This ^^ is a photo from 2006. The lady is Emma Pernald and the gentleman is Jonas Bergstrom. At the time, Emma was Prince Carl Philip’s long-term girlfriend and Jonas was Princess Madeleine’s boyfriend. Just a few years after this photo, Emma and Carl Philip were over, as were Madeleine and Jonas. Madeleine went on to marry Christopher O’Neill (who seems like an utterly boring Wall Street-type), and Carl Philip will marry Sofia Hellqvist next weekend. Sofia and Carl Philip officially began in 2008, after he and Emma split. Unofficially? There might have been some overlap.
Why this trip down memory lane? Emma and the Swedish prince were together for many years. Emma was sort of Carl Philip’s Kate Middleton – Emma stuck around for 10 years, possibly waiting for the ring. I believe Emma and Carl Philip lived together and had a low-key life for much of their relationship. But he ended up wanting something different, so he got with Sofia and Sofia got the ring. And ahead of Carl Philip’s wedding, he and Sofia did a big interview in which he claimed that this is the first time he’s ever felt “the magic of love.” Emma took issue with that. Emma took issue with that PUBLICLY.
It isn’t always easy seeing an ex get married – especially when that ex happens to be royalty. Prince Carl Philip of Sweden is set to marry fiancée Sofia Hellqvist on June 13, and the 36-year-old royal has been gushing about his bride-to-be. In an interview with Swedish channel TV 4, Carl Philip said he didn’t know “the magic of love” before he met 30-year-old Sofia.
“Ever since I met her, I’ve seen how love can change a person,” he said.
While the sentiment was sweet, there was one person who wasn’t exactly thrilled to hear Carl Philip’s proclamation of love – his ex Emma Pernald, whom he dated for 10 years before breaking it off in 2008.
“It was strange to hear that,” Pernald said about Carl Philip’s comments to Swedish publication Aftonbladet (via Hello). “I felt love in the 10 years that we shared together.”
Pernald, who now works as a PR executive, was famously tight-lipped about the pair’s royal romance after their split. The pair reportedly remain on friendly terms, “strange” comments or not.
Still, it’s hard not to be happy for someone about finding love again. Margareta Gotthardsson, royals reporter at Svensk Damtidning, tells PEOPLE: “I think the palace was happy for the prince being in love again after his breakup with his ex, Emma Pernald. When you see the prince and Sofia together, it’s obvious that they are very much in love. It’s impossible not to be happy for them.”
Well, that was… controlled. That’s how I sound when I’m seething with rage – I get strangely calm and I speak in short sentences. “It was strange to hear that. I thought we loved each other. I guess I hope she makes him happy. I definitely hope they both burn in hell.” Poor Emma. If only she had a mother like Carole Middleton, she would have figured out a way to waity a ring out of him!
Photos courtesy of Getty, WENN.
What an awful thing to say! This is not very gentlemanly of him. What is wrong with him?
Yes it was a profoundly unkind thing to say – even if it was true. Especially since they had been together so long. Poor her. Hopefully she’s found happiness now, but boy that’s gotta sting
He must have gone to the George Clooney School For Talking About Exes in An Unflattering Way.
Sounds like he graduated with high honors. Lol
He made a mushy comment about his bride to be a handful of days before his wedding. Are all the exes of anybody that has ever dated supposed to line up and take offense at every “She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known” “He makes my life worth living like nobody ever has before” and “I’d never known true love and happiness before I met blah blah blah”? If he comes off as a stilted PR robot, people complain. If he speaks off the cuff, people complain. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
@WAAMOS – you said this right! People get silly when there is a new rush of hormones. Give the guy a break.
No, just damned if you do, I think. Why is it necessary to denigrate one thing to uplift another? He was with her for a decade. It was an unkind thing to say and I hope he finds a way to correct himself subtly but in a public way in the future.
If he had worded it differently, I would agree with you, but he sounds both rude and stupid in the excerpted quotes.
But he’s a public figure and he was with his ex for ten years. It’s his job to be composed In the public eye. Wouldn’t have killed him to do that here.
I tend to agree that he should have made a statement more fair to his ex(es). No need to (nearly) trash somebody you have been with for 10 years even if it just happens because you aren’t good with words.
Surely he did prepare a few statements for his upcoming marriage. Or did he not prepare?
he could have easily flattered his new one without insulting his ex. its fine if he feels like that but it should stay private.
Exactly “we are all made of Stars”
He made a comment about loving his bride to be.
There is nothing wrong with that.
Emma needs to take a chill pill.
Emma’s husband must be wondering why she still upset that an ex boyfriend did not love her?
Why didn’t she just say no comment.
Emma P. was also a schemer. I never really liked her very much. She always seemed to be pushing.
Ouch that would upset me to hear!
He could have been more diplomatic.
That said…..
I never got the feeling he was madly in love with Emma.
Emma always seemed to be pushing.
Carl usually looked strained with Emma, sort of like William looked a lot of the time with Kate. LOL
Khm…all I’ve got is that this other, Jonas guy, looks good in that photo.
Omg yes, I would take a ride on the Jonas Express any day. Who needs royalty?
He’d probably take you up on it. The back story is he proposed to Princess Mad. Then got caught cheating on her publicly when his little ski bunny went to the gossip rags to tattle on him for her 15 minutes of fame. The Princess wasn’t just heartbroken but, also publicly humiliated enough to move out of her country for NYC.
There’s a story that when she arrived in NYC she started dating Henrik Lunqvist, the ver, very, very good looking goalie for the NY Rangers. She should have hung onto him for dear life!!
Lots of rumours circulating about Madeleine, Chris and family at the moment. They moved back from NY to Stockholm a few months ago as Mads is expecting baby #2 this month. Yet now Chris has moved to London in April leaving heavily pregnant Mads and baby Leonore in Stockholm – Chris was also a notable no-show at Sweden’s National Day last weekend which is a major Royal event so he obviously doesn’t fly home each weekend
I wonder what kind of business Madeleine’s husband does exactly.
He sort of looks like Josh Lucas.
Agree!
And I think she looks a bit like Sofia Helqvist.
Testify.
oh my yes
jonas is the hottest male in this thread by a mile
I hate when people do that. No matter how much blinded by love someone is, it’s completely tactless to state publicly it’s the first time they felt love or that they were never happy before etc., if they were previously in a long-term relationships. Even if they feel that way – there’s no need to publicly bring down a person you once were close with. In her case – it’s humiliating because of the media attention. She’s now the girl who waited 10 long years to be his wife and he didn’t even love her. Dick move hot prince, dick move…
Totally agree. He could express his love for the present without dismissing the past.
My x does that with each subsequent wife. I’m not personally hurt. I feel it’s a reflection on him and a need to attempt superiority and divert blame. I wouldn’t announce it as ‘strange” ever- to me it’s transparent.
Agreed.
Agree. Speak of the present without disrespecting the past.
IRL, the men I have known who did this type of over the top ‘never knew love like this before’ (at age 30-plus with lots of relationships behind them) ended up divorced within 10 years. Every one of them.
Emma sounds like she’s still smarting, from not getting the Prince.
Her husband can’t be happy that she’s still concerned that the Prince didn’t love her?
Exactly – so many lovely things to say about his bride that are not rude to his past relationships.
Say it, Norman Bates’ Mother!
Spoken like a true narcissist (“the magic of love” or such things as “the happiest I’ve ever been…!”) because everything has to be exalted, better than before, the best, no matter who he hurts or leaves in his wake…
So it’s not really strange at all, but it says a whole lot more about him as a person (not much of one, that is) than it does her.
What a douchecanoe for saying that. I’ve heard the royal family loved Emma and wanted Emma to be the wife. Ive also heard they do not approve much of Sofia. Meh, I think Emma dodged a bullet.
He has proved himself to be a douche but Emma has every right to be angry and hurt. At the time there were rumours that he was cheating on her with Sophia – who by all accounts set out to get him regardless whether he was in a long term relationship or not. And Sophia was not the first woman he cheated on Emma with – he was quite the playboy.
Except he and Emma broke up in February of 2009 and he and Sofia didnt start until late 2010.
It was a bad thing to say but Emma doesn’t sound upset. She was contacted by the press and asked to make a statement and she made it brief. Emma moved on fast, she is married with two kids- she doesn’t get to be hung up on her ex.
I think Emma dated CP long enough to know that he comes to his father i.e. is prone to let frogs out of mouth. But she understandably could not just say it directly to the press.
thats why i would never date someone famous. its now all up for the world to see and you will be in the news as the dumped ex that he never loved. imagine looking in the newspaper and seeing the face of your ex or turning on the tv or billboards when its an actor. ugh.
i think we often forget what a power celebrity is and how much damage famous people do to a lot of others with that power.
Good point.
I happen to agree with you @mila. While everyone in the past decade had praise for Bradagelina, the forget or this the whole world throw dump on Jennifer Aniston who is the one who is hurt and I am the one and I am sure some of u feel sorry for her at this point. I know it was over ten years ago, but this shows to prove a point. I feel sorry for Emma for going through this put keep you hear up and I hope you find love again with the current boyfriend you have. As for Prince Carl, I see a disaster waiting to happen with this fiancé of his and revenge will be served cold by karma after they are married.
Aniston got a divorce like millions of others, & her ex dared to move on before she did. She acted like her child died, milked public sympathy for all it was worth, Never mind that she quickly began a relationship with Vince Vaughn! Or quickly began a relationship with Justin immediately (or before?) after he left his partner of 14 (!!!) years.
After ten years, please can people move on!
@ Kiki
I too think that this marriage is a disaster waiting to happen. But one will see … She is hardly the first royal spouse who has a shady background.
See here: Marta Elena Skavronska / Catherine I of Russia (see wikipedia).
If I add a link the posting might be deleted.
Catherine made a quite good tsarina / empress.
Neither Carl Phillip nor Sofia strike me as smart nor media-savy. And I don’t quite see that they carry out any royal duties except the bare minimum in order to not get kicked out.
As soon as I get the chance to find out if I’d date someone famous, I’ll let you know. (After I tell Mr. Dirty Martini of course.)
The closest I ever came to dating someone famous was my state governor’s son in the 1970s. Oh wait….he didn’t ask me out. He did tell a mutual friend he wanted “to be with me” one night when he was visiting the college town I was in and we were introduced at a party I just dropped by for a minute. She called me at my dorm to relay the message and ask me to return to the party for him.
I said sure. When he called his girlfriend in our mutual hometown and asked permission.
Guess I blew my chance, huh?
@ Dirty Martini
You could have asked him to put out a press release about your time together … 😀
Oh, let’s talk about dating famous people, shall we? Anyone else?
I don’t get why she has to be considered waity. What if they were happy without marriage at the time? They were relatively young? I hate the notion that women are pathetic because they’re not married but have a commitment with their men. I’m not waity because my boyfriend didn’t propose to me.
Yeah, Waity was a Waity because she did nothing except WAIT. No job, no other friends, no charity work, no hobbies, no anything else. All she did was be available to Willy, shop, and vacation.
Did Emma have a career? Friends? Other things going on? If so, she’s no Waity!
Preach it, Allie! That whole “Waity Katy” thing always really upset me and I couldn’t put my finger on ‘why’ until I just read your comment! Doesn’t it seem a bit misogynistic to call a woman “waity” just because she isn’t engaged to her love interest? As if that’s all a woman can do is wait on a ring from her bf.
And Katy did have both a job (as a buyer for a clothing store) and did charity work, which made headlines because it was an all female ensemble in a rowing exhibit of some sort.
Kate’s job as a buyer lasted only 6-8 months, not years, and she was not there a good part of the time. Her charity work amounted to a handful of events.
Allie, this is a completly different matter. if you are a royal your job is to marry and create offspring. you cannot just live together childless.
as a regular person you dont need those things but if its pretty much your only job as a royal than yes people will ask and wonder.
i mean i also wonder what they would do if the heir was homosexual. Royal customs are not necessarily modern.
so i think its totally fair to call Kate Waity as she clearly wanted that ring to become a royal.
She is an attractive, eduated woman if she wanted to she could have been single or date around but she had her eyes only on William for the ring.
Anyone know a hot, sweet and single guy we can throw Emma’s way?
Hiddles? (Runs away cackling)
Prince Harry!
CP’s comment was way out of line. I understand what he tried to emphasize but it was the wrong way to do. And as far as I remember, he and Emma broke up around ’08ish and the rumors about Sofia didn’t start until early ’10. I don’t think there was an overlap.
She is already married and has a son!
I actually think she has two kids? And her husban is pretty cute if I remember correctly (looks a bit like prince Daniel). So I think she’s happy.
Jonas on the other hand is pure trash, he cheated on Madde and is now married to an (ex)friend of hers. Chris might seem boring but he’s a million times better than that (very attractive) douche.
Methinks Emma’s husband would object. Ditto her 2 kids.
I know that some folks don’t feel the need to marry, and being together for a decade or more without a certificate is not an issue.
But for pete’s sake — and I say this having seen many of my friends go through it — if what you want is a wedding, if you’re waiting for a proposal, don’t do it for 10 years! They are just biding their time until something better comes along.
ITA. She waited around for a decade and didn’t get the prize. Now it’s seven years later and she sounds pretty bitter. Hope she moves on soon. It can’t be healthy to carry around all those negative feelings.
In the original interview she doesn’t sound bitter. CP makes this stupid comment on national tv, the paper discuss it and of course they talk to her. She made this comment and followed up with a “She’s happier than ever”. Also she’s got a succesful carrer a husband and two kids. No bitterness there, I dare say.
I believe that Emma P. is a bit bitter.
Why does she need to say anything.
It would have been classier of her to say NO Comment.
This is Carl’s time, let him have it.
I agree. Not everyone wants to get married, but if that’s what you want, be honest about it. And the napster is correct – I’ve seen it a million times. If a man wants to marry you, he won’t wait 10 years unless you met when you were very young. Move on and find someone who wants what you want.
I agree , if someone really wanted to marry you, they won’t wait 10 years to make it happen. I say move on – so you won’t end up regretting wasting so much of your life with someone who doesn’t feel the same way. now if you both don’t want marriage then all bets are off and have a happy time.
They apparently were a bit rocky the last few years. So I don’t think Emma was ‘waiting’ just for a proposal like Kate appears to have done.
I do think what Carl Philip said was incredibly insensitive considering they lived together and was so well liked by his family (and both of his sisters). Everyone considered her as a member of the family — that’s how close Emma was to Carl Philip’s family. He’s insensitive and very tacky.
“I broke in Big. I did. And now the idiot stick figure with no soul gets to ride him.”
-SATC
Lol.
So true.
The newspaper called her and she issued as nice a response as anyone could make. She’s also still best friends with his sister so it’s not like she’s going to go rogue on the royal family.
He ain’t that smart Emma — if you really wanted him, you could’ve made a pregnancy happen. Just sayin…
He’ll be making the same comments (privately) about his mistress in the next ten years or so.
@Shannon for the win!
Actually Emma was the one who left CP and she has since created a successful career in marketing and is now married with two sons. Also she was contacted by journalists after CP’s stupid remark, not the other way around, and this was her reply.
CP made a jackass comment and she responded in a classy way, it does not sound bitter at all. We all have exes and seven years after a breakup, if someone calls you at home (where you live with a spouse and kids) and asks you about an insensitive comment like that, what would you say? Oh he was just a placeholder for me until I met the love of MY life? Or do you say something like she did, acknowledging that at the time it felt like love to you, but now you have both moved on and you wish him well, good luck.
Meh, ‘magic of love’ isn’t ideal phrasing, but I get his point.
As far as I can tell, he made a single public statement about how he feels something he’s never felt before with his wife-to-be.
which may be why he’s marrying her…doesn’t seem that strange to me.
Yes, Kaiser, there was probably overlap. Emma and CP were still together when he met Sofia in 2008. After they met, Sofia was running around with a photo of CP on her phone, telling her girlfriends she was going to get with the prince. Spring 2009 Emma is gone and Sofia is firmly in place as new girlfriend by summer.
Seems like the celebrity version of some guy gushing about how he has never been in love before when he is marrying his second wife while the kids of his first wife are sitting in the room. I understand what it is to be head-over-heels in love, but it is one thing to say those things privately, and another to say them publicly when you have a very significant former relationship.
I know a guy who did exactly the thing described in your civilian example, except he phrased it as, “I never understood what love was until I met Second Wife.” His teenage daughters didn’t take it well.
Well, he could have said something more charming as in: “I have never experienced a love as with Sofia” – that would leave the possibility he had loved a little bit before.
Though I suspect he is confusing love and lust.
As Emma P. seems to be a much more modern and accomplished woman. She has a good education and a successfull career. The whole mess is Carl Phillips loss.
It is probably a good thing he doesn’t become king.
And no, I can’t see in how far Sofia and Carl Phillip might have inspired each other. They don’t seem to have any cause in life nor any aspirations besides living well of the taxpayer’s money / the family money.
From what I remember, Emma left Carl Philip, not the other way around. I don’t think she wanted to be part of royal life so if you want to compare her to someone, she’s more like the Swedish Chelsy Davy. Chelsy also decided she’d rather live life as a commoner.
It’s a bit annoying that these women keep getting compared to Kate Middleton. Newsflash: not everyone who dates a prince is like Kate!
He spoke in a way that was best left to private conversation. Not public forum. And same with her. Neither were bad, but neither did great.
And yea. People forget what was felt that they interpreted as love. As we move on we grow and what we thought was love might have been all we were capable of feeling with that person.
I thought I loved a bf once. Love and being in love are seperate feelings.
Agreed. I have loved plenty of men but I have never been in love…..sigh….such is life.
Very insensitive remarks. That sucks.
Don’t be too hard on him. Didn’t you hear? Ever since he got with Sofia, he’s seen how love can change somebody. He was probably a nice guy who knew how to show consideration before – but love changed him.
Sofia has no clue what she is in for. She might have gotten the prize in her mind but she will in a position similar to Emma in a few years. What he does with you he will do to you. This clown is his father’s son.
Why isn’t anyone talking about this:
“At the time, Emma was Prince Carl Philip’s long-term girlfriend and Jonas was Princess Madeleine’s boyfriend.”
And then they went on to marry each other 🙂 Maybe this is the answer to the Prince’s “never knew what love was” remark?!
I believe Emma’s significant other is Tomas Jonsson.
What do you expert from a guy who’s famous for 1) being rather stupid 2) being a ‘designer’ who copy other designers’ work. And his bride-to-be used to be a bikini model.
I’m only here to point out how much CP is starting to look like his father…Wow.
Carl Phillip was a jerk for what he said, but I think karma came on him and Sofia. Sweden had its big national day this past Saturday and the king gave his speech. In past National Day speeches he acknowledged the marriages of Victoria and Madeleine, mentioned their grooms, and said how happy he and the queen were about the weddings. This year the king gave his speech and did not say one word about his son’s wedding or mentioned Sofia’s name. I’ve seen some comments saying Sofia looked upset after the speech. What goes around comes around.
If the king had a problem with her, he wouldn’t have awarded her the HRH status and a title. She would have been plain Countess with no HRH or Mrs. Bernadotte. Maybe he kept it out of the speech because his advisers started to pay attention to public opinion about her?
Events of National Day were broadcast tape-delay and edited apparently, which isn’t common. Some think it is because of possible protests about Sofia, so they planned ahead if they needed to edit things out. Live wedding will be interesting.
Emma’s husband must feel like crap. His wife is professing Anger about her ex boyfriend NOT loving her. I wonder why she still acares?
I am no fan of Sofia H, but Carl does look happy and into her. I never thought he was into Emma P. She seemed also like another schemer, but her scheme didn’t work.
One thing I remember about Emma P. is Carl voiced his unhappiness about the relationship even to his sisters and took a break from her , but Emma P.still clung to him knowing he was unhappy. They had several breakups and on and off periods during those years. Towards the end it was noticable, that He was Not happy.
IMO Emma is showing a lack of etiquette by even responding to such a thing.
She should have said No Comment or Just wished the Prince happiness.
The thing is Emma would have been perfectly happy to marry a Prince who she knew didn’t love her deeply.
Why CAN’T Emma let it go and Just let Carl have his day and not say anything? The last three years of the relationship, the press was saying how unhappy he was and that they split, then suddenly the press would say Victoria talked to him and got them back together. It was Always seemed Forced in some way and the sisters who wanted her as their sister in law. IMO
She was a girl who Hung on for a decade, hoping like Kate that the Prince would finally fet tired fold and marry her.
The King doesn’t hand out titles — he just ‘approves’ what the Swedish government recommends. The Swedish Royal Family is purely ceremonial, it has no power whatsoever.
Emma was contacted by the Swedish newspaper columnist who found Carl-Philip remarks unkind, As has been previously stated, Emma has moved on – married with two children. There is no bitterness on her part since she is still very close to Madeleine (attended her wedding ). Part of the issue for C-P is that he has no central purpose in his life ( the same can be said for Sofia). He has interests in car racing and neither of which he does well.