'Warm family memories': King of Sweden announces death of sister Princess Desiree

King Carl Gustaf of Sweden announced the death of his older sister Princess Desiree on Wednesday (Thursday morning AEDT).

The 87-year-old Baroness Silfverschiöld passed away "surrounded by her family, quietly" at her home of Koberg Castle in Västergötland, Sweden, west of Stockholm.

"With great sadness, I have today received the news that my sister, Princess Desiree, has passed away," a statement from His Majesty said.

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"Many warm family memories were created in the home of the Silfverschiold family in Vastergotland – a place in Sweden that came to mean a great deal to my sister.

"Together with my family, I send my condolences to Princess Desiree's children and their families."

The 79-year-old monarch was the youngest of five siblings, with his second eldest sister Princess Birgitta of Sweden also dying at the age of 87, back in 2004.

Princess Desiree was often seen at many of the royal family's big events and as godmother to Crown Princess Victoria played an integral role in moulding Sweden's first future queen, following a change to the laws of succession.

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King Carl Gustaf and Princess Desiree's father - Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten - was second in line to the throne when he died in a plane crash in January 1947, when the now-monarch was less than a year old.

Princess Desiree was eight at the time of her father's death.

Three years later, after the death of their great-grandfather King Gustaf V, her grandfather ascended the throne as King Gustaf VI Adolf and put Princess Desiree into the line of succession.

However she was considered to have forfeited her place in line to the throne by marrying a commoner, Baron Niclas Silfverschiöld, in 1964.

They had three children together and three grandchildren. The Baroness was widowed in 2017 when her husband died at the age of 82.

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