Princess Madeleine of Sweden Shares a Major Passion With Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as She Returns to USA for Glamorous Charity Event

The princess moved back to Sweden after living in Florida for six years.

Princess Madeleine wearing a green sparkly dress and dangling earrings in front of a white background that says 25 Years Childhood
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Sweden's Princess Madeleine might be known for her royal duties and head-turning style, but it's her passion for protecting children that aligns her with other prominent royal advocates, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. With World Children's Day being celebrated on Nov. 20, it's fitting that the princess visited a Swedish children's hospital—and last week, she used her platform to amplify the issue of violence against kids.

The Swedish princess recently moved back home after living in Florida since 2018 with husband Christopher O'Neill and their three children, Princess Leonore, 10, Prince Nicolas, 8, and Princess Adrienne, 6. But on Nov. 14, she returned to the United States to highlight a cause close to her heart.

Like the Duke and Duchess of Sussex—who recently delivered a powerful message at the Global Ministerial Conference on Violence Against Children—Princess Madeleine has been an outspoken advocate for protecting young people. During her trip to NYC, she attended both a United Nations meeting and a charity gala in support of vulnerable children.

Princess Madeleine wearing a sparkly green midi dress standing on a red carpet in front of a white background reading 25 years childhood

Princess Madeleine wowed in a glittery green midi dress.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Dressed in a sparkling green Self-Portrait midi with long sleeves, the princess attended the World Childhood Foundation's 25th anniversary gala, celebrating a charity that her mother, Queen Silvia, founded in 1999. On Nov. 19, the royal shared some exciting news on Instagram related to the event.

"I’m so thrilled to announce that World Childhood Foundation USA has raised a record-breaking $1.5 million at the 25th Anniversary Gala in NYC last week!" she captioned her post, which included three photos of herself at the fundraiser. "Thanks to the incredible generosity of our sponsors, donors and supporters at our gala Childhood can invest in even more innovative solutions and programs to protect children from being sexually abused and exploited," the royal continued.

According to the charity, "all proceeds from the gala go towards the Childhood mission to inspire, promote, and develop solutions to end sexual abuse, exploitation, and violence against children."

Last week, the royal, who serves as Deputy Honorary Chair of Childhood for the United Nations, also co-hosted a UN meeting titled "From Commitment to Action: Ensuring Sustainable Action to End Violence Against Children."

Princess Madeleine wearing a tan suit sitting in front of a mic at the UN

The princess spoke at a United Nations meeting on Nov. 14.

(Image credit: Pontus Hook)

“In this fast-moving digital age, risks to children evolve rapidly,” the princess told the United Nations. “Without listening to and learning from children’s experiences and their strategies, we cannot close the gaps that leave them exposed to harm."

The royal continued that "children must be active co-creators of the solutions, and we must stand with them—because we are all in this together.”

Her sentiments echo some of Prince Harry's thoughts during UN Climate Week in September, when he spoke to the Clinton Global Initiative about the harmful effects of social media on children. "These platforms are designed to create addiction," the prince told the crowd, adding that today's children are “force fed content that no child should be exposed to.”

As for Princess Madeleine, she supported Childhood USA's work in the online space at the gala, with the charity honoring the Ericsson corporation for its commitment to online safety for children. Retired Homeland Security agent Jim Cole was also presented with an award for his digital forensics and AI expertise while protecting children.

Perhaps the Swedes and the Brits can team up in their continued fight to protect today's kids.

Kristin Contino
Senior Royal and Celebrity Editor

Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.