Prince Carl Philip Joins Swedish Armed Forces in Fight Against Coronavirus

As many countries around the world are still struggling to contain coronavirus, Sweden’s very own Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland, has stepped in to help his fellow countrymen.

The royal, who is the only son to King Carl XVI Gustaf, is no stranger to the army: In the fall of 2000, the prince completed his military service at the Amphibious Battalion as a combat boat commander before being promoted to midshipman and then sub-lieutenant. Afterward, he studied at the Swedish National Defense College in 2007 and was finally promoted to Major in 2014. 

Now, Prince Carl Philip has re-joined the army and will again serve as a Major during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Prince stated, “As a major, it feels obvious to be an available resource now that Sweden is going through a difficult situation. From mid-May, I [started to] work [at the] Operations Management Operational Center.”

However, this isn’t the royal family’s first encounter with the fight against coronavirus. As we reported earlier, Prince Carl Philip’s wife, Princess Sofia, is volunteering at the Stockholm-based Sophiahemmet hospital where she works as a medical assistant. 

READ: Swedish Princess Sofia to Volunteer by Cooking and Cleaning at Stockholm Hospital amidst COVID-19 Crisis

The royal court noted that this was the Prince’s own initiative: “Since mid-May, Prince Carl Philip has served as a reserve officer with the rank of Major at the Defence Headquarters. […] The service is performed at the Prince’s own initiative”. 

The Prince concluded with pride, “It feels both very important and educational.”

Photo: Linda Broström, Royal Court of Sweden