Fast Cars and Surprise Stag Parties: 6 Things You Need to Know About Sexy Swedish Prince Carl Philip

Prince Carl Philip just may be the James Bond of royals.

The second child of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden loves fast cars and looks like he was born to wear a tux. He’s also gearing up for his lavish wedding to fiancée Sofia Hellqvist next month.

This past weekend, the couple gathered with their families at Stockholm’s Royal Chapel for the reading of the “banns of marriage” – the traditional announcement of a couple’s intention to wed.

The pair met in 2009 and confirmed their relationship in 2010, but before then, the bachelor prince was known to be quite the playboy.

And did we mention he’s really hot?

Here are six things to know about the soon-to-be-wed Swedish royal.

1. Just like another handsome prince, he’ll (most likely) never inherit the throne.
When you hear the words “heir” and “spare,” it’s usually in reference to Prince William and Prince Harry. But in Sweden, those nicknames belong to Crown Princess Victoria and her younger brother, Prince Carl Philip.

For the first year of his life, when absolute primogeniture (the law that allows a younger brother to inherit before his elder sister) was still in place in Sweden, he was Crown Prince Carl Philip. But after it was abolished in 1980, his two-years-older sister, Crown Princess Victoria, became next in line.

2. He’s a military man.
Like most royal men, Carl Philip spent time serving his country in the military. For the bulk of his 20s, he was involved with the Royal Swedish Navy, where he studied in a Naval Office training course, undertook a lengthy voyage on the H.M.S. Carlskrona and held a number of roles including combat boat coordinator, sub-lieutenant and lieutenant.

3. He attended college in Rhode Island.
Following his stint in the Navy, Prince Carl Phillip changed his course to study graphic design at Forsbergs School of Graphic Design in Stockholm. After completing the two-year program at home, Carl Philip then spent a year at the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design in Providence.

His passion for design extends outside of the classroom, too. He has won competitions, interned with some big names (including National Geographic), and produced widely distributed creations, such as marketing materials for the Martha’s Vineyard Museum and a calendar to benefit the World Childhood Foundation.

4. He’s a race car driver.
The adrenaline junkie is a licensed race car driver and shares the passion with his great-uncle and godfather, Prince Bertil.

His royal status, however, doesn’t protect him from the dangers that come along with racing. During this year’s Swedish Touring Car Championship on May 9, he and another driver collided and spun off the road, forcing him to withdraw from the competition. He won’t stay out from behind the wheel for too long, though – he’ll compete in the finals later this month.

5. He has struggled with dyslexia.
Like his father, King Carl Gustaf, and sister, Crown Princess Victoria, before him, Carl Philip battled dyslexia as a child. It wasn’t until his teen years, when he studied at Lundsberg (Sweden’s oldest operating boarding school), that he was able to thrive under the tutelage of a teacher who had expertise in dealing with the challenge.

Earlier this year, Carl Philip admitted that it took years for him to be comfortable speaking about his dyslexia. It s about all the students who fight the jumping letters and digits of their textbooks everyday,” he said in a speech at the National Agency for Special Needs Education. “About all the ones who gets laughed at when they are making mistakes. About the ones who have to fight harder than their classmates to reach the same school results. I know exactly how it feels. I was one of them.

6. His sister "kidnapped" him for a surprise stag party.
According to local media outlet the Expressen, the prince’s older sister Victoria planned her brother’s surprise stag party in early May. The groom, whose bags had been secretly packed by his future bride Sofia Hellqvist, was whisked off to Greece by his closest friends to celebrate his last days as a bachelor. We’re betting it was a fun party.