Prince Erik, Duke of Västmanland

Prince Erik Duke of Västmanland Full name Erik Gustav Ludvig Albert House House of Bernadotte Father Gustav V of Sweden Mother Victoria of Baden Born 20 April 1889(1889-04-20) Stockholm Palace, Stockholm, Sweden Died 20 September 1918(1918-09-20) (aged 29) Drottningholm Palace, Stockholm, Sweden

Swedish Royalty House of Bernadotte Charles XIV John Children    Oscar I Oscar I Children    Charles XV    Gustaf, Duke of Upland    Oscar II    Princess Eugenie    August, Duke of Dalarna Charles XV Children    Lovisa, Queen of Denmark    Carl Oscar, Duke of Södermanland Oscar II Children    Gustaf V    Oscar, Duke of Gotland    Eugén, Duke of Närke    Carl, Duke of Västergötland Grandchildren    Princess Margaretha    Märtha, Crown Princess of Norway    Astrid, Queen of Belgium    Carl, Duke of Östergötland Gustaf V Children    Gustaf VI Adolf    Vilhelm, Duke of Södermanland    Erik, Duke of Västmanland Gustaf VI Adolf Children    Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten    Sigvard, Duke of Uppland    Ingrid, Queen of Denmark    Bertil, Duke of Halland    Carl Johan, Duke of Dalarna Grandchildren    Princess Margaretha    Princess Birgitta    Princess Désirée    Princess Christina    Carl XVI Gustaf Carl XVI Gustaf Children    Crown Princess Victoria    Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland    Madeleine, Duchess of Hälsingland and Gästrikland Grandchildren    Estelle, Duchess of Östergötland

Prince Erik of Sweden and Norway, Duke of Västmanland (Erik Gustav Ludvig Albert) (Stockholm, 20 April 1889 – Drottningholm, 20 September 1918), was a Swedish prince and Duke of Västmanland. He was the third and youngest son of King Gustav V of Sweden and his queen, Victoria of Baden. In 1904, Prince Erik was appointed a Knight of the Norwegian Lion by his paternal grandfather, King Oscar II.

Biography

Prince Erik as a child

Prince Erik suffered from epilepsy and mild mental retardation. His exact condition has not been published, but he may have suffered an injury at birth. He was described as handsome and physically healthy and interested in sports. His mental disability was not noticeable in brief conversation, but would become apparent if someone tried to talk with him longer than that.^[1]

Because of his condition, he was seldom seen in public and led a quiet life away from the public eye, similar to the life of Prince John of the United Kingdom. Because he was a member of the royal family, he was present in official royal photographs, but he had no official tasks. In 1907-1909, a residence was built for him away from the public eye in Djursholm, a relatively new garden community north of Stockholm.

Erik was cared for by many members of the same staff that were responsible for him and his brothers when they were children. However, his family visited him very rarely in Djursholm. Every two weeks, he was allowed a trip to the capital, during which he sometimes could be seen visiting the opera, and these were the only times he was seen in public except for official photographs.

In 1917, he complained about having to live in such isolation,^[1] and it was decided that he should have a new residence closer to Stockholm. However, he died the next year of the Spanish flu at Drottningholm Palace. His parents were not present when he died which, according to official memoirs, caused his father great sorrow in later years. His mother, who herself had poor health and spent parts of the year in Italy, was abroad at the time. Reportedly his brothers felt sorry for him but said that his death perhaps was for the best to end such a pointless existence.^[1]

His former residence on Germaniavägen in Djursholm has been in private ownership since the 1960s and today (2011) is the private residence of South Africa's ambassador to Sweden.

Ancestry

References

External links

• Royal House of Sweden and Royal House of Norway