Her Royal Highness Princess Madeleine of Sweden certainly knows her way around a formal occasion, but her most treasured environments are notably more relaxed. And so, for her Vogue Scandinavia debut, we captured the Princess on Djurgården and in The Royal Stables, where she fostered her lifelong love of horses. Here, in her two natural habitats, she opens up about her passions, her marriage and being fearlessly true to herself, in any setting
An animal doesn’t care if you’re a princess. Perhaps that’s why Princess Madeleine has always felt particularly at ease in nature, listening to the twittering birds, or seated on a horse. Case in point: just moments after I meet up with the Princess on Djurgården to walk her dog, an enthusiastic Goldendoodle named Teddy, he abruptly interrupts the early moments of our excursion to do his business. “Sorry about that – he needs to do his thing,” she says, breezily (yes, she cleaned up after him). Purchased during the Covid pandemic whilst the Princess and her family were living in Miami, Teddy quickly adjusted to Swedish life, the proximity to trees and grass especially. At home, his preferred spot is wherever the Princess is. “I’ve never met a dog who just so loves to cuddle,” says Princess Madeleine. She turns to the dog and adds, “You’re the best, Teddy.”
It’s a particularly stunning spring day on an island that feels like home to the Princess, who returned to Stockholm, family and Teddy in tow, a little over two years ago. We take her usual walking path, the water on one side, greenery and trees on the other. “To me, Djurgården is very special. I live in the city just 10 minutes from here,” she says. “To have this place – to be so close to nature – it’s so special.” Along our route there are ducks and swans and even a herd of larger creatures grazing in a field just over the fence.
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HRH Princess Madeleine, Duchess of Hälsingland and Gästrikland in the tack room at the Royal Stables in Stockholm. It was here that she fostered her lifelong passion for horses and riding. Quilted jacket, Quilted skirt with leather details, Calf skin thigh boots. All Hermès. Riding helmet, €560. KEP. Photo: Elisabeth Toll
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Princess Madeleine is very hands-on when it comes to her image, selecting her own looks and often doing her hair and makeup herself. This cover shoot was a collaborative process, with the Princess sharing mood images and suggestions for Scandinavian brands to include. Feather dress, €2,410. Søren Le Schmidt. Recycled sterling silver earrings, €245. Louis Abel. Photo: Elisabeth Toll
“Oh look, cows!” I exclaim. “Who do those belong to?”
“My father,” she responds with a laugh. “There’s sheep, too.” The latter are quite literally known as ‘The King’s Sheep’. In fact, the entire island has belonged to the reigning Swedish monarch since the 15th century.
However you expect a princess to be, HRH Princess Madeleine, Duchess of Hälsingland and Gästrikland, is not like that. Not today, at least. Dressed down in slim jeans, a grey collared knit and trainers, hair effortlessly blown out, Princess Madeleine appears plucked from a Ralph Lauren advertisement. It’s a stark juxtaposition to the official court images taken of her just one week prior, at her father King Carl XVI Gustaf’s 80th birthday celebrations. She wore a crystal-embellished blush pink gown by Jenny Packham as she posed alongside older siblings Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Carl Philip.