Queen of Sweden. An Oldenburg Dynasty princess, she was the daughter of King Frederick V of Denmark-Norway and his first wife, Queen Louise, originally a Princess of Great Britain (Este Dynasty). At the age of 5 she was betrothed to the successor to the Swedish throne, later King Gustav III. In 1766 the couple was married. Sophia Magdalene was crowned queen following the death of her father-in-law in 1771. Seven years later she finally gave birth to a new Crown Prince, named Gustav Adolph, after a very long period of bashfulness between the king and queen, due to anatomical complications, had delayed the happy event. Another son was born in 1782, dispelling cruel rumors about the actual paternity of the first one. Sophia Magdalene by personality was not suited for many of the more flamboyant and uninhibited court festivities that occurred regularly during the early years of Gustav's reign and was thus considered cool and aloof. She did occasionally partake as another actress, however, when the royals and their friends entertained each other with theatrical performances, and was admired for being regally elegant and always loyal to her husband. Only in some matters concerning their son's education and the King's violent dispute with his mother, Dowager Queen Louise Ulrica (over the cruel rumors), did Sophia Magdalene literally put her foot down. In 1792 she was widowed as her husband was assassinated at a masquerade ball at the royal opera house in Stockholm. As a widow, she lived a withdrawn life, and spent much effort on charity. She also had the devastating experience of seeing her son, King Gustav IV Adolph, forced to abdicate and leave the country with her four grandchildren, before she died in 1813.
Queen of Sweden. An Oldenburg Dynasty princess, she was the daughter of King Frederick V of Denmark-Norway and his first wife, Queen Louise, originally a Princess of Great Britain (Este Dynasty). At the age of 5 she was betrothed to the successor to the Swedish throne, later King Gustav III. In 1766 the couple was married. Sophia Magdalene was crowned queen following the death of her father-in-law in 1771. Seven years later she finally gave birth to a new Crown Prince, named Gustav Adolph, after a very long period of bashfulness between the king and queen, due to anatomical complications, had delayed the happy event. Another son was born in 1782, dispelling cruel rumors about the actual paternity of the first one. Sophia Magdalene by personality was not suited for many of the more flamboyant and uninhibited court festivities that occurred regularly during the early years of Gustav's reign and was thus considered cool and aloof. She did occasionally partake as another actress, however, when the royals and their friends entertained each other with theatrical performances, and was admired for being regally elegant and always loyal to her husband. Only in some matters concerning their son's education and the King's violent dispute with his mother, Dowager Queen Louise Ulrica (over the cruel rumors), did Sophia Magdalene literally put her foot down. In 1792 she was widowed as her husband was assassinated at a masquerade ball at the royal opera house in Stockholm. As a widow, she lived a withdrawn life, and spent much effort on charity. She also had the devastating experience of seeing her son, King Gustav IV Adolph, forced to abdicate and leave the country with her four grandchildren, before she died in 1813.
Bio by: Benny Chordt Hansen
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