Louise Of Sweden

Louise of Sweden (Swedish: Lovisa Josefina Eugenia) was born on 31 October 1851 at the Royal Palace in Stockholm. She was the only surviving child of King Charles XV of Sweden and Norway, also known as Crown Prince Charles, and his wife, Princess Louise of the Netherlands. Her paternal grandparents were King Oscar I of Sweden and Josephine of Leuchtenberg. Her maternal grandparents were Queen Emma of the Netherlands and King Wilhelm II of the Netherlands.

Her family belonged to the House of Bernadotte, which has reigned in Sweden since 1818. The founder of the house, Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, was a French military officer and one of Napoleon Bonaparte's generals, elected crown prince of Sweden in 1810 and later crowned king as Charles XIV John in 1818. Louise's father, Charles XV, ascended to the throne in 1859 following the death of his father, King Oscar I.

As an only child, Louise experienced childhood in a royal environment and was described as energetic and gregarious. Her education was overseen by her governess, Hilda Elfving, and she attended swimming lessons with her mother in 1862, supported publicly by Queen Emma, which helped popularize swimming for women.

In 1869, she married Frederik, the future King Frederick VIII of Denmark, which symbolized Scandinavian unity and the ongoing Scandinavist movement. The marriage was arranged after her second meeting with Frederick in 1868 at Bäckaskog Castle, where both expressed mutual approval. The couple's engagement was made public on 15 June 1868, and they married on 28 July 1869 at the Royal Palace in Stockholm.

Following her marriage, Louise became Crown Princess of Denmark upon their arrival in Copenhagen on 10 August 1869. Their residence included Frederik VIII’s Palace at Amalienborg and Charlottenlund Palace, the latter becoming the family's summer home. The marriage produced eight children: Prince Christian (later King Christian X of Denmark), Prince Charles (later King Haakon VII of Norway), Princess Louise, Prince Harald, Princess Ingeborg, Princess Thyra, Prince Gustav, and Princess Dagmar.

Louise faced challenges within the Danish royal household, particularly from her mother-in-law, Queen Louise, and her sisters-in-law. Her personality—described as frank and straightforward—sometimes conflicted with court decorum, leading to temporary ostracism. Despite these issues, she was active in charitable and religious work, founding organizations such as the «Bethania» home and the «Kronprinsesse L.s Asyl». Her interests extended into arts, crafts, and Bible studies, especially after personal hardships and her association with religious figures like Lord Radstock.

Her husband’s alleged infidelity and lifestyle caused personal distress. In 1879, she sought advice from her Swedish relatives, and later engaged in religious pursuits, learning Greek and studying the Bible. She maintained involvement in charitable activities throughout her time as Crown Princess.

Louise’s father, King Charles XV, died in 1872, and her uncle, King Oscar II, succeeded him. Her son, Prince Carl, became King Haakon VII of Norway following Norway's independence from Sweden in 1905. Although constitutionally unable to inherit the Swedish or Norwegian thrones, she was a significant figure in Scandinavian royal history.

She became Queen of Denmark in 1906 upon her husband’s accession. As queen, she dedicated herself to charitable endeavors and family life, avoiding ceremonial duties. Widowed in 1912 when Frederick VIII died, she took the title of Queen Dowager and lived at Egelund House from 1915 to 1917. Louise died at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen on 20 March 1926 and was interred next to her husband in Roskilde Cathedral.

Queen Louise was the 862nd Dame of the Order of Queen Maria Luisa, and Queen Louise Land in Greenland was named in her honor.