Princess Lilian, Duchess of Halland (30 August 1915 – 10 March 2013) was a Welsh-born fashion model and later member of the Swedish royal family by marriage, having married the Swedish Prince Bertil, Duke of Halland (1912–1997), an uncle of king Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, in 1976.

Biography

Early life in Britain

Lillian May Davies was born on 30 August 1915, in Swansea, South Wales – the daughter of William John Davies and his wife Gladys Mary (née Curran). She originally spelled her first name Lillian, but she dropped one 'l' when she became a fashion model. She was seen in fashion magazines like Vogue. Her parents separated in the 1920s, but they did not divorce formally until 1939.

In 1940 she married Scottish actor Ivan Craig in Horsham, West Sussex.[1] During World War II after her husband left for Africa, Lilian Craig worked at a factory that made radios for the Royal Navy and at a hospital for wounded soldiers.

Marriage to Prince Bertil of Sweden

 

Villa Solbacken in Stockholm was Princess Lilian's residence from 1947 until her death in 2013.

 

In 1943 she met the Swedish Prince Bertil, Duke of Halland, in London, reportedly at a cocktail party for her 28th birthday. Soon after their meeting they became lovers, although she was at that time married to her first husband, whom she divorced two years later in 1945.

Bertil's older brother, Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten, was second-in-line to the Swedish throne, but in 1947 he died. As Gustaf Adolf's son, Carl Gustaf, was less than one year old, it seemed likely that when the king and the crown prince died Bertil would have to serve as regent (other heirs having given up their places in the succession because of unacceptable marriages). For this reason Bertil chose not to marry Lilian, so the couple simply lived together discreetly for more than 30 years. In 1946 Prince Bertil acquired a house in Sainte-Maxime, France, that became their private retreat.

Bertil never had to become regent since his father, the king (who ascended the throne in 1950), lived long enough to see his grandson, Carl Gustaf, come of age. Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden ascended the throne in 1973, and, having married a commoner himself, he approved Bertil's and Lilian's marriage. They were married on 7 December 1976 at the church of Drottningholm Palace in the presence of the king and the queen.

From 1976 until 2005 Princess Lilian attended the annual Nobel Prize-giving ceremony, adorned in royal jewels and the Seraphim, Sweden’s highest order of chivalry. At the age of 91 she discontinued this tradition, deciding that she was too old.

After Prince Bertil's death

Prince Bertil died on 5 January 1997 in their home, with Princess Lilian at his side. From 1997 until 2010 she continued to represent the royal family at official engagements and other occasions. She was the protector of many organisations, and also an honorary member of several clubs and societies which belonged to Prince Bertil's areas of interest.

In 2000 Princess Lilian released a biography of her life with Prince Bertil.

In August 2008 the Princess fell and broke her hip in her apartment, and in February 2009 she again suffered a fall in her home. It was announced on June 3, 2010, that the princess was afflicted with Alzheimer's disease and was no longer able to appear in public. She lived out her final years at the Villa Solbacken, Prince Bertil's former home on Djurgården, attended by three nurses.

Princess Lilian died in Stockholm on 10 March 2013 at age 97, sixteen years after her husband. The Royal Palace didn't give a cause of death, but Lilian suffered from Alzheimer's disease and had been in poor health for several years.

 

  Styles of Princess Lilian

Reference style     Her Royal Highness

Spoken style         Your Royal Highness

Alternative style      Ma'am

 

***

Princess Lilian, Duchess of Halland (30 August 1915 – 10 March 2013) was a Welsh-born fashion model and later member of the Swedish royal family by marriage, having married the Swedish Prince Bertil, Duke of Halland (1912–1997), an uncle of king Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, in 1976.

Early life in Britain

Lillian May Davies was born on 30 August 1915, in Swansea, South Wales – the daughter of William John Davies and his wife Gladys Mary (née Curran). She originally spelled her first name Lillian, but she dropped one 'l' when she became a fashion model. She was seen in fashion magazines like Vogue. Her parents separated in the 1920s, but they did not divorce formally until 1939.

In 1940 she married Scottish actor Ivan Craig in Horsham, West Sussex. During World War II after her husband left for Africa, Lilian Craig worked at a factory that made radios for the Royal Navy and at a hospital for wounded soldiers.

Marriage to Prince Bertil of Sweden Villa Solbacken in Stockholm was Princess Lilian's residence from 1947 until her death in 2013.

In 1943 she met the Swedish Prince Bertil, Duke of Halland, in London, reportedly at a cocktail party for her 28th birthday. Soon after their meeting they became lovers, although she was at that time married to her first husband, whom she divorced two years later in 1945.

Bertil's older brother, Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten, was second-in-line to the Swedish throne, but in 1947 he died. As Gustaf Adolf's son, Carl Gustaf, was less than one year old, it seemed likely that when the king and the crown prince died Bertil would have to serve as regent (other heirs having given up their places in the succession because of unacceptable marriages). For this reason Bertil chose not to marry Lilian, so the couple simply lived together discreetly for more than 30 years. In 1946 Prince Bertil acquired a house in Sainte-Maxime, France, that became their private retreat.

Bertil never had to become regent since his father, the king (who ascended the throne in 1950), lived long enough to see his grandson, Carl Gustaf, come of age. Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden ascended the throne in 1973, and, having married a commoner himself, he approved Bertil's and Lilian's marriage. They were married on 7 December 1976 at the church of Drottningholm Palace in the presence of the king and the queen.

From 1976 until 2005 Princess Lilian attended the annual Nobel Prize-giving ceremony, adorned in royal jewels and the Seraphim, Sweden’s highest order of chivalry. At the age of 91 she discontinued this tradition, deciding that she was too old.

After Prince Bertil's death

Prince Bertil died on 5 January 1997 in their home, with Princess Lilian at his side. From 1997 until 2010 she continued to represent the royal family at official engagements and other occasions. She was the protector of many organisations, and also an honorary member of several clubs and societies which belonged to Prince Bertil's areas of interest.

In 2000 Princess Lilian released a biography of her life with Prince Bertil.

In August 2008 the Princess fell and broke her hip in her apartment, and in February 2009 she again suffered a fall in her home. It was announced on June 3, 2010, that the princess was afflicted with Alzheimer's disease and was no longer able to appear in public. She lived out her final years at the Villa Solbacken, Prince Bertil's former home on Djurgården, attended by three nurses.

Princess Lilian died in Stockholm on 10 March 2013 at age 97, sixteen years after her husband. The Royal Palace didn't give a cause of death, but Lilian suffered from Alzheimer's disease and had been in poor health for several years.

 

Swedish honours

• "Member" (Female Knight) of the Order of the Seraphim

Foreign honours

•  Denmark : Knight of the Order of the Elephant
•  Iceland : Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon (26 October 1981) [6]
•  Germany : Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
•  Jordan: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Star of Jordan (2003)
•  Latvia : Recipient 2nd Class of the Order of the Three Stars
•  Lithuania: Commander's Grand Cross of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas (21/11/1995)
•  Norway: Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav (1992)