Early life

Lillian May Davies was born on 30 August 1915, in Swansea, Wales, the daughter of William John Davies, who had a market stall after working in a coal mine, and his wife Gladys Mary (née Curran), a shop assistant. The site of the terraced house where they lived is now beneath the Quadrant Shopping Centre. Her parents separated in the 1920s, but they were not divorced until 1939. She moved to London when she was 16. ^[1] She dropped one 'l' from her first name when she became a fashion model. She was photographed for magazines such as Vogue.

In 1940 Lilian married the Scottish actor Ivan Craig (1912–1995) in Horsham, West Sussex.^[2] Shortly after their wedding, Craig joined the British Army and left for Africa, where he saw active service during the Second World War.^[2] In his absence, Lilian worked in a factory that made radios for the Royal Navy and at a hospital for wounded soldiers.

Marriage to Prince Bertil of Sweden

In 1943, she met the Swedish Prince Bertil, Duke of Halland, in London, reportedly at a cocktail party for her 28th birthday. Soon after their meeting, they became lovers although she was still married to Craig.^[2] When she and her husband were reunited after the war, Craig expressed his wish to marry another woman, and they were amicably divorced on 7 November 1947.^[3]

Bertil's older brother, Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten, was second in line to the Swedish throne; but he died in 1947. As Gustaf Adolf's son, Carl Gustaf, was less than one year old, it seemed likely that, when Bertil's grandfather, King Gustaf V, and father (Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf, the future King Gustaf VI Adolf) died, he would have to serve as regent (other heirs having given up their places in the line of succession because of marriages not acceptable to the king). For this reason, Bertil chose not to marry Lilian, so the couple simply lived together discreetly for more than thirty years. In 1946, Prince Bertil acquired a house in Sainte-Maxime, France, that became their private retreat.^{[citation needed]}

Bertil never had to become regent, since his father, who ascended the throne in 1950, lived long enough to see his grandson, Carl Gustaf, come of age. Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden ascended the throne in 1973, and, having married a commoner himself, he approved Bertil's and Lilian's marriage, meaning that Bertil would be able to keep his titles and place in the line of succession, and that Lillian would become a princess. They were married on 7 December 1976 at the church of Drottningholm Palace in the presence of the king and the queen.^{[citation needed]}

National honours

This section does not cite any sources. (October 2021)

• Member of the Royal Order of the Seraphim
• Commander Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Polar Star
• Member of the Royal Family Decoration of King Carl XVI Gustaf, 2nd Class
• Recipient of the 50th Birthday Badge Medal of King Carl XVI Gustaf

Foreign honours

•  Argentina: Grand Cross of the Order of the Liberator General San Martín^[12]
•  Austria: Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Sash of the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria^[13]
•  Denmark: Grand Cross with Diamonds of the Order of the Dannebrog
•  Estonia: First Class of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana^[14]
•  France: Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit^[15]
•  Finland: Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the White Rose of Finland^[16]
•  Germany: Grand Cross 1st Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany^[17]
•  Iceland: Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon^[18]
•  Italy: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic^{[citation needed]}
•  Japan: Paulownia Dame Grand Cordon of the Order of the Precious Crown^[19]
•  Jordan: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Star of Jordan^[20]
•  Latvia: Grand Officer of the Order of the Three Stars^{[citation needed]}
•  Lithuania: Grand Cross of the Order of Grand Duke Gediminas^{[citation needed]}
•  Portugal: Grand Cross of the Order of Christ^[21]
•  Norway: Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav^[22]
•  Spain: Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (15 October 1979)^[23]

Award

•  Sweden: Honorary Grand Cross of the Social Order of Innocence^[24]