Ahead of her 40th birthday, Princess Sofia, the charming wife of Prince Carl Philip, who is expecting her fourth child, gave an exclusive interview to Vogue Scandinavia and invited the media to take a glimpse into her life – from the cosy Swedish countryside to the luxury of the royal palace.
Sofia Kristina Hellqvist was born on December 6, 1984 to Eric and Marie Hellqvist. She has two sisters, Lena (born 1982) and Sarah (born 1988).
Sophia was baptised on May 26, 1985 and grew up in Dlvdalen, Darlan, where she attended Dlvdalen Montessori School and Dlvdalen School. She also attended music and art classes at the Wansbrough Education Centre. As a teenager, Sofia did volunteer work in South Africa, Senegal and Ghana.
In 2005, she moved to New York to study accounting and business development at the New York Institute of English and Business; during this time she worked as a certified yoga instructor.
Sofia returned to Sweden and enrolled at Stockholm University, where she studied global ethics, children and youth science, and children’s communication. She also studied the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The future queen worked as a waitress, in shops and factories, and as a glamour model, posing topless for Slitz magazine with a boa constrictor covering her. She was voted Miss Slitz 2004 bySlitz readers. Her modelling work led her to participate in the Swedish reality show Paradise Hotel. She travelled to Las Vegas, Nevada for filming and made it to the finals before being eliminated from the show. Photos and footage of her in magazines and on television were unearthed by Swedish media after her relationship with Prince Carl Philip (son of King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia) was revealed in 2010.
The same year that her relationship with Carl Philippe was confirmed, she founded Project Playground with her friend Freda Westerberg. The non-profit organisation ‘creates faith in the future among young people in Sweden and Africa by promoting meaningful leisure activities,’ Project Playground says.
After four years of dating, the Swedish royal court announced that Prince Carl Philip has become engaged to Sofia Hellqvist. Their wedding took place in the Royal Chapel of Stockholm Palace on June 13, 2015. Sofia was given the title of Princess of Sweden and also became Duchess of Värmland (Carl Philip’s duchy).
Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia have three sons, Prince Alexander (born April 19, 2016), Prince Gabriel (born August 31, 2017) and Prince Julian (born March 26, 2021). Sofia is currently expecting her fourth child, due in February 2025.
Since becoming a member of the Swedish royal family, the princess has taken several patronages and even took an emergency online course at Sophiakemmet University to help the hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her main focus is on children, preventing online bullying and supporting those with dyslexia.
Sofia is also regularly seen at National Day, Victoria Day and Nobel Prize celebrations. She and Prince Carl Philip also have a personal Instagram account where they share photos of their family and the work they do on behalf of the crown. In her nine years of royal reign, Princess Sofia has proven to be hardworking and loved by the Swedish people.
