Desirée was known to the public as one of the “Haga Princesses.” who grew up in the Haga Palace outside Stockholm with Carl XVI Gustaf and their sisters, Princess Margaretha, Princess Birgitta, and Princess Christina. Born on June2, 1938 to Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten, and Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Princess Desirée's paternal grandparents were Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden and Queen Victoria's granddaughter, Princess Margaret of Connaught. Despite war in Europe looming large, the Haga Princesses and their brother, the future king, enjoyed a bucolic childhood in the Swedish countryside, growing up alongside the ducks and goats of the Haga Palace—and the family pony, Eva, a gift from the King.
Author: Stephanie Bridger-Linning
Published at: 2026-02-21 20:28:57
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