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Count Carl Johan Bernadotte of Wisborg, Deaths, King Carl XVI Gustav of Sweden, Prince of Sweden, Royalty
Yesterday, May 5, 2012, Count Carl Johan Bernadotte of Wisborg passed away at the age of 95. Born a Prince of Sweden, the youngest son of King Gustav VI Adolph of Sweden (1882-1972) and his first wife Princess Margaret of Connaught (1882-1920), herself a granddaughter of Britain’s Queen Victoria. Count Carl Johan was the uncle to both the reigning King Carl XVI Gustav of Sweden and Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II.
Carl Johan lost his rights to the Swedish throne and renounced his princely title in 1946 upon his unequal marriage to Kerstin Wijkmark. In 1951 Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg created Carl Johan Count of Wisborg. After his first wife’s death in 1987 Carl Johan married Countess Gunnila Wachtmeister af Johannishus in 1988. He did not have any children. Carl Johan was the last surviving great-grandchild of Britain’s Queen Victoria.
European Royal History 
Thank you for a great article. Why did he have to give up his right to succession because of the marriage. Was that a previous decree and reversed to allow for Carl Gustav VI to marry a non-royal (aristocrat)?
Carl Johan’s father, King Gustaf VI Adolph believed that royals should marry royals and if you didn’t you lost your place in the succession. The current king is less rigid about that and times have changed. Carl XVI married Sylvia when he was already king so there really wasn’t anyone who could disapprove of the marriage.