Swedish King's five grandchildren to be stripped of titles

Five royal children are set to be stripped of their regal status and public funds in a move intended to downsize their family’s reliance on the public purse.

The youngsters are all grandchildren of Sweden’s King Carl Gustaf and due to being the offspring of his two younger children, Princess Madeleine and Prince Carl Philip, have little chance of ever taking the throne.

But despite the snub, all five’s parents praised the decision, with Madeleine explaining it gives her kids 'a greater opportunity to shape their own lives'.

Power to choose

“This change has been planned for a long time,” her American financier husband, Christopher O’Neill added.

All three of the couple’s children—Princess Leonore, five, Prince Nicolas, four, and one-year-old Princess Adrienne—will be affected by the change.

Similarly, Madeleine’s older brother Prince Carl Philip and his wife Sofia were happy with the King’s decision as it will relieve their sons from having to undertake official duties in the future.

“We see this as positive as Alexander and Gabriel will have freer choices in life,” they wrote on Instagram in reference to their three and two-year-old boys.

Sweden’s top royal court's top official Fredrik Wersall, went on to explain the move was intended to restrict the extended family’s cost on the country’s public.

“We have a large royal family. If you include the next generation there are currently ten people in the line of succession,” he told Swedish media.

The five will also lose the title of ‘His or Her Royal Highness’ but can still use their individual ‘Duke and Duchess’, as each were bestowed by the King.

But despite the cull of their cousins from the register, Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar, the children of Crown Princess Victoria, will remain in the royal house due to being in direct line to the throne.

Both will perform official duties in the future and seven-year-old Estelle, like her mother, is one day expected to be Sweden’s Queen.

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