Prince Carl Philip of Sweden may not be one of the most well-known royals in Europe, but he’s definitely one of the best looking.
With a chiseled jaw, dark hair and piercing eyes, he really does look like the prince charming out of a fairytale.
These days he has an equally beautiful wife, Princess Sofia, and three darling sons, but before the couple wed in 2015 Prince Carl Philip was a very eligible royal bachelor indeed.
And when you see what he looked like in his 20s and 30s, you’ll understand why.
This dashing prince has been a stunner from day one, growing from an adorable young boy into the handsome royal we know and love today.
We’ve taken a stroll down memory lane with Prince Carl Philip, looking back at some of his best moments through the decades.
From life as a young prince, to marrying his fairytale princess and becoming a father of three, these are his royal highlights in photos.
And let’s just say they really do prove why he’s one of the best looking royals alive right now.
Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, Duke of Värmland was born on May 13, 1979, to King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia. The couple’s second child and only son was even cute as a baby.
Initially Carl was his father’s heir, but a change in the Swedish constitution came into effect when he was just under a year old that made elder sister Crown Princess Victoria (pictured) the heir instead. The chnage did away with the old rule that male children came before their older sisters in the line of succession.
The young prince’s good looks were apparent from the start, as seen in this photo from 1994, when Carl was just 15.
As he got older, he only got more dashing – of course, his sisters were equally beautiful. Here he accompanied Princess Madeleine (left) and Crown Princess Victoria (right) to an event in 1999.
By the time he hit his 20s, Prince Carl Philip was considered one of the most eligible royal bachelors in Europe.
Then he decided to grow his hair out and somehow managed to get even more handsome, as seen in this royal family portrait from 2006.
Pictured here when he was 27, the longer hair really suited the prince and he has kept it ever since.
At 29, Prince Carl Philip looked strikingly similar to Hollywood actor Henry Cavill, who famously played Superman in Man of Steel.
The royal continued to age like a fine wine, pictured here with sister Princess Madeleine in 2010 when he was 31. This was around the time he met future wife Sofia Hellqvist and we can see why she was so smitten!
Being a royal means plenty of formal events, but as this 2012 snap proves, Prince Carl Philip knows how to look suave in a military uniform.
By 2014 the whole world knew about Carl and Sofia’s romance, and it was only a matter of time before the most eligible royal bachelor made things official…
In 2014, he announced he was off the market, revealing he and Sofia were engaged to be married. Though many Swedish women were probably disappointed, there was no denying these two made a beautiful couple.
Prince Carl Philip looked like a real-life prince charming on his wedding day, his new wife looking equally divine in a lace wedding dress and sparkling tiara.
They welcomed their first child in 2016, Prince Alexander Erik Hubertus Bertil, and somehow becoming a dad made Prince Carl Philip even more handsome in our eyes.
In 2017 he became a dad again, he and Sofia welcoming their second son Prince Gabriel Carl Walter.
Between royal engagements and family life, Prince Carl Philip showed us that he can rock a casual look too, making a plain white button up look like high-end fashion.
A man of many talents, the royal also looks incredible in racing gear, which he donned while attending the aptly named Prince Carl Philip Racing Trophy at GTR Motorpark in 2021.
He and Princess Sofia welcomed their third son in 2021, Prince Julian Herbert Folke, and if all three boys inherit their dad’s good looks – let’s just say the young ladies in Sweden will be very lucky!
