Crown Princess Victoria Of Sweden And Her Best Looks Yet
When it comes to glamorous fashion, royal families worldwide tend to set the bar. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, Duchess of Västergötland, is one such royal who has repeatedly turned heads with her modern and glamorous fashion choices.
Born Princess Victoria Alice Ingrid Desiree, Victoria is the eldest child of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia. She is the first-ever female heir to the throne in the house of Bernadotte, as the 1979 Act of Succession decreed that rule of Sweden would pass to the firstborn child regardless of gender, according to Hello! magazine. She became eligible to serve on her 18th birthday in 1995 — and ever since she has been admired for her bold sense of style.
Victoria has paved the way for unique looks within the realm of royal events, galas, and ceremonies. Opting for statement pieces, the princess often accessorizes with detailed headpieces, bejeweled brooches, dangling earrings, traditional badges of honor, and ribboned sashes. As Vogue Scandinavia noted, she is known to mix up her look — from glittering, sequined ballgowns to tailored silhouettes. While still maintaining the model of elegance, the princess' playful side is apparent in her unique and diverse wardrobe.
Princess Victoria pulls off vintage ensembles
Princess Victoria's upbringing, culture, and customs, undoubtedly influenced her sense of fashion. According to Britannica, Crown Princess Victoria studied French at Université Catholique de l'Ouest in Angers, France, and political science and history at Yale University. She worked at the United Nations in New York as well as a representative for the Swedish Embassy in Washington, D.C. Princess Victoria graduated from the Swedish Defence University and trained at the Swedish Armed Forces International Centre as well as underwent diplomatic training at the Swedish foreign ministry.
The princess surely picked up some fashion influences as she spent time in Europe and the United States. However, she has avoided building up her personal wardrobe with fast fashion for the sake of keeping up with the trends of the world. Instead, she favors sustainability (via The Telegraph). In fact, she's not afraid of wearing hand-me-downs. Victoria has been known to recycle some of the Queen's outfits from decades past. In 2017, for example, Victoria attended a conference wearing one of her mother's vintage dresses, which Queen Silvia debuted in Russia back in 1978. The following year, Victoria attended the Nobel Prize Ceremony donning the same Nina Ricci gown her mother wore to the 1995 Nobel Prize Ceremony, as Town & Country reported.
She's wowed at multiple Nobel Prize award ceremonies
The Swedish Royal family are loyal attendees of the annual ceremony for the Nobel Prize Awards, which are held in Sweden. Pictured at the 2011 Awards Banquet with the Australian Nobel Prize for Physics laureate Brian Schmidt, Princess Victoria stuns in a floor-length, dark blue sequined number (via CBS News). The updo hairstyle and the scooped neck of the gown, accentuate the jewels in her ears and the glittering tiara on her head. She paired the outfit with the badge of honor and blue ribbon sash, pinned with a matching sapphire brooch.
A decade later at the 2021 Nobel Prize Awards ceremony, Victoria opted for a much simpler outfit, a 1950s silhouette black satin dress designed by Pär Engshedens, which featured quarter sleeves, a boat scoop neck, and draped waist. The outfit was paired with Engelbert Stockholm New York 66 baguette diamond earrings attached to a pearl drop stone, as reported by Vogue Scandinavia.
Her wedding day look was beyond glamorous
In June 2010, Princess Victoria wed her personal trainer, Daniel Westling, in a ceremony held at the Storkyrkan Cathedral in Stockholm (via Hello! magazine). The ivory duchesse silk dress was fit for a future queen with a 15-foot train, V-shaped low back, A-line skirt, and off-the-shoulder neckline, as reported by Vogue Scandinavia. The bespoke gown was created by Pär Engsheden, a well-known designer in Sweden, and has since gone down in the pop culture archives as an unforgettable royal wedding dress.
Victoria's lace veil served as something borrowed — an heirloom piece dating back to 1858, when Queen Sofia of Sweden wore it at her wedding, according to The Court Jeweller. And in a sweet final touch, the Crown Princess wore the Cameo Tiara, which was worn by her mother, Queen Silvia, on her wedding to King Carl XVI Gustaf in 1976.
She even glows as a wedding guest
In 2011, at the royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, in 2011, Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria stood out in her salmon pink monochrome ensemble (via Vogue Scandinavia.) Victoria certainly looked pretty in her pink knee-length, quarter-sleeve dress, which boasted a V-neck and cinched waist. She paired the ensemble with a matching wide-brimmed sun hat, minimal jewelry, and peep-toe stilettos.
As it happens, Victoria's wedding guest looks are always on point. In 2015, at the wedding of Prince Carl Phillip to Sofia Hellqvist, proud eldest sister Victoria attended in a beautifully printed translucent white ball gown. It featured an off-the-shoulder neckline while the floor-length skirt showcased an abstract print. Princess Victoria's hair was pulled back into a gorgeous low bun and she wore a sparkling tiara that matched her dazzling clutch.The princess also flawlessly incorporated the blue badge of honor and matching ribbon sash — these adornments represent royal orders of honor, granted by King Carl XVI Gustaf for family members' service to the royal realm (via Tatler).
Princess Victoria shows off the fashions of her country
In June 2022, Crown Princess Victoria was the model of Swedish grace in a traditional Sverigedräkten folk costume to mark the beginning of National Day. Matching her daughter Estelle, Victoria donned a white blouse under a blue dress, stitched with white flowers and a yellow overskirt featuring those same white flowers — the colors of the Swedish flag. She also wore a headscarf with her hair pinned up beneath it in the Swedish tradition for married women (via Daily Mail).
National Day celebrates the anniversary of the 1523 election of King Gustav Vasa and the incorporation of the new constitution. For many Swedes, it is considered the founding of modern Sweden as a country, and the traditional fashion worn by its presiding Royals very much honors such rich history, according to Tatler.
Princess Victoria stunned in another traditional ensemble back in 2001 for the 25th wedding anniversary of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia (via Town & Country). Princess Victoria opted for a brocaded sage green corset with embroidered ruching around the waist and gold cord stitched around the squared neckline, while her floor-length mauve skirt featured a sage green ribbon with embroidered flowers, running down the length and the base of the skirt. She carried a simple black handbag and her hair was pulled into an intricately twisted bun adorned with small pearls.
She doesn't shy away from statement outfits
An iconic look in Princess Victoria's portfolio is a pink tulle number created by Selam Fessahaye, a notable Swedish designer. Looking radiant in the bubblegum ensemble, Princess Victoria was all smiles alongside her husband, Prince Daniel, while they attended the Polar Music Awards in 2019 (via People) Princess Victoria is skillful at incorporating monochrome looks into her wardrobe and styling them in a way that's not too noisy, instead focusing on stand out and statement pieces to match with the other chosen pieces in the outfit.
The eye-catching layers of blush tulle in this gown feature a somewhat feathery top and tied waist. The front of the gown was bluntly cropped to showcase Princess Victoria's pointed blush pumps while the back of the dress featured a flowing floor-length cut. The princess accessorized with a small silver bracelet and pink and gold statement earrings, while her husband Prince Daniel kept things simple and classic in a navy tuxedo and black bow tie.
The princess makes bright colors look elegant
Princess Victoria can pull of bold business fashion with the best of them. In October 2022, she rocked a forest green pantsuit from Zara while visiting the Tobias Register, a blood stem cell donor system, at Huddinge Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden (via Express). Wearing statement gold earrings and her hair pulled back in a low ponytail, Princess Victoria looked effortless in the long blazer and belted trousers, which she paired with a black blouse accented with a large bow. She carried a small black clutch that tied the whole look together nicely.
Some months earlier, the princess demonstrated how to pull off color and minimalism together by donning a bright ensemble to a seminar on the Norwegian-Swedish business cooperation, which was held at Hotel At Six in Stockholm, Sweden, as reported by The Royal House of Norway. With a focus on small and timeless details, Princess Victoria stunned in a hot pink pantsuit with a white blouse featuring black and white piping detail along the collar and down the front. She accessorized with small matching hot pink hoops, minimal gold jewelry, and a white crossbody bag. She pulled her hair back in a low and elegant bun.
She shines in sequins
While attending gala at the residence of the Swedish Ambassador in Rome, Princess Victoria dazzled in a belted lilac and silvery Malina design that features a subtle open back. Pictured above with her husband Prince Daniel, Swedish Ambassador to Italy Jan Bjorklund and his wife Anette Brifalk. This Malina dress in particular is part of the label's "party edit," with accessories from Wilbur & Gussie and is one of many sequined looks that Princess Victoria has managed to pull into royal functions and public appearances (via Vogue Scandinavia).
On a solo trip to Paris in December 2021, Princess Victoria sported another glitzy ensemble — a sequined two-piece pantsuit with a satin belt tie, courtesy of H&M, as reported by Daily Mail. Posing at the Paris Business Summit, the Crown Princess was all smiles in the black and silver sparkling ensemble. She wore jeweled hoop earrings and pointed black pumps.
Ethereal birthday looks are her go-to
On her 40th birthday, Princess Victoria melted hearts in a darling white A-line dress with quarter sleeves and a high neckline. The dress was decorated with feathery, delicate floral decoupage cutouts which were overlaid on small monarch butterflies across the top and the skirt of the dress (via Vogue). The dress was tied together with a white waist sash and Princess Victoria accessorized the look with white pumps and a light pink suede clutch.
Five years later, at her 45th birthday celebration, Princess Victoria arrived at Borgholm Castle in true royal fashion — in a horse-drawn carriage. She donned a gown befitting a true crown princess for the festivities. The ethereal floral garment designed by Ida Sjostedt featured transparent, floaty cap sleeves, a scoop neckline, and a slightly cinched waist accentuating her figure. She topped off the elegant look with low wedge sandals, minimal jewelry, and a brilliant pair of crystal drop earrings designed by Annika Gustavsson (via Hello! magazine).
It's wonderful to see how much the Crown Princess Victoria has bloomed into the color, boldness, and creativity of her current style choices.
She wears prime colors with confidence
Princess Victoria shows confidence when wearing primary hues of red and blue — striking in monotone and rocking it all the way.
In 2010, Victoria arrived at a celebration to commemorate the House of Bernadotte's two centuries in power, wearing a stunning blue number, as reported by Hello! magazine. The dress featured a scoop neckline and fluttery cap sleeves and fell just to her knees. She accessorized with a silver watch, small chain necklace, diamond earrings, and a velvet blue hair bow.
At the Christening of Prince Gabriel, the son of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia, in 2017, the princess went for a bold yet elegant red number (via Hello! magazine). At her nephew's special day, Princess Victoria looked poised in a structured coat top with a V-neck collar, belted waist, and a slight flare design where the jacket ended. Her A-line skirt was the same color and was hemmed elegantly above her ankles. The princess opted for minimal accessories — silver hoop earrings, a blue badge of honor, and velvet pumps that were a slightly darker shade of red but still complimented the ensemble quite nicely.
The princess pulls off muted outerwear
While every princess should have the chance to wear a ball gown, knowing how and when to dress down is also an important skill set. Princess Victoria manages to look refined even while keeping things muted instead of bright.
For her name day celebration in 2022, which included a military concert, the crown princess stood tall and elegant in an all-gray ensemble that featured a knee-length wrap coat tied at the waist. She wore a pair of matching gloves, patterned scarf, slacks and pointed-toe heeled boots. Victoria also wore her signature hairstyle, a slicked-back bun, with natural makeup and studded silver hoop earrings (via Daily Mail).
This wasn't the first time the princess donned a monochromatic look, though. Back in 2010, during a visit to the Chateau La Grange in Savigny-le-Temple, France, Victoria wore an understated yet chic white overcoat that featured a draped collar, slightly puffed sleeves, a side seam opening. It was adorned with a single black lapel button and belt. She wore small diamond earrings and carried a silver clutch, as reported by Vogue Scandinavia.
She knows how to make a statement in florals
What kind of princess would Victoria be without some gorgeous floral dresses? Attending the annual meeting of the Friends of the National Museum in 2018, Princess Victoria donned a beautiful white satin dress accented with large pink and green florals. She paired the dress, which featured a belted waist and a knee-length hemline, with a pair of white pointed pumps, small diamond earrings, and a chain-strap white crossbody purse. Her nails were painted a shade of red and she wore her usual silver watch and bracelet. Letting the outfit do the talking, she went with minimal makeup and a simple low bun (via Daily Mail).
At the Stockholm Junior Water Prize Award Ceremony in 2022, Princess Victoria stunned in another floral ensemble — this time in dark blue. With long, flowing sleeves, small ruffled details, and a scoop neck, the dress hit just above her ankles. She wore a deep blue belt that matched her clutch, a pair of light blue pointed pumps, and dangling diamond earrings (via Hello! magazine).