King Carl XVI Gustaf has issued an apology after mistakenly announcing the wrong name for his new granddaughter.
During a council meeting on Monday, the Swedish monarch caused confusion when he declared that Princess Sofia and Prince Carl Philip’s daughter would be called Princess INSE Marie Lilian Silvia, Duchess of Västerbotten.
Shortly thereafter, the palace released a statement correcting the name to Princess INES.
In response to the mix-up, King Carl apologized through Margareta Thorgren, head of information at the royal court.
She informed Swedish magazine Svensk Damtidning, “The King is very sorry that he said the wrong name. The names were kept secret until just before the council meeting, even from the King himself.”
Princess Ines was born on February 7 at Danderyd Hospital, becoming the fourth child of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia. The proud parents waved to the media as they left the hospital with their new daughter, who was secured in her car seat with her face not visible.
The baby’s middle names honor both Prince Carl Philip’s mother, Queen Silvia, and Princess Sofia’s mother, Marie Hellqvist. The name Lilian is believed to be a tribute to the king’s late aunt, Princess Lilian of Sweden, Duchess of Halland, who passed away in 2013.
On Monday, the Swedish royal family attended a Te Deum, a special church service, to celebrate the new princess. Among those present were Prince Carl Philip and their three sons, Prince Alexander (eight), Prince Gabriel (seven), and Prince Julian (three), all dressed smartly in dark suits and white open-collared shirts, bringing smiles from the congregation as they took their seats.
King Carl and Queen Silvia led the family at the service, accompanied by Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel, as well as Princess Madeleine and her husband Christopher O’Neill. Princess Ines, eighth in line to the throne, is the ninth grandchild for King Carl and Queen Silvia.
