Meet The Children Of Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria

Sweden is well known for its chilly winters, stunning greenery, pop music icons ABBA, and a beautiful royal family. King Carl XVI Gustaf and his wife, Queen Silvia, have welcomed a plethora of regal children who carry on the royal lineage with good looks and grace. While Prince Carl Philip, Princess Madeline, and Princess Victoria all grew up in pretty palaces, sporting tiaras, designer digs, and glittery gowns, these days, they can be found toting kids to and from school, participating in playdates and answering to "mom" and "dad" more than "your royal highness."

The Swedish royals have turned their energies into building beautiful families, and the royal gang now has eight royal littles in tow. Because of recent changes to Sweden's succession laws, only two of those royal grandkids stand in line to inherit the crown – Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel's children, Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar.

Being so young and having a destiny this grand might be a hard thing for a child to bear, but the Swedish royals are doing their best to give the heirs to the throne a loving, normal childhood full of education, sports, and even apple picking. Get to know Sweden's Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar, and you'll fall in love with them in no time, just as an entire nation did.

Princess Estelle precedes her brother in the line of succession, thanks to a law change

Carl XVI Gustav and Silva currently hold the titles of king and queen, respectively. During their union, these Swedish royals welcomed three children into the fold. — two daughters and a son. Initially, second-born Prince Carl Filipe was set to become the country's next king; however, succession laws changed in 1980 and decreed that the king's firstborn child would rule after him, regardless of gender. The changes meant Prince Carl Filipe was no longer next in line and instead, the eldest daughter of the king and queen, Princess Victoria, would inherit the crown. When this time arrives, Victoria will take her place as Sweden's first queen regnant since the 1700s (via People).

When Princess Victoria takes the throne and her husband, Prince Daniel, becomes king, their oldest child, Princess Estelle, will become the heir apparent. Had the succession laws not changed in the 1980s, Prince Oscar would've become the heir apparent.

In 2019, Estelle and Oscar's cousins — the children of Prince Filipe and Princess Sofia, and Princess Madeline and Christopher O'Neill — were stripped of the title "royal highness" and official royal duties, according to BBC News. Nevertheless, all of the royal grandchildren remain beloved family members and will retain their titles of dukes and duchesses, but they are not tied to the crown as Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar are.

Princess Estelle has been partaking in royal duties since she was a baby

When your grandma and grandpa are the king and queen of the nation and your parents are next in line to inherit the throne, you learn quickly to assume royal duties, as they will someday fall upon your own shoulders.

Little Princess Estelle and her younger brother, Prince Oscar, are second and third in line for the Swedish crown, respectively. As such, they have already started getting used to the official royal business that will someday envelop their everyday life. Over the years, Princess Estelle, in particular, has been seen out and about with her royal parents and grandparents. She joined her mother, Princess Victoria, and her royal granddad, the King of Sweden, to inaugurate the Golden Bridge in Stockholm in 2020. While still very young, the future queen is already making her presence known.

The inauguration wasn't Princess Estelle's first crack at testing out those royal duty waters, though. In 2016, at 7 years old, she accompanied her mother, the future Swedish queen, to accept the royal Christmas tree, according to People. Estelle is practically a pro at this royal holiday tradition. She first participated in the event when she was only 1 year old. By the time Princess Estelle takes the crown from her mother, Princess Victoria, royal outings and duties will be old hat. 

The royal children got a puppy in 2020

Thrones, tiaras, and titles are all expected aspects of the royal package. For future kings and queens all over the world, it seems that puppies are part of the regal roundup too. Britain's most infamous trio of royal tots, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis (the children of Prince William and Kate Middleton) share their home with a darling dog named Orla. Princess Alexia of the Netherlands and her family have a little pup named Mambo, and the young heirs to the Swedish throne also call a canine one of the family.

Princess Estelle and her brother Prince Oscar also keep company with a furry little fellow. The happy royal family shared sweet pictures of their beloved dog with the world on Instagram in May 2020, writing, "The Crown Princess family presents a new family member: Rio. Rio is a cavapoo dog." While Rio is certainly becoming the high-profile family's main attraction, with his cute face and curly fur, the family has at least one other pet. Princess Estelle has a beautiful white pony named Victor (per Daily Mail).

Princess Estelle has a thing for extreme sports

When you think of young princes and princesses, you might think of gowns, glamour, etiquette, and poise. From the very beginning of life, this elite group of youth is trained to be the very picture of elegance and grace. Knowing this, it may come as a bit of a surprise to learn that Sweden's Princess Estelle already has a need for speed and a knack for the extreme. Forget tea time, dolls, and dancing — this little lady is all about hitting the slopes and riding a skateboard. While these sound like unorthodox activities for a future queen, remember that Princess Estelle's papa is a former fitness trainer (in fact, that is how he and the future queen met), as reported by BBC News.

When the princess was 6 years old, she hopped on a skateboard for the first time during a family outing at Haga Park. Sporting a blue helmet and the biggest smile imaginable, Princess Estelle proved a natural at a rather challenging sport. She has also demonstrated a fearless attitude on the ski slopes. Unfortunately, her tenacity and ferocity landed the little princess in a cast with a broken leg in 2020. She and her family had been skiing in the Alps when she took a tumble. Her lack of experience couldn't be blamed as it is widely noted that the princess learned to slip down the slopes before she reached the age of 2.

From foundations to playgrounds: Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar's namesakes

Part of being a prince or princess is ensuring you spread goodwill, kindheartedness, and generosity to the citizens of your country and to those around the world. A royal's act of selfless love and the human spirit is often done via charities and foundations that they head up or lend their good names to. Elder royals, like the late Queen Elizabeth, made it their life's work to extend their generosity to those in need. Sweden's Queen Silvia also makes it a point to devote time and energy to charitable causes, such as The World Childhood Foundation, as does her daughter, Princess Victoria, and son-in-law, Prince Daniel. They spearhead The Swedish Crown Princess Couple's Foundation.

Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel's daughter is young yet, but her name is already behind a meaningful foundation. The Princess Estelle Cultural Foundation was established in 2019. The foundation's announcement elaborated on the initiative stating, "The purpose of the foundation is to promote cultural activities in Sweden. With the initiative, the Crown Princess Couple wants to emphasize the importance of art and culture in an open and modern society." Princess Estelle is already learning that being royal means far more than glitter, glam, and galas.

While her little brother, Prince Oscar, does not have a foundation named after him (yet), he was gifted a public playground (Prince Oscar's playground) made from natural materials upon his christening. 

Princess Victoria's children attend a prestigious school

Royal children often receive the finest education. Being educated, worldly, and compassionate are cornerstones for those who will someday grow up to lead a nation of people. The royal family of Sweden makes sure that all of the children who grow up with a regal title receive ample instruction in reading, writing, and arithmetic before they ever receive a throne and a crown. Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel's two young children, Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar, have been hitting the books at some of the finest learning establishments their country has to offer for some years now. 

In her earliest years, the princess attended an outdoor nursery called Aventyret. "For us, it's very important that nature becomes a natural part of the children's everyday life," explained Princess Estelle's mother, Princess Victoria, when she discussed her choice of education for her firstborn with a local radio station (via Hello! magazine). Later, Princess Estelle went on to attend Campus Manilla, a private charter facility funded by well-known property magnate Knut Pousette, according to Daily Mail.

Campus Manilla is the go-to school for Sweden's wealthy and elite youth. Hence it made perfect sense for Princess Estelle to spend a few formative years there. While she is sure to make friends in high places, she will always have a built-in bestie during her studies. Her little brother Prince Oscar, who first attended a Montessori preschool, Lilla Kvikkjokkalso, later joined his big sister at Campus Manilla.