In its original version, the Act mandated that a Swedish prince could only marry into families deemed to be of
equal rank, or forfeit for himself and his future descendants all
dynastic rights. The key wording was a prohibition of marrying a "private man's daughter" (), a term which in Swedish jurisprudence was understood to exclude all non-royal persons, including the aristocracy. In 1937 the statutory provision which in effect had required a spouse of royal birth was changed and the prohibition only extended to a "private Swedish man's daughter" (). A total of five Swedish princes lost their
style of
HRH, title as Prince of Sweden,
personal Ducal title, and all rights of succession to the throne because they violated the uncompromisable constitutional provision, regardless of whether the
King-in-Council did consent or not:
Oscar in 1888,
Lennart in 1932,
Sigvard in 1934,
Carl in 1937 and
Carl Johan in 1946. There is since 1980 no statutory limitation, based on either nationality or royal rank, on whom a prince or princess can marry, apart from the fact that permission must be granted. In 1980, the rule of succession was changed from
agnatic primogeniture to
absolute primogeniture. This change in effect made
Victoria (born 1977) heir apparent and Crown Princess, passing over her younger brother
Prince Carl Philip (born 1979) who had been the heir apparent and Crown Prince for less than one year. ==See also==