Gustaf XI

**Gustaf XI** (Gustaf Maximilian Arvid Hólmfastur; born 27 October 1945) is the King of Framland. He acceded to the throne upon the death of his mother, Helena, Queen of Framland, in 1974.

Gustaf was born in Hersingborg as the youngest child and only son to Helena and her husband Rolf af Bergquist. Initially, neither Gustaf nor his mother were expected to accede to the throne. His mother's elder brother Karl-Henrik III acceded to the throne upon the death of Gustaf's grandfather Christian X on 15 May 1949, but later fell ill with tuberculosis and died on 7 July 1950, before producing any heirs. Helena acceded to the throne as his successor, while Gustaf became the crown prince and heir apparent. Gustaf succeeded his mother as king on 3 April 1974, after his mother's death from ovarian cancer.

Gustaf attended public schooling in Hersingborg, and later graduated with a degree in environmental science from Söderhälla University in 1967. He married Romanish flight attendant Malina Rupelos in 1976, and they have three children together: Annabel, Crown Princess of Framland (born 1978), Prince Daniel (born 1980), and Princess Elinor (born 1983). As king, Gustaf has established himself as an environmentalist, who has supported a number of causes supporting environmentalism and environmental protections.

## Early life and education

Gustaf was born on 27 October 1945, at Hersingborg University Hospital in Hersingborg. He was the third child and only son of Princess Helena and Prince Rolf, and the third grandchild of Christian X and Queen Isabel. After his birth, Gustaf became third-in-line to the Framish throne, behind his uncle Crown Prince Karl-Henrik and his mother. While it was expected that both Gustaf and his mother's standings in the line of succession would drop with the births of Karl-Henrik's children, he ultimately never married and produced no heirs. As Framland employed a system of male-preference primogeniture, Gustaf displaced both of his elder sisters in the line of succession.

Following his birth, Gustaf was granted the royal title Prince of Framland. He was baptized as a member of the Church of Framland on 16 April 1946, at Hersingborg Cathedral in Hersingborg. Gustaf has two elder sisters: Princess Benedikta (born 1942) and Princess Franziska (born 1944). Gustaf spent his early life residing in Wahlström House, an eleven-bedroom estate located in Wahlström, an affluent suburb north of Hersingborg. In 1949, Gustaf's grandfather died and his uncle acceded to the throne as king. Karl-Henrik fell ill in July 1949; his condition gradually deteriorated, being diagnosed with tuberculosis in February 1950, and later contracting pneumonia as well that June. Karl-Henrik ultimately died the month afterwards, unmarried and with no heirs. Following his death, Gustaf's mother Helena was proclaimed queen, and Gustaf became the crown prince and heir apparent to the throne. The family subsequently left Wahlström House and moved into Hersingborg Palace.

Gustaf began his education in 1951, attending a local, public primary school in Hersingborg. In primary school, Gustaf was a popular student who showed a strong interest in helping others. He graduated from primary school in 1961, subsequently enrolling in Björnstuna Gymnasium, a public, selective secondary school in Hersingborg. While in secondary school, Gustaf studied a natural sciences and mathematics program, specializing in environmental studies and earth science, and graduated with his diploma in 1964. He then enrolled in the Faculty of Biology and Natural Sciences at Söderhälla University, graduating with a degree in environmental science in 1967.

## Reign

After turning 18 in 1964, Gustaf received a seat on the Council of State, the most supreme council in Framland. As the heir apparent, he presided over meetings in which his mother was not present.

In November 1973, Gustaf's mother Queen Helena began complaining of pelvic pain and a loss of appetite. After two months of symptoms, she was diagnosed with stage-IV ovarian cancer in January 1974. Her prognosis was poor, being expected to live for no longer than six months. Helena decided to make her diagnosis public, in the name of transparency, and gave a tear-ridden speech from the balcony of Hersingborg Palace on 1 February 1974; this speech was one of the most-watched television broadcasts in Framish history, with more than 95% of the television-owning population watching. After her diagnosis, Helena began grooming Gustaf to accede to the throne.

Helena died of her ovarian cancer on 3 April 1974, while in a private room at Hersingborg University Hospital with her husband and three children. Immediately following her death, Gustaf was proclaimed king, and acceded to the throne. As king, Gustaf has established himself as an environmentalist, who has supported a number of causes supporting environmentalism and environmental protections.

## Marriage and children

While flying on the royal family's private plane from Alzitava to Hersingborg in June 1973, Gustaf met Malina Rupelos, who was the flight attendant assigned to his flight. Throughout the entirety of the flight, Gustaf and Malina talked and further got to know each other. At the end of the flight, Gustaf asked her out on a date, and she accepted. Malina left her job as a flight attendant in February 1974, in order to move to Hersingborg and continue their relationship. They became engaged in January 1975, and later married on 15 May 1976, in a royal wedding at Hersingborg Cathedral. Following the wedding, Malina was awarded Framish citizenship and the royal title Queen consort of Framland.

Gustaf and Malina have three children together:

* The Crown Princess (*Annabel* Helena Rosalía Julia Carina María; born 18 July 1978)
* The Duke of Söderkrona (*Daniel* Christian Karl Hernándo Agustin Henrik; born 5 May 1980)
* The Duchess of Ängelgrund (*Elinor* Patricia Benedikta Franziska Emmanuela Catarina; born 22 March 1983)

## Titles

* **27 October 1945 – 7 July 1950**: *His Royal Highness* Prince Gustaf of Framland
* **7 July 1950 – 3 April 1974**: *His Royal Highness* The Crown Prince of Framland
* **3 April 1974 – present**: *His Majesty* The King of Framland