyday people to find their forever person. Princess Victoria wed gym owner and her former personal trainer, Daniel Westling; Princess Madeline married non-Swedish commoner Christopher O'Neill; and Prince Carl Philip married Sofia Hellqvist, as she was then known.
Princess Sofia of Sweden was born far from palace walls in the small town of Täby, the Daily Mail reported. At 6 years old, she moved with her family to remote Älvdalen. While the prince and his future princess might as well have come from different planets, none of that mattered in the end. All that mattered was how they felt about one another after a fateful meeting at a nightclub.
The prince for a woman with a wild streak
Princess Sofia of Sweden looks every part the royal. She is stunning, humble, graceful, and adored. But before she was Prince Carl Philip's wife and the Swedish people's princess, she was so many other, not-so-regal things. Eyebrows shot into the sky when word broke that the shining prince and Sofia Hellqvist were in a serious romance. This was because Hellqvist had a past — one that didn't include thrones and diamonds but rather skimpy clothes, boa constrictors, and adult entertainers.
After returning from her studies in the states to Stockholm, the former waitress and bartender found herself strapped for cash (via Page Six). She was short on money but not on looks, so she made her beauty work for her by posing for the salacious magazine, Slitz. Her first photo shoot, per Dailymail, included camo, a tiny swimsuit bottom, and a snake. The current princess was a big hit with certain audiences, though and so she was named Miss Slitz 2004 – a very different title compared to her current one of Swedish princess!
Then there was that whole reality television stint where Hellqvist appeared on "Paradise Hotel," a show centered around packing a hotel with hot singles. During her time on the show, the eventual wife to Prince Carl Philip received on-camera massages and shared a smooch with adult film star Jenna Jameson.
Their wedding was a royal affair
Royal weddings – we can't get enough of them. The union between Sweden's Prince Carl Philip and bride Sofia Hellqvist was truly one for the times, and anyone who was anyone turned out to celebrate the unlikely love of the beautiful pair. The royal couple with Hollywood looks wed at the Royal Chapel of the Royal Palace of Stockholm in 2015.
The world looked on as Sofia, donning a glittering diamond and emerald tiara (a gift from Sweden's king and queen) and a drop-dead gorgeous gown by Swedish designer Ida Sjöstedt, became Princess Sofia, Duchess of Värmland (via Hola! magazine). Royals from all over the world, including Belgium's Queen Mathilde, the Netherlands' Queen Maxima, Britain's Earl and Countess of Wessex, Queen Sonja of Norway, and Queen Margrethe of Denmark came out to bear witness as these two lovebirds made their romance official, according to South China Morning Post.
Years after they exchanged vows, the couple is still head over heels for one another. In 2020, they marked their fifth anniversary by sharing intimate images from their special day and a sentimental post on their Instagram. "Sometimes every person comes to a decisive choice; a choice that determines one's entire future, and that is about who you are and, above all, who you want to be. And often, it takes courage. Courage not to choose the easy way just because it is easy, without the courage to stay on the hard road because it is right."
Their big day reflected their fun, laidback demeanor
While royal wedding ceremonies can be traditional and stuffy, they can also be fun and fresh, as proved by the matrimonial celebration of Swedish Prince Carl Philip and his bride, Princess Sofia. The power couple set the royal wedding bar extremely high, managing to mesh regal style and heritage with fun, contemporary elements that reflected their personal tastes.
An example of this could be seen in the event's musical selections, which included formal renditions of Rihanna's "Umbrella" and Coldplay's "Fix You," according to People. Per Hello! magazine, lucky wedding guests dined on a four-course meal followed by a confectionary masterpiece created by the Swedish National Pastry Team. The cake, which was almost too pretty to eat, was adorned with pop rock candy and the bride and groom cut it rather unconventionally with a sword! Guests spent the remainder of the evening dancing the night away to the tunes of the popular band Icona Pop.
The princess then put her own stamp on the event by penning and dedicating a song to her prince. The ballad was belted out by the couple's close friend, pop star Molly Sandén and former boyfriend Danny Saucedo. The special tribute nearly brought a tear to every wedding guest's eye, groom included. The wedding reflected the couple's values — a love and honor for their country and a desire to remain honest and true to individuality. For the prince, princess, and their loving Swedish onlookers, this was a night no one would soon forget.
Princess Sofia is tight with her sister-in-law
When Sofia Hellqvist married her prince, Carl Philip, she got much more than a husband. She also gained a close pal in Princess Victoria, her new sister-in-law. Princess Victoria is the eldest child of Sweden's king and queen and, thanks to changes in Swedish succession law, she is next in line to assume the throne as the country's ruler.
Before becoming a member of the royal family, Sofia celebrated her upcoming nuptials with her nearest and dearest, and among her supportive partygoers was her future sister-in-law Victoria. The princess, future princess, and party guests attended a lavish bachelorette party in honor of Sofia, according to Hello! magazine. They dined on Lebanese food, sipped champagne, and relaxed by Lake Mälaren outside of Stockholm before returning home for the royal wedding. The two women didn't stop spending time together after the wedding festivities. In fact, they have only grown closer. Per People, the pair became one with nature when they hiked in Fulufjällets National Park after attending the Polar Music Prize 2019 awards ceremony together.
These princesses have a lot in common when it comes to defending their relationships. Public scrutiny ran rampant when word got out that Sweden's prince was marrying Sofia. Princess Victoria can sympathize with judgment and rumors as she came to the defense of her own union on Instagram, dispelling murmurings of betrayal and divorce. These women stick by their men and one another.
They are parents of three boys
What's cuter than a beautiful royal couple truly, madly, deeply in love? One with adorable royal tots in tow, of course! Princess Sofia and Prince Carl Philip may have thought they had everything their heart desired when they found each other. Little did they know that their romance would merely be the tip of the happily ever after iceberg. After their rocking royal wedding in 2015, they got right to building a royal family. Son Prince Alexander, Duke of Södermanland, was born in 2016 (via Daily Mail). The new dad told People he couldn't manage to turn the waterworks off when his firstborn son was born. "For me and my wife, this is obviously a great day with a lot of emotion. Words cannot describe," the prince revealed.
The following year, the pair was blessed with another beautiful boy, whom they named Prince Gabriel, Duke of Dalarna. They joyfully announced the birth on their Instagram page. In 2021, the family added a third son to the growing family. Their darling boy, Prince Julian, wasn't given the HRH (his royal highness) title upon his birth, as his siblings lost theirs in 2019. The title omissions stem from the Swedish king's decision to streamline the Swedish royal family, according to People. It was nothing personal, as all could see by the echoed support of Prince Carl Philip himself.
Princess Sofia now knows what it really feels like to be fulfilled. In a sweet Instagram post, she shared black-and-white images of her family, captioning them: "Life has given me not only one but four beautiful princes."
Princess Sofia raises her and Prince Carl Philip's children similarly to another royal
Sweden's Princess Sofia has much in common with another famous royal beauty – Catherine, Princess of Wales. Both women were raised commoners and caught the attention of handsome princes. Both women are stunning style icons; Princess Sophia made maternity wear chic, and let's be frank, Middleton's Alexander McQueen wedding gown was a darn vision. Both princesses are also mothers to three young children. Even their parenting styles are similar to each other, according to one expert.
Parenting pro Angela Karanja spoke to Express about the royals mothers' child-rearing methods. "I think both Sofia and Kate are very proactive parents who have embraced parenting as leadership. This can be seen by their desire to acquire meaningful information and parenting knowledge that propels them to be more effective parents in today's fast-changing world," Karanja explained. She also highlighted how both royal mothers value their children's talents, self-expression, and independence. Karanja pointed out that because both women come from commoner backgrounds, they are able to teach their children to follow their own hearts and paths.
With mothers like Princesses Sofia and Catherine, the next generation of little royals is just about guaranteed to set the world afire.
The prince and princess love their kids, their country and their pooch
Royal families all over the globe adore their families, their country's people, and their pups. It's almost as if owning a dog is a prerequisite for being of regal status these days! The late Queen Elizabeth of England couldn't get enough of her Corgis, owning dozens throughout her lifetime. Her grandson, Prince William, and his wife loved their pre-human fur baby, little Lupo, an English cocker spaniel. They enjoyed him so much that before Lupo's passing, they added another of the breed to their royal household.
The royal family of Sweden similarly adores dogs. King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia have two dogs. Their heir, Princess Victoria, and her brood also have a dog to run through palace corridors. Princess Victoria's sister, Princess Madeline, adopted a Havanese in 2022, and Princess Sofia and Prince Carl Philip have a canine.
As if having three young boys wasn't enough for the busy young family, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia rejoiced when their gang grew by four paws. They are the proud owners of a little Terrier named Siri. Siri made headlines in 2021 when it escaped the family abode and took off on a doggie stroll. Thankfully, a few good Samaritans played detective and helped bring the beloved dog back to its royal family.
The royal couple is charitable
What do you get a prince and princess for a wedding gift? Diamonds? Designer clothes? Destination getaways? If you were a guest at Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia's lavish wedding, the answer would have been none of these things. The very down-to-earth couple instead asked if their partygoers would channel their giving spirit instead of purchasing pricey objects. Per Hello! magazine, the royal pair asked those wanting to shower them with gifts to choose to donate their funds to Prince Couple's Foundation. The foundation was set up specifically for the nuptials, and all money donated went to children in care and educational settings.
Being a giving princess is commonplace, and many royal ladies throughout time have devoted their efforts to create better lives for others. Charity is nothing new to Princess Sofia, either. In 2010, she, along with her friend, Frida Vesterberg, founded Project Playground. The foundation aims to support South African children throughout various stages of their lives and their development. According to the Daily Mail, the princess visited South Africa to meet with colleagues and citizens and share her helping hands as well as her wealth of knowledge. (The Swedish princess studied global ethics with an emphasis on youth during her university years.) Since the inception of the organization, relief and support efforts have been extended to Sweden, and it now supports children overseas and kids in the prince and princess's home country, per the foundation's website.
Princess Sofia and Prince Carl are best buds
Who gets lucky enough to marry their best friend and a prince? Sofia Hellqvist, that's who. Royal couples come about for a number of reasons, but true love matches can be hard to come by for the regal population of singles. The prince and princess of Sweden are most certainly a love match and, even better yet, they are the very best of pals. The two started their romantic journey with a real love-at-first-sight moment. Princess Sofia told a Swedish television station (via Hello! magazine) that she knew Prince Carl Philip was the one right off the bat. "The first thing I noticed about Carl Philip was that he seemed very humble," she revealed. "When I got to know him, I saw that he was incredibly natural, very intelligent, and very humble."
Ahead of their wedding in 2015, Sofia gushed about her man and how he makes her feel (per Hello!). "Carl Philip is my best friend. He is the person I talk to the most. He's so smart, and I feel so secure with him," she said. The prince expressed similar sentiments, saying, "I feel extremely confident, stable, and balanced when Sofia is by my side, and I've felt that way from the beginning."
Should Disney ever need to add another fairytale story to their collection, it could definitely base one on this sweet pair of princely lovebirds.