royal fortune

Princess Désirée of Sweden's $11 million will revealed as son receives nothing

Princess Désirée's wealth included an apartment in Santa Ponsa, Mallorca.

JUNE 8, 2026 1:53 PM EDTJUN 8, 2026, 1:53 PM EDT

Five months after the death of Princess Désirée of Sweden, sister of King Carl XVI Gustaf, who passed away at the age of 87 on January 21, 2026, her will has been opened, revealing both the size of her fortune and the identities of the only two beneficiaries of her estate.

Jewelry and a Mallorca apartment:

Princess Désirée's wealth included cash, shares, jewelry valued at around €90,000, and an apartment in Santa Ponsa, Mallorca, valued at approximately €600,000.

Princess Désirée of Sweden passed away at the age of 87 at her home at Koberg Castle, Sweden, on January 21, 2026.

The apartment was located in the same area where her late sister, Princess Birgitta of Sweden, had also made her home.

Daughters inherit everything:

Désirée's estate will be divided between her two daughters, Christina Louise De Geer, 59, and Hélène Silfverschiöld, 57.

Her only son, Carl Silfverschiöld, will receive none of the inheritance. While the decision has attracted attention, the Princess explained in her will that Carl had already been compensated through the estate of his father.

She stated that although her son was excluded from this distribution, he had previously received assets from his father's estate, including both private property and assets held under fiduciary arrangements.

His father's estate:

Following the death of her husband, Baron Niclas Silfverschiöld, in 2017, Carl inherited his father's entire private fortune, valued at approximately €2.39 million, as well as control of the Koberg and Gåsevadholm trusts, whose assets exceeded €46 million.

The wedding of Princess Desirée in the Great Cathedral of Stockholm

Because Swedish trusts must gradually be dissolved after the death of their holder, a limited liability company was established, with Carl becoming its chief executive. He currently manages around 20,000 hectares of land.

At the time, estate administrator Carl-Frederik Herslow said that all three siblings were in agreement regarding the arrangement and that the two sisters had been compensated.

King Carl Gustaf's tribute:

When the Princess's death was announced, King Carl Gustaf said he had received the news with great sadness.

Queen Silvia of Sweden and King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden attend the funeral of Princess Desiree

He recalled many warm family memories at the Silfverschiöld family home in Västergötland, a place that had come to mean a great deal to his sister.

The King also extended his condolences to Princess Désirée's children and their families on behalf of himself and his family.

The life of a Swedish princess:

Princess Désirée was the widow of Baron Niclas Silfverschiöld and lived at Koberg Castle. The couple had three children.

Born on June 2, 1938, at Haga Palace, she was the third child of Prince Gustaf Adolf and Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. She grew up alongside her siblings, Princess Margaretha of Sweden, Princess Birgitta, Princess Christina of Sweden, and the future King Carl Gustaf.

Princess Desiree, Margaretha and Christina conversing with Queen Louise at the Nobel banquet at City Hall.

Known as one of the "Haga Princesses," she enjoyed a happy childhood surrounded by nature and animals. Following the tragic death of her father in a plane crash at Copenhagen Airport in 1947, her nanny, Ingrid Björneberg, became an important source of support for the family.

A passion for children's welfare:

Désirée received private education at the Royal Palace before attending the French School of Stockholm. She later studied child care, trained as a preschool teacher, and completed internships at a children's hospital and at the Tomteboda Institute for the Blind.

Crown Prince Carl Gustaf, Princess Désirée and Princess Christina preparing something to eat in "The Prince cottage" in Storlien during the Christmas holidays.

Teachers and supervisors praised her empathy, popularity, and ability to inspire children through play. She was also an enthusiastic skier and enjoyed slalom from an early age.

Sharing a wedding dress with her sister:

In 1963, her engagement to Baron Niclas Silfverschiöld was announced. The couple married on June 5, 1964, at Stockholm Cathedral, in a ceremony watched by more than four million television viewers.

For the occasion, she wore a gown that had belonged to Queen Joséphine of Sweden and a Brussels lace veil once owned by Queen Sophia of Sweden. Her bouquet featured white orchids and lily of the valley.

Princess Margaretha, Princess Birgitta, Princess Désirée and Princess Christina.

The same dress was later worn by her sister Princess Birgitta at her own wedding because the two sisters had agreed to marry in the same gown. They remained especially close throughout their lives, and Princess Birgitta later named her daughter Désirée in honor of her beloved sister.