Prince Bertil, Duke of Halland

Who was Prince Bertil, Duke of Halland?

Prince Bertil of Sweden, Duke of Halland, was the third son of King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden and his first wife, Princess Margaret of Connaught. He was a paternal uncle of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and a maternal uncle of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and Queen Anne-Marie of Greece.

Bertil was born at Stockholm. He was granted a very old dukedom, one that was bestowed in the Middle Ages on various Danish and Swedish royal relatives, such as Benedict, Duke of Halland. After his eldest brother Prince Gustaf Adolf died in 1947, leaving an infant son Carl Gustaf in the line of succession, and because his elder brother Sigvard had already given up his place in the succession, it seemed likely that Bertil could one day become regent.

For this reason, Bertil chose not to marry Welsh commoner Lilian Craig, as that would have deprived him of his place in the succession, so the couple simply lived together discreetly. Their common base was a home in Sainte-Maxime, in the south of France. The arrangement was well known by all and intended to keep the lineage until the heir-apparent to the throne was old enough. The then Mrs Davies was a known part of the Royal Family from their private perspective but not officially. However, his father lived long enough for Carl Gustaf to come of age.