Royal baby joy as Danish Prince and Princess welcome daughter via surrogate
There has been royal baby joy for Prince Gustav and Princess Carina of Denmark as they have welcomed their second child - a daughter - via surrogate.
Gustav - who is Queen Margrethe's nephew and a cousin of King Frederik X - and Carina both 55, have been together for more than 20 years and married in Germany two years ago.
The couple spent years fighting a strict inheritance rule set by the Prince's Nazi grandfather in the 1930s, which prevented them from marrying.
The couple welcomed their son, Prince Gustav Albrecht, via a surrogate in the US last year and were both present during the birth.
Speaking to German media, a spokesperson confirmed: "Their Highnesses, Prince Gustav and Princess Carina, have become parents for the second time. They have had a daughter. Everyone involved is doing well and is very happy. The child was born on Friday 26 April."
Gustav reportedly met Carina, a model and author, in 2003, before she later moved into the Schloss Berleburg estate with him. While the couple quickly fell in love, they were prevented from marrying because of Carina's Swedish and Mexican heritage.
A strict rule set by Prince Gustav Albrecht in the 1930s prevented relations from inheriting family property if they were to marry someone not of Protestant, noble, or Aryan descent.
Gustav's father Prince Richard was able to inherit property because Princess Benedikte of Denmark, the sister of Queen Margarethe, met the strict and controlling criteria. However, according to Town and Country, after Prince Richard died in 2017, Gustav faced a lengthy legal battle with his great uncle Prince Prince Ludwig-Ferdinand over the fortune.
The following year, German courts ruled Gustav met the conditions of the will and would inherit Berleburg Castle. The couple then married in front of a small group of 80 esteemed guests, including King Frederik and Queen Mary.
They welcomed their son in June last year, with a statement at the time detailing, "Princess Carina & Prince Gustav are very happy & grateful for this opportunity & thanks everyone involved who has helped to find a legally legal path to follow."
The couple named the baby Prince Gustav Albrecht of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and celebrated with a family christening. King Frederik's eldest son, Crown Prince Christian of Denmark, was named a godparent, alongside Princess Theodora of Greece, 40, actress Ellen Hillingsø, 56, Prince Franz-Albrecht, 40, Arabella Gaggero and Prince Carl-Anton.
