The Swedish Royal House announced last Friday the death of Marianne Bernadotte, aunt of King Carl of Sweden. The countess, also aunt of Margrethe of Denmark and Anne-Marie of Greece, was about to turn 101 years old. It was her daughter Marielle who informed the media of the sad event.
She died "in calm and peace surrounded by her loved ones, she fell asleep at the Gärdet nursing home in Stockholm." The Swedish Royal House remembered Bernadotte's life as an actress, fashion icon, and philanthropist.
Throughout her life, she went through a divorce and recovered from the death of her son, Richard, at 2 years old. It was after this that she met Sigvard Bernadotte, son of the then King Carl of Sweden, whom she married in 1961.
The Swedish Royal House announces the death of King Carl's aunt
Marianne was part of the cast of the Royal Dramatic Theatre of Stockholm and was a fashion icon when she married the grandfather of the current King of Sweden. This is how she became related to the Royal Family of the northern European country.
The Swedish Royal House wanted to bid farewell to Marianne Bernadotte by highlighting her support for medical research. Specifically, she focused her efforts on pediatric ophthalmology and dementia, through the foundation she started with her late husband.
King Carl of Sweden's aunt first married Gabriel Tchang, son of the Chinese ambassador to Sweden, in 1947. Mother of three children, the death of the second at 2 years old was a hard blow for the marriage, which finally broke up after a decade together.
She met Sigvard Bernadotte years before divorcing when he was designing scenery and she was working as an actress. They shared a passion for art and culture, but it wasn't until years later that they reunited and fell in love.
After the wedding in 1961, the now countess began to develop her role as a philanthropist. She participated in the launch of an electric wheelchair, a revolutionary invention at the time. Additionally, she got involved in causes supporting the study and research of dyslexia, physical disabilities, children's eye care, and the arts.
Marianne Bernadotte stood out for her elegance and her support for different causes
Marianne Bernadotte and Sigvard were married for more than four decades until his death in 2002. Throughout her life, the countess was a beloved and respected figure by the Swedish Royal Family.
In fact, she always held a prominent place alongside the sisters of the King of Sweden. She attended royal events, Nobel Prize ceremonies, and even a state dinner with Elizabeth II, where she dazzled everyone with her elegance.
Now, with the official announcement of Marianne's death, the Swedish institution bids farewell with affection to the former wife of Count Sigvard.