Crown Princess Victoria Wears Camo as She Begins Military Training

Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden has started a special course to step up her military knowledge.

On Aug. 19, the Royal House of Sweden announced that the Crown Princess, 47, had officially begun special officer training and that the heir to the throne embarked on the course to “further deepen her commitment within the Armed Forces and to be given a deeper understanding of tactics, military science and military strategy,” a press release said. 

“The training is part of the Crown Princess’s endeavor to continuously broaden her knowledge in preparation for her future mission as head of state,” it explained.

The update came with several photos of Crown Princess Victoria in green military fatigues, including her welcome to the training and group shots with her fellow classmates. The Royal House of Sweden said that the princess would hold the rank of cadet during the training.

As the eldest child of King Carl XVI Gustaf, Crown Princess Victoria is the heir to the Swedish throne. King Carl XVI Gustaf, 78, is the the most senior representative of the Swedish Armed Forces, according to his royal bio, and Crown Princess Victoria is expected to follow in his footsteps when she accedes one day.

In a statement shared by the Royal House, the Crown Princess voiced enthusiasm about taking on the new training. 

“With great anticipation, I continue my military education at the Norwegian Defense Academy today. Together with the other cadets, I will, among other things, immerse myself in tactics, military science and military strategy,” Crown Princess Victoria said. 

“My ambition is now to put all my energy into officer training in order to be able to represent Sweden and the Armed Forces in the best possible way in the future,” she said. “I look forward to an interesting and rewarding study time together with my new coursemates!”

Reuters reported in April that Crown Princess Victoria would start the special officer training in the fall, pointing out how Sweden joined NATO in March as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues. 

While the court didn’t disclose how long Victoria will be training for, the Swedish Armed Forces’ website says that the training, abbreviated to SOFU, takes between 20 and 25 months to complete. The course is geared towards those who already have an academic degree and focuses on both theory and practice. 

It’s a historic royal tradition for heirs to earn military experience before acceding to the throne, and Crown Princess Victoria participated in basic military training at the Swedish Armed Forces International Centre in 2003. She refreshed her knowledge with another course in 2022 as part of her continuing education about Swedish defense, the court said.

In November 2023, she visited Swedish military personnel training Ukrainian soldiers as part of the U.K.-led Operation Interflex during her visit to England with her husband, Prince Daniel.

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The Swedish royals kicked off their trip to the U.K. in a quintessentially British way — by drinking a pint in a pub — and had a night out with Prince William and Kate Middleton at the Royal Variety Performance.