Prince Carl Philip is the second eldest child of His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf and Her Majesty Queen Silvia. He has two sisters, Crown Princess Victoria, born on July 14, 1977 and Princess Madeleine, born on June 10, 1982. In accordance with the 1979 Act of Succession which entered into force on January 1, 1980, Prince Carl Philip is second in the line of succession, next to Crown Princess Victoria.

During the period 1984-86, Prince Carl Philip attended the Västerled parish preschool. In the autumn of 1986, he started school at Smedslättsskolan in Bromma which he attended at junior level. For the intermediate level, the Prince attended Ålstensskolan in Bromma, proceeding from there, in the autumn of 1992, to senior level at Enskilda Gymnasiet in Stockholm. In the autumn of 1994 Prince Carl Philip started at the private school Kent in Connecticut, USA, where he spent two years. The Prince then followed a science programme at Lundsberg upper secondary school. He matriculated in the spring of 1999.

Prince Carl Philip was confirmed in the summer of 1994 at Vadstena Church, after confirmation studies in Medevi.

Prince Carl Philip has been a scout and is fond of outdoor life. He is keen on sport and athletics, e.g. football. He is also a good swimmer and skier.

The Prince has completed his military service at the Amphibious Batallion at Vaxholm's Coast Artillery Regiment as a combat boat commander (combat boat 90) in the autumn of 2000. In december 2002 the Prince became second lieutenant in the Royal Swedish Navy.

Since 2003 the Prince is studing Graphic design in Stockholm.