Even today it is unusual for a king or queen's children to have a career (outside of the military of course). Such was not the case for King Gustav VI Adolf's second son Prince Sigvard. The Bernadotte princes were among the first royals to insist on marrying for love. Up until the current king's reign began in 1973, however, marriage to a commoner meant surrendering your royal status. Three of Gustav's four sons decided they could not live without the loves of their lives. (Although Prince Bertil kept his status by just living with his Welsh lady for 30 years until the new rules were in place.) Sigvard threw over his royal status in 1934 to marry his first wife, Erica Maria Patzek (pictured here--don't they look snazzy?). He divorced twice and married three times, having just one child along the way. But, his marital adventures are not his claim to fame. Although he passed away on this date in 2002, he still remembered today for his work as an industrial engineer designing everything from knives to typewriters to eyewear. After surrendering his royal titles a Prince Sigvard and Duke of Upland, he became knwon as Prince Bernadotte, as had an uncle who married unequally before him. Later, he was given the title Count of Wisborg by Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg.
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