Désirée was born on 2 June 1938 as the third daughter and child of Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten (son of Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden and his late wife, Princess Margaret of Connaught) and his wife, Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (daughter of Prince Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and his wife, Princess Victoria Adelaide of Schleswig-Holstein).

In November 1960, Désirée accompanied her elder sister Princess Birgitta for a visit to the United States on behalf of their grandfather King Gustaf VI Adolf for the 50th anniversary of The American-Scandinavian Foundation.

In their honour a ball was organised for the two princesses at the Renaissance Blackstone Hotel in Chicago by Mayor Richard Daley.

[1] Désirée's engagement to Baron Nils-August Otto Carl Niclas Silfverschiöld, (1934–2017) was announced on 18 December 1963, and the couple married on 5 June 1964 in Storkyrkan in Stockholm.

[5] She also represented Sweden in first receiving Emperor Akihito of Japan when he arrived for a state visit in 2000.