# Will Victoria be the next KING of Sweden? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 13, 2006, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-victoria-be-the-next-king-of-sweden/348143 "2006-03-13T05:27:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-victoria-be-the-next-king-of-sweden/348143/1 "2006-03-13T05:27:00Z")
Is it true that all Swedish monarchs, regardless of gender, are known as King? Sweden has had 3 female rulers, where they called “King” in their lifetimes? Will Crown Princess Victoria become King Victoria? Would that make her husband Queen 😕 ? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-victoria-be-the-next-king-of-sweden/348143/2 "2006-03-13T05:30:56Z")
Where did you hear that? The last reigning queen of Sweden appears to be [Ulrika Eleanora](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulrika_Eleonora_of_Sweden), who reigned for a year then abdicated in favor of her husband. It appears she was known as the Queen. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-victoria-be-the-next-king-of-sweden/348143/3 "2006-03-13T05:36:57Z")
I expect that she’ll be called Queen of Sweden, rather than King. If the previous female Swedish monarchs were called “king” perhaps it was because the concept of a female ruler seemed somewhat unnatural. Even Queen Elizabeth I of England used to refer to herself as a prince. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-victoria-be-the-next-king-of-sweden/348143/4 "2006-03-13T07:59:46Z")
“I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king.” —Elizabeth I, 1588 ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-victoria-be-the-next-king-of-sweden/348143/5 "2006-03-13T11:06:18Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > “I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king.” > —Elizabeth I, 1588 I thought it was “a concrete elephant”. Oh, and Victoria will be known as “queen”. I’ve never heard of any doubt on this subject. Now, if and when she gets herself a husband, what will he be called? ---
**Author:** ![APB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e8cbc/32.png) [@APB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/APB)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-victoria-be-the-next-king-of-sweden/348143/6 "2006-03-13T11:08:08Z")
Article 2 of the 1979 [Successionsordning](http://www.riksdagen.se/templates/R_PageExtended ____ 6311.aspx) does make it pretty clear that a future female head of state will be Queen. (Assuming, that is, there isn’t some linguistic subtlety that has become obscured in translation.) But it is true that in earlier centuries the Swedish word ‘kung’ could be applied to monarchs of either sex and was used as such by, among others, Queen Christina. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-victoria-be-the-next-king-of-sweden/348143/7 "2006-03-13T11:26:12Z")
Historically some female monarchs have ruled as king/emperor rather than as queen/empress. I can’t recall any specific examples at the moment, though I’m pretty sure it’s happened one or two times in the Ancient Egyptian royal family. ---
**Author:** ![Coil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Coil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coil)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-victoria-be-the-next-king-of-sweden/348143/8 "2006-03-13T11:32:40Z")
> [@Priceguy](#): > > Now, if and when she gets herself a husband, what will he be called? I’m fairly certain Daniel (should she marry him) will be called Prinsgemål. Prince-consort in English? ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-victoria-be-the-next-king-of-sweden/348143/9 "2006-03-13T12:04:33Z")
Saint Hedwig of Poland was coronated as a king, I believe. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-victoria-be-the-next-king-of-sweden/348143/10 "2006-03-13T13:01:48Z")
> [@Coil](#): > > I’m fairly certain Daniel (should she marry him) will be called Prinsgemål. Prince-consort in English? Prince Consort is how we say it in English, yes. We’ve had two really famous ones in the last 200 years. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-victoria-be-the-next-king-of-sweden/348143/11 "2006-03-13T14:31:41Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > Historically some female monarchs have ruled as king/emperor rather than as queen/empress. I can’t recall any specific examples at the moment, though I’m pretty sure it’s happened one or two times in the Ancient Egyptian royal family. You’re thinking of Hatshepsut. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatshepsut](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatshepsut) Irene of Byzantium styled herself “emperor” _(basileus)_ rather than the consort’s title of “empress” _(basilissa)._[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine\_Empress\_Irene](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_Empress_Irene) Empress Wu of China ruled under the name “Emperor Shengshen.” [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empress\_Wu\_Zetian](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empress_Wu_Zetian) ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-victoria-be-the-next-king-of-sweden/348143/12 "2006-03-13T16:30:11Z")
The Danish word for king is _kong_. Therefore all the Danish monarchs are King Kong. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-victoria-be-the-next-king-of-sweden/348143/13 "2006-03-13T16:35:14Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > The Danish word for king is _kong_. Therefore all the Danish monarchs are King Kong. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-victoria-be-the-next-king-of-sweden/348143/14 "2006-03-13T20:31:24Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > Prince Consort is how we say it in English, yes. We’ve had two really famous ones in the last 200 years. Just one, IIRC. Prince Albert, who married Queen Victoria and after his death was long (and, some think, overdramatically) mourned by her. Who was the other? ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-victoria-be-the-next-king-of-sweden/348143/15 "2006-03-13T21:28:42Z")
> [@Elendil's Heir](#): > > Just one, IIRC. Prince Albert, who married Queen Victoria and after his death was long (and, some think, overdramatically) mourned by her. Who was the other? Prince Philip. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-victoria-be-the-next-king-of-sweden/348143/16 "2006-03-13T21:48:40Z")
> [@Bookkeeper](#): > > Prince Philip. I didn’t think he’d ever actually been granted the official style Prince Consort, even though he is, of course. He \*\*was \*\* granted the generic style \*Prince of the UK \* in the 1950s some time. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-victoria-be-the-next-king-of-sweden/348143/17 "2006-03-13T21:49:58Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > “I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king.” > —Elizabeth I, 1588 I was thinking more of the quote where she lectured one of her advisors along the lines of “you should not presume to talk to princes in that way”, but yours is even better. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2006, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-victoria-be-the-next-king-of-sweden/348143/18 "2006-03-14T01:03:56Z")
> [@Coil](#): > > I’m fairly certain Daniel (should she marry him) will be called Prinsgemål. Prince-consort in English? Would he be made a duke (like the royal children) too? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2006, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-victoria-be-the-next-king-of-sweden/348143/19 "2006-03-15T17:25:38Z")
> [@APB](#): > > …But it is true that in earlier centuries the Swedish word ‘kung’ could be applied to monarchs of either sex and was used as such by, among others, Queen Christina. Queen Elizabeth II also holds the (traditionally male) titles of Lord of Mann and Duke of Lancaster. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2006, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-victoria-be-the-next-king-of-sweden/348143/20 "2006-03-15T19:50:10Z")
> [@Priceguy](#): > > Oh, and Victoria will be known as “queen”. I’ve never heard of any doubt on this subject. Now, if and when she gets herself a husband, what will he be called? Minnie the Moocher’s Consort. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-victoria-be-the-next-king-of-sweden/348143.md?page=2)