Prince Erik, Duke of Västmanland

Prince Erik Duke of Västmanland Born (1889-04-20)20 April 1889 Stockholm Palace, Stockholm, Sweden Died 20 September 1918(1918-09-20) (aged 29) Drottningholm Palace, Stockholm, Sweden Names Erik Gustav Ludvig Albert House House of Bernadotte Father Gustav V of Sweden Mother Victoria of Baden

Prince Erik of Sweden and Norway, Duke of Västmanland (Erik Gustav Ludvig Albert) (Stockholm, 20 April 1889 – Drottningholm, 20 September 1918), was a Swedish prince and Duke of Västmanland. He was the third and youngest son of King Gustav V of Sweden and his queen, Victoria of Baden. In 1904, Prince Erik was appointed a Knight of the Norwegian Lion by his paternal grandfather, King Oscar II.

Life

Prince Erik as a child

Prince Erik suffered from epilepsy and mild mental retardation. His exact condition has not been published, but he may have suffered an injury at birth. He was described as handsome and physically healthy and interested in sports. His mental disability was not noticeable in brief conversation, but would become apparent if he was engaged at length.

Because of his condition, he was seldom seen in public and led a quiet life away from the public eye, similar to the life of Prince John of the United Kingdom. Because he was a member of the royal family, he was present in official royal photographs, but he had no official tasks. In 1907-1909, a residence was built for him away from the public eye in Djursholm, a relatively new garden community north of Stockholm.

Erik was cared for by many members of the same staff that were responsible for him and his brothers when they were children. However, his family visited him very rarely in Djursholm. Every two weeks, he was allowed a trip to the capital, during which he sometimes could be seen visiting the opera, and these were the only times he was seen in public except for official photographs.

Death

In 1917, he complained about having to live in such isolation, and it was decided that he should have a new residence closer to Stockholm. However, he died the next year of the Spanish flu at Drottningholm Palace. His parents were not present when he died which, according to official memoirs, caused his father great sorrow in later years. His mother, who herself had poor health and spent parts of the year in Italy, was abroad at the time. Reportedly his brothers felt sorry for him but said that his death perhaps was for the best to end such a pointless existence.

His former residence on Germaniavägen in Djursholm has been in private ownership since the 1960s and today (2011) is the private residence of South Africa's ambassador to Sweden.

Ancestry

16. Charles XIV John of Sweden

8. Oscar I of Sweden

17. Désirée Clary

4. Oscar II of Sweden

18. Eugène de Beauharnais

9. Josephine of Leuchtenberg

19. Princess Augusta of Bavaria

2. Gustav V of Sweden

20. Frederick William, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg

10. William, Duke of Nassau

21. Burgravine Louise Isabelle of Kirchberg

5. Sofia of Nassau

22. Prince Paul of Württemberg

11. Princess Pauline of Württemberg

23. Princess Katharina Charlotte of Saxe-Hildburghausen

1. Prince Erik, Duke of Västmanland

24. Charles Frederick, Grand Duke of Baden

12. Leopold, Grand Duke of Baden

25. Luise Karoline Geyer von Geyersberg

6. Frederick I, Grand Duke of Baden

26. Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden

13. Sophie of Sweden

27. Frederica of Baden

3. Victoria of Baden

28. Frederick William III of Prussia

14. William I, German Emperor

29. Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

7. Princess Louise of Prussia

30. Charles Frederick, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

15. Augusta of Saxe-Weimar

31. Maria Pavlovna of Russia

External links

• Royal House of Sweden and Royal House of Norway