King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden is mourning the death of his older sister, Princess Birgitta. The royal died on Dec. 4 at the age of 87. A statement from His Majesty accompanied the Swedish Royal Court's announcement about Birgitta's passing.
“With great sadness, I have today received the news that my sister, Princess Birgitta, has passed away," the Swedish King said. "My sister was a colorful and forthright person who will be deeply missed by me and my family."
"Together with all my family, I send my condolences to Princess Birgitta's children and grandchildren," he continued.
The King has ordered that the flags at Drottningholm Palace and Haga Palace be flown at half mast on Dec. 5. The Princess will be laid to rest at the royal cemetery in Haga Park in Stockholm.
The Swedish Princess passed away in Mallorca, Spain on Wednesday. According to the Swedish Royal Court, Birgitta moved in the mid-1990s to Mallorca, where she could live close to nature, mountains and light. There, her golfing is said to have been "at the center" and gave the Princess "a healthy and social life."
Birgitta, the second child of Prince Gustaf Adolf and Princess Sibylla, was born in 1937 at Haga Palace. She was one of King Carl XVI Gustaf's four older sisters.
The late Princess met her husband, Prince Johann Georg of Hohenzollern, when she went to Germany to study German. The couple tied the knot in 1961. Princess Birgitta and the Prince had three children: Prince Carl Christian, Princess Désirée and Prince Hubertus.
Per the Swedish Royal Court (translated to English): "Princess Birgitta described herself as a strong-willed person and she valued commitment and family. The Princess wanted to build bridges between countries, as for example in her participation in the Royal Sweden Hong Kong Society which promoted trade and projects between Sweden and Hong Kong. Environmental issues were also something that Princess Birgitta thought were very important to raise."
The Princess co-founded the HELP Foundation, which helps vulnerable children around the world. She is said to have "cared strongly about her fellow human beings and especially about the children." Birgitta was quoted as saying in 2009 (translated to English), “As I always say when people ask what I want to do for charity; I then answer that only if it is about children, because the children are our future after all."
