After birth, she was raised under the supervision of the royal governess Charlotte Stierneld. The youngest of four children, Cecilia left Sweden in 1810 with her family after her father was deposed as king of Sweden by the Coup of 1809. She was raised in her mother's home country, the Grand Duchy of Baden (Germany). After her parents were divorced in 1812, she was raised mainly by her grandmother Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt in Bruchsal.
She met Augustus, Grand Duke of Oldenburg in 1830, and after an hour's conversation, the marriage was decided. She went to her brother in Vienna, where her wedding took place in the presence of the Austrian Emperor Francis I. She relocated to the city of Oldenburg in June 1831.
Cecilia had an interest in culture. As Grand Duchess of Oldenburg she composed the melody of a hymn for Oldenburg. The hymn was later added with lyrics by Theodor von Kobbe and named ‘Heil dir, o Oldenburg’. In 1833, Cecila supported the founding of the city's first theatre, which today is the Oldenburgisches Staatstheater. She was, however, never known to be close to the population in Oldenburg, where she lived a life confined to the circles of the court. A bridge, a square and a road are named after her, as well as a school. In honour of the late Cecilia, the locality Cäciliengroden at the Jade Bight near Wilhelmshaven (later incorporated into Sande in Frisia) was named after her.
Cecilia died at the age of 36 from puerperal fever, a few days after giving birth to her third child Elimar. She was buried in the Ducal Mausoleum in the Churchyard of St. Gertrude (St. Gertrudenkirchhof / Gertrudenfriedhof) in the city of Oldenburg. Her sister Amalia Maria Charlotta was also buried there.
This article is partially based on its equivalent on Spanish Wikipedia
Gisela Niemöller: Die Engelinnen im Schloß. Eine Annäherung an Cäcilie, Amalie und Friederike von Oldenburg. Isensee, Oldenburg 1997, ISBN3-89598-463-9
