Sweden’s prince attacked in Cannes nightclub

The Swedish Prince Carl Phillip was punched in the head and grabbed by the neck in a nightclub in Cannes, France, according to reports.

The Aftonbladet news agency reported on Sunday that Prince Carl Phillip was punched in the head in the upscale Baoli club in the early morning hours Saturday. The identity of the attacker remains unknown but officials said that the prince managed to avoid injury.

Royal Court spokesman Bertil Ternert said, “The prince was attacked, unprovoked. He is doing fine, there were no injuries,” the TT news agency reports.

Thirty-three-year-old Prince Carl was accompanied by several friends as well as his girlfriend Sofia Hellqvist at the time of the incident, according to Aftonbladet. They were about to leave the club when the altercation occurred.

Hellqvist was reported to have said, “Darling, Darling!” and put herself between the attacker and the prince amid the ordeal, after the unknown man wrapped his hands around Carl Phillip’s neck. When the prince broke free of the man’s grip, the group quickly left the nightclub, heading toward Cannes harbour after a crowd had formed.

The Royal Court said that the king and queen are aware of the ordeal and that the prince’s schedule remains unaffected.

Prince Carl Phillip is third in line for Sweden’s throne.