The royal family is, of course, no stranger to the constant scrutiny of the Swedish and foreign media. However, in recent years, several significant events have occurred in the Bernadotte family, which have attracted even more attention from the press and public, both in Sweden and abroad.
Perhaps no event in 2010 was watched as closely by the public as the wedding of Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling, which took place on June 19, 2010.
The celebration of the wedding of Victoria and Daniel, the former owner of a sports club and the princess’s personal trainer, lasted three days. Thousands of people came to the Swedish capital to congratulate the young couple. Photos of the happy newlyweds were on the covers of newspapers and magazines around the world for several weeks.
Eighteen months later, on February 23, 2012, Victoria and Daniel had a daughter, Princess Estelle Silvia Eva Mary, at Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm. She is second in line to inherit the throne. Princess Estelle's younger brother, Prince Oscar Karl Olof, was born on March 2, 2016.
French roots
The Swedish monarchical tradition is about a thousand years old. During this time, eleven dynasties have changed, including the currently ruling Bernadotte dynasty. The founder of the dynasty, Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, a marshal of Napoleon's army, became the Swedish crown prince in 1810. He ascended the throne under the name Charles XIV Johan. The Swedish royal family is related to all the royal courts of Europe.
The christening of Prince Nicholas by Archbishop Antje Jakelin.
Royal weddings
Almost on the same day, only two years later, on February 20, 2014, Victoria's younger sister, Madeleine, gave birth to a daughter, Princess Leonor Lilian Maria. The baby's father is British-American businessman Christopher O'Neill. On June 15, 2015, the couple had a son, Prince Nicholas. The youngest daughter, Princess Adrienne, was born on March 9, 2018.
The wedding of Princess Madeleine and Christopher O'Neill took place on June 8, 2013 at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, after which the celebration continued at Drottningholm Palace, the residence of the royal family.
To maintain the title of Her Royal Highness, Princess Madeleine did not take the surname O'Neill. Unlike Prince Daniel, Christopher O'Neill chose to renounce his royal titles and retain his British and US citizenship. As such, he is not an official member of the Swedish royal family.
In June 2014, the Royal House of Sweden announced the engagement of the middle of the three royal children, Prince Carl Philip and his fiancée Sofia Hellqvist. The wedding took place on June 13, 2015 in Stockholm. Hellquist is a former model and reality television contestant. The couple has been living together since 2011. On April 19, 2016, Princess Sofia gave birth to a son, Prince Alexander Eric Hubertus Bertil. Their youngest son, Prince Gabriel Karl Walter, was born on August 31, 2017.
Carl XVI Gustaf
It was no coincidence that Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel chose the date of June 19 for their wedding. On this day in 1976, the current King of Sweden, Carl XVI Gustaf, married Queen Silvia.
King Carl XVI Gustaf is the seventh monarch of the Bernadotte dynasty. He was born on April 30, 1946, the fifth child and only son of Crown Prince Gustav Adolf and Princess Sibylla. Crown Prince Gustav Adolf died in a plane crash in Denmark a year after the birth of his son.
In 1950, after the death of his great-grandfather Gustav V, Carl Gustaf became Crown Prince of Sweden. Then his grandfather, 68-year-old Gustav VI Adolf, ascended the Swedish throne.
Gustav Adolf reigned for 23 years and died in 1973. In the same year (at the age of 27), the Crown Prince ascended the throne and became King Carl XVI Gustaf. Its motto is “For Sweden – at all times!”
Three generations of the royal family.
Queen's career
Translator Sylvia Sommerlath, a native of Germany, at one time probably could not have imagined that she was destined to become the Queen of Sweden. Sylvia met her future husband in 1972, at the Olympic Games in Munich, where Sylvia worked as a senior guide.
Silvia is the first Queen of Sweden to have a professional career before her marriage. In those days, marriages between royalty and “people of the people” were extremely rare. Queen Silvia managed to change the image of the queen, making it more modern. Equality reigns in her relationship with the king, and Sylvia herself is involved in social activities, paying especially much attention to the rights of children.
Photo: Kate Gabor/Kungahuset
For Sweden – at all times!
Sweden combines what seemed incompatible just a few decades ago: a stable democracy based on the principles of equality, and a monarchy with strong historical traditions.
The most important symbol of Sweden and formally the head of state, according to the 1974 constitution, the king has no political power. The duties of the monarch are mainly ceremonial and representative.
King Carl XVI Gustaf makes a lot of efforts to solve environmental problems and is considered an authority on environmental issues. Among other things, he has received an award from the US Environmental Protection Agency. He pays no less attention to the preservation of Sweden's cultural heritage and believes that the royal palaces with their magnificent collections and parks should be accessible to everyone.
The difficult everyday life of a monarch
King Carl XVI Gustaf is an active monarch who is interested in what is happening in the country, including Swedish business. In addition to two or three annual official visits to other countries, he participates in international trips organized by the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences and the World Scout Organization.
The Swedish royal family receives thousands of invitations every year. Once a week, the king holds a meeting with the queen, the crown princess and his closest subordinates to review the invitations and decide which ones are the most important. During the year, the royal family manages to visit all corners of Sweden.
When the King is unable to carry out his duties (for example, while traveling abroad), Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Carl Philip or Princess Madeleine - in that order - temporarily assume the duties of regents.
Famous Swedish monarchs
Gustav II Adolf
Gustav II Adolf reigned from 1611 to 1632. Thanks to his participation in the Thirty Years' War, he was able to prove himself as a talented military leader and an experienced diplomat. Under his leadership, Sweden acquired one of the most combat-ready armies. Gustav II Adolf was killed in 1632 at the Battle of Lützen. Parliament decided to honor the memory of the monarch by giving him the title Gustavus Adolf the Great. No other Swedish king has received such an honor.
Queen Christina
With the exception of the short (1719-1720) reign of Queen Ulrika Elenora, Queen Christina is the only female monarch in modern Swedish history. Queen Christina ascended the throne after Gustav II Adolf in 1632, on the eve of her sixth birthday, reigned for 22 years, and abdicated the throne in 1654. Then she converted to Catholicism and settled in Rome, losing the throne to her cousin Carl Gustav. When he died in 1660, she returned to Sweden in the hope of regaining the throne. However, her demand was rejected by parliament, and Christina had to return to Rome.
Gustav III
Gustav III reigned from 1771 to 1792 and is often called the "King of the Theater." He was an enthusiastic patron of the arts, especially theater and opera, and founded the first opera in Stockholm (in 1782), the Swedish Academy and the Royal Swedish Academy of Music. The methods of government of Gustav III were not popular with the highest aristocracy. The result of this confrontation was a conspiracy in 1792: Gustav III was mortally wounded by a shot by Jakob Johan Anckarström during a masked ball at the Royal Opera House in Stockholm. Ankarström later confessed to his crime and was executed.
Future Queen of Sweden
Having eventually replaced her father on the royal throne, Crown Princess Victoria will become the 70th Swedish monarch and the third female monarch in Swedish history.
Crown Princess Victoria's daily routine includes formal dinners, opening ceremonies and meetings with high-profile international guests. In addition, she attends the Foreign Relations Advisory Council and ministerial meetings, and serves as temporary regent when necessary.
Victoria makes many official visits. Her first independent visit took place in 2001 - to Japan, where she presented the achievements of her country: design, music, cooking and environmental developments. By the way, the Crown Princess shows personal interest in all these areas. In addition to Swedish, she speaks English, French and German.
What did the Crown Princess study?
Victoria received her primary education in public schools, and her secondary education in a private school. Despite dyslexia, thanks to her perseverance and love of knowledge, she graduated from school in 1996 with good grades.
After graduating from high school, the Crown Princess studied French at the Western Catholic University in Angers, France.
In 1998, she entered Yale University in the USA, where she studied geology, history and international relations. During her studies, she became very interested in international relations and completed internships at the UN in New York and at the Swedish Embassy in Washington.
In the spring of 2002, she continued her studies in international relations at the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies at Uppsala University in Sweden. As part of a training program with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), she visited Uganda and Ethiopia. She also interned at the offices of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Berlin and Paris, received basic military training and attended courses at the National Defense College (Försvarshögskolan) in Stockholm.
useful links
www.royalcourt.se Royal Court of Sweden
www.sweden.gov.se Swedish government agencies
Love for art
Crown Princess Victoria loves painting and drawing. She highly values the cultural heritage left by her ancestors. During big celebrations, she proudly wears the family jewelry.
Office in the old town
Like the king and queen, Crown Princess Victoria's office, where her subordinates work, is located in the royal palace in Stockholm's Old Town.
Hobby
Crown Princess Victoria loves spending time outdoors. She enjoys long walks, skiing and other outdoor activities. She loves animals very much, especially dogs. As a young mother, she spends a lot of time with her daughter Estelle.
Life in Haga Palace
Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Daniel and their daughter Estelle live in Haga Palace near Stockholm, where King Carl XVI Gustaf was born and lived for some time.
The Crown Princess Victoria Children's Fund was established in 1997 to provide health benefits to children with functional disabilities or chronic illnesses.
In 2017, on the occasion of Crown Princess Victoria's anniversary, the Swedish Royal Court released this photo of the heiress.July 14, the birthday of Crown Princess Victoria (or, as they also like to call it, “Victoria Day”) is practically a national holiday for Sweden. In addition to the vibrant street celebrations and fairs, the event program traditionally includes a ceremonial part on the territory of the Solliden Palace and a royal gun salute (in the evening). In honor of her birthday, the Swedish court invariably pleases the people of the country with new official portraits of Victoria, in which the Crown Princess usually poses modestly, without boasting of symbols of her status - without tiaras, heavy dresses and other formal attributes of royal power.
Last year, for the anniversary of their beloved Crown Princess, the grateful Swedes even made a short film as a gift, which, in the form of short interviews with Victoria and her husband Prince Daniel, tells about the future queen, her character and family. The film, I must say, turned out to be truly touching: in one of the episodes, the daughter of Crown Princess Estelle clumsily prepares Carbonara pasta especially for her mother, in another - the loving husband Daniel, tearing up, talks about the strength of his wife’s character, and in the third - Victoria herself, nothing hiding and smiling modestly, she initiates the audience into her childhood problems and complexes.
Yes, this is the Swedish Crown Princess - always smiling, sincere and caring. And this is precisely why her subjects adore her.
Breath of fresh air
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden received the enviable title of first heir to the throne at the age of three (thus beating her younger brother) and has since masterfully ruled the hearts of ordinary Swedes for almost four decades. Her character, habits and lifestyle are disarming - the citizens of Sweden will not let you lie: 56% of the country's population not only have a positive attitude towards the princess, but are not at all against Victoria ascending the throne even before the death of her father, the current King of Sweden, Carl XVI Gustaf .
With her title, Victoria, no matter how funny it may sound when applied to the future monarch, marked the triumph of democracy and equality in her country. The fact is that until 1980, only boys had the right to inherit the throne in Sweden. Victoria was the first child of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, and therefore, according to the tradition of succession to the throne, she should have ceded the throne to her future brother, regardless of when he was destined to be born. But, fortunately, by the end of the 20th century, progressive ideas of gender equality penetrated into the “ossified” royal court of Sweden, and already in 1980 the country adopted a constitutional amendment, according to which the right to inherit the throne was assigned to the eldest child in the royal family, regardless of his floor.
The new status also gave rise to new restrictions. Victoria had to fight for her right to happiness with double tenacity.
Victoria's younger brother, Prince Carl Philip, who was born in 1979 and from whom the Crown Princess “took” his title, certainly does not regret his loss. He, not burdened by the responsibilities of always “keeping face,” was allowed to disappear late at parties, ignore many protocol events, and even marry the model of men’s magazines, Sofia Hellquist. The sword of Damocles of royal protocol hung over Victoria from childhood, and she had to fight for her right to happiness with double tenacity.
How do they grow up to be queens?
Victoria's character as a true ruler is innate. Her Highness was not broken either by congenital dyslexia, or by classmates’ ridicule of her illness, or by the anorexia that she suffered as a student. The girl never skipped school, and, having graduated from the most prestigious gymnasium in the country, greedily began to absorb all the best that world universities could offer for the education of the future monarch.
Her Highness spent the first year of her student life at the Western Catholic University in Angers (France). Then four semesters awaited her at Yale, where Victoria could independently create a curriculum for herself (the Crown Princess was interested in public administration, political science, diplomacy, peacekeeping and the humanities). And enviable internships followed: in the Swedish parliament, at the Swedish embassy in Washington, at the UN...
In total, after school, Victoria studied and trained for 15 years (Her Highness even served for three weeks in the Swedish army). As a result, the Crown Princess received an education that could be the envy of the most talented statesmen and the most skillful diplomats. The Crown Princess chose to complete her prestigious studies with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Uppsala University.
Love, a throne and two Daniels
If the personal life of Prince Carl Philip most often belonged to him alone, then the romantic relationships of the future ruler of Sweden were always subject to harsh assessment by the royal court. Victoria’s grace even “got it” to her younger sister Madeleine: according to protocol, the princess had no right to marry before her older sister, and, despite the fact that the girl had been dating lawyer Jonas Bergström for a long time, the couple could not legitimize their relationship.
History is silent about how Victoria felt for the inconvenience caused to her sister, but one thing is certain: the heart of the future queen stubbornly refused to love someone out of convenience. From the very birth of his daughter, the Crown Princess's father secretly cherished the dream of marrying Victoria to Prince Frederik of Denmark, but, fortunately, the times of forced marriages are long gone.
For a long time, Victoria herself dreamed of marrying her first school love, Daniel Kollert. Now he is a famous film producer in Sweden, but then, many years ago, he was the first handsome boy in school who dreamed of becoming an actor. Victoria and Daniel began dating in high school, but the Crown Princess officially confirmed her relationship with her former classmate only in 2000. Daniel himself rarely talked about his affair with Victoria: the fame of the “princess’s boyfriend”, given his ambitions to go down in cinema history, did not suit him at all. And Victoria, as her father assured her, a relationship with a simpleton threatened to be deprived of her title.
But still it was love. Love, which the couple tried to protect in New York, although it is still not known for certain who went overseas for whom - either Victoria for Daniel, who then entered the Columbia University Theater and Film Institute, or he for the princess, when she , entered Yale. In any case, this love did not live long: Victoria plunged headlong into social activities, and Daniel into arthouse cinema and new, less binding relationships.
It was a painful separation, but soon fate took revenge, giving Victoria another Daniel - and also of non-royal blood. Daniel Westling was the girl’s personal trainer, and, it would seem, also could not lay claim to the role of the husband of the future queen. But either Victoria became more persistent in her desires, or Carl XVI Gustav was politely reminded how he once married a simple translator from Germany and made her Queen Silvia, but the second Daniel received not only permission to become the husband of the crown princess, but also the royal title in dowry.
Their wedding took place in 2010 and was immediately recognized as the most luxurious royal wedding in the world - of course, after the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana in 1981 (and, of course, before the celebration of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011). It cost $2.5 million (half paid for by the Swedish royal family and the other half from taxpayers), was attended by 1,200 people, and was broadcast worldwide. In support of the event, the cultural festival “Love in Stockholm” was held in Sweden, and the royal court issued a series of “wedding” stamps.
At first, simple, scrupulous Swedes, from whose taxes such a luxurious wedding was partly paid, were seriously indignant at the expenses of the royal court, but soon thawed out: so great was their love for their princess. Victoria's husband also received approval: about 70% of Swedes believed that Prince Daniel would cope well with the duties of the future king consort.
Now the couple is raising two children. And, by the way, the first girl born to Victoria and Daniel was Estelle Sylvia Eva Marie, who, according to the new reform, will be the first to inherit the throne from her parents. In Sweden, Victoria's future reign and Estelle's subsequent reign have already been dubbed the “Age of Queens.”
New Queen with a living King
Well, while most Swedes stubbornly advocate for Victoria to ascend to the throne as soon as possible, the Crown Princess is already fully engaged in royal affairs. But don’t be alarmed: no one is going to bury old Carl XVI Gustav; the princess is simply playing the role of regent in the absence of the king. And he is absent quite often, because his daughter is already doing an excellent job: she is more active, and her ratings are much higher. Increasingly, Victoria, instead of her father, makes state visits to various countries of the world and chairs the Advisory Council on Foreign Affairs - the first serious international issue in which Victoria showed herself as a full-fledged statesman was the 2008 war in Georgia.
In addition to politics, Victoria is actively involved in peacekeeping and charity. Her own Foundation to support leisure activities for children with chronic diseases and developmental problems was launched in 1997: Victoria probably remembers very well how difficult it was for her to struggle with dyslexia at school. Now the Crown Princess openly talks about her childhood and youth problems, emphasizing in every possible way that, like billions of people on Earth, she is a simple person, with her own shortcomings. Such spontaneity and philanthropy make more and more subjects fall in love with the Crown Princess every year, so it is possible that very soon Queen Victoria will go down in history as the most popular monarch of Sweden.
A series of short films released for the 40th birthday of Crown Princess Victoria (text in Swedish, but much is clear without words):
If earlier kings and queens dictated conditions to their subordinates, today it is the opinion of the subjects of the crown that influences the representatives of the royal court: they are spied on, they are condemned, they are told. In such conditions, maintaining a brand is not so easy, but we know good examples: the British Duchess Kate Middleton, the Spanish Queen Letizia and Crown Princess Victoria, our today's heroine.
Unlike Kate and Letizia, who acquired status after marriage, Victoria was condemned to the royal mantle from birth. At first she was a princess, and after constitutional reform she received the right of first succession (she overtook her younger brother Carl Philip in line for the throne) and became crown princess. Victoria, thanks to her father (Carl Gustav is Elizabeth II’s second cousin), can still lay claim to the British throne (however, the Swede ranks 205th in the list of heirs).
Victoria received an excellent education: she graduated from the Western Catholic University in France, studied at Yale University in the USA, interned at the Washington Embassy and at the UN in New York, and completed a course at the Swedish National Cathedral College. Victoria even served in the Swedish army for a month. She achieved all this despite dyslexia, a reading disorder that was passed on to her from her father.
As a child, the princess had serious problems: her classmates laughed at the girl who had difficulty reading and spelling. But as she grew up, Victoria became convinced that this was not a curse, but an experience that needed to be shared with others. Therefore, she spoke about her illness at one of the Swedish conferences - to the surprise of other participants: no one expected such frankness from a high-ranking person.
Popular
“I'm not afraid to speak openly about my problem. For some it may seem insignificant, but it is not so. Because of the constant ridicule, I considered myself stupid and slow to think, but the support of my family saved me,” Victoria opens up on BBC Online.
Victoria did not hide her story with an eating disorder from the public. Even while studying at Yale, Swedish journalists suspected the girl of being too thin. The royal family laid all their cards on the table and admitted that the young heiress does indeed suffer from anorexia. The shocking confession was met with emotion, because it turned out that the powerful of the world are faced with the same questions that torment their subordinates. The ratings of the Swedish monarchs increased, and the paparazzi left Victoria for a while, giving her a time-out for 18 months - that’s how long the princess was treated for the disorder.
Having coped with the disorder, the princess began dating former classmate Daniel Collert. The press liked to discuss the possibility of their magnificent wedding, but Victoria's family was not delighted with the choice of the heiress: there were clearly not enough royals in his pedigree. And soon their romance fizzled out.
Victoria soon found happiness in the arms of another Daniel, Westling, the owner of the fitness club where the princess worked out. For the sake of love, Victoria was ready to give up the throne. For several years, the lovers waited for approval from the Prime Minister, who finally made concessions, allowing the princess to tie the knot with a mere mortal without losing her title. The celebration in 2010 in Stockholm received the title of “the largest royal wedding in Europe,” until the British William and Kate took over the palm. And in 2012, 34-year-old Victoria gave Sweden a new heir - Duchess Estelle.
Fotobank/Getty Images
Along with caring for the child, the princess did not forget about her charitable mission, traveling to dozens of countries for humanitarian purposes and being a member of the Council of the International Paralympic Committee.
The moved residents of Sweden called their era “the time of queens” in honor of the crown princess and her daughter, and 59% of the population said they wanted the king to leave the throne early and give it to Victoria.
Despite the people's love, the royal family was always under attack: Victoria and Daniel were accused of corruption with billionaire Bertil Hult (he was the one who paid for the newlyweds' honeymoon), they were accused of non-existent novels and even accused of not following traditions. The strongest blow came in 2011, when the book “Carl Gustav - the Reluctant Monarch” was published, which told about the turbulent youth of the king, who knew no limits either in alcohol or in girls.
Daniel Westling and Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden
An ancient popular expression says: “What is permitted to Jupiter is not permitted to the bull.” And we alternately find ourselves - due to gender, age, position in society and the like - either in the place of Jupiter, who is “allowed”, or in the place of the bull, who is “not allowed”. So if crown princes, future kings, in our age are already allowed to marry for love, does this apply to crown princesses, future queens? For centuries, marriage “raised” a woman to the level where her husband stood, but vice versa... But times really change. And the heiress to the Swedish throne proved this by obtaining permission to marry the man she fell in love with - even if he was just her fitness trainer. It’s not all up to princes to turn Cinderellas into princesses - princesses also have the right to turn their Cinderellas into princes! And on the morning of June 19, 2010, Daniel Westling became Prince Daniel, the husband of Princess Victoria, the future queen.
And this was the first wedding of an heiress to the throne in Sweden (and in the entire long history of this monarchy, only three women ruled the country; Victoria will be the fourth). The date was chosen to be special - on the same day in 1976, the princess’s parents, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Sylvia Sommerlath, were married, and before that, two more royal weddings in Sweden took place on June 19, in 1823 and 1850.
In honor of the holiday, Stockholm was, of course, decorated with flowers, in the delicate colors of the northern summer; and not only proud orchids and luxurious roses, but also delphinium, lobelia, sweet peas and even wildflowers. The ancient cathedral, where the wedding was supposed to take place in the presence of more than a thousand guests, was also decorated.
As for the ceremony itself, discussions suddenly flared up before the wedding. Usually in Sweden the bride goes to the altar together with the groom - this is a Swedish church tradition. In addition, the transfer of a bride from father to groom is considered outdated and demeaning to a woman, who, like some kind of property, is passed on by one man to another. As a result, a compromise was finally found, and the king escorted his daughter, but not all the way to the altar.
Royal Palace in Stockholm, where the wedding banquet was held in honor of Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, and Daniel Westling
The bride's dress was deceptively simple, but not deceptively elegant - the thick silk satin held its shape perfectly, so the lines of the dress were very clear, as if drawn. A corsage with a very wide belt made of the same fabric, emphasizing the feminine figure of the bride; a lapel neckline that reveals beautiful shoulders and short plain sleeves that are barely visible; only a slightly flared skirt, virtually no folds. No embroidery, no lace - simple but perfect lines.
The day before the wedding, at a formal dinner, Victoria wore a cream sparkling dress with a long train, which Daniel carefully straightened as his bride stepped onto the red carpet. But the train of the wedding dress was much longer - almost five and a half meters of the same thick satin went from the waist, fell along the skirt and stretched behind, creating a very elegant silhouette.
On the crown princess's head was not a diamond tiara, as is most often the case at a wedding of this level, but a tiara decorated with pearls and cameos. It is believed that in 1809 Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte presented this tiara to his first wife Josephine, and she gave it to the daughter of her son, Eugenie de Beauharnais - the younger Josephine, the namesake of her famous grandmother, in 1823 became the wife of the future King of Sweden Oscar I. So the tiara fell into the Swedish royal family and was used several times during weddings - it was in this tiara that Princesses Desiree and Birgitta, sisters of the current King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf, got married; Sylvia, his wife, now queen; and then, finally, their daughter, Princess Victoria. And the luxury of the tiara - gold, pearls, cameos - contrasted perfectly with Victoria’s strict outfit (the bride’s bracelet also consisted of cameos connected by pearl threads, and the diamond earrings were decorated with cameos). As for the elegant lace veil, it once belonged to Sofia, the wife of King Oscar II, and has also seen many royal weddings.
Among the eight little bridesmaids were two not just princesses, but the eldest daughters of the heirs to the throne, that is, in turn, future queens: Katharina Amalie of the Netherlands, Ingrid Alexandra of Norway. Women have ruled and will continue to rule!
Next to the altar, again according to tradition, there were tables on which rested the regalia of the Swedish monarchy - the crown of the heir to the Swedish throne and the crown of Prince William - and the insignia of the Order of the Seraphim, the highest order of Sweden.
The newlyweds left the cathedral “through the gauntlet” under crossed swords. An open, horse-drawn carriage was waiting for them, and, greeted by joyful spectators, they went... no, not straight to the palace, but to the harbor. There, at the pier, a gilded royal longboat with eighteen oarsmen was waiting for them. Victoria and Daniel stood at the stern, and the ship moved to the pier at the palace to greetings from land, water and even air (an air parade of 16 fighter planes).
In the evening, a wedding banquet took place at the Royal Palace of Stockholm. The huge cake was decorated with roses and caramel lilies, and its sides were decorated with a four-leaf clover pattern. It symbolized a newlywed couple, but let's not forget that finding a four-leaf clover is lucky!
What do you remember about this wedding, one of many luxurious, including royal, weddings in recent years? Probably because few brides shone on their day as much as Victoria. She really literally beamed with happiness - so much so that it was simply impossible not to notice it. And even if someone who did not know the story of Victoria and Daniel saw the princess that day for the first time, he would have no doubt - this is a marriage of love, of great love.
And her husband at the wedding banquet said:
“Crown Princess Victoria, Princess of Sweden, the princess of my heart.
Nine years ago I had the honor of meeting a young woman with an amazing sense of humor, a strong sense of duty and extremely wise. We became friends. And the more I got to know her, the more irresistibly I was drawn to her. These were the best years of my life.
There were times when Victoria's official duties separated us, often sending her to distant countries, to distant continents. I will never forget how a few years ago she went on one of many such trips, this time to China.
We had to spend a whole month apart. The evening before her departure, she returned home late after an official event and had a lot to do before the intense month-long program that awaited her. Instead of getting a good night's sleep, she wrote all night. In the morning, when she left, I found the box. And in it are thirty wonderful letters addressed to me. A letter for every day while she is away.
This romantic gesture, Victoria, is all you. It gives you an idea of how you know how to love.
Once upon a time, at the beginning of a fairy tale, one young man was, although not a frog, as in the story first told by the Brothers Grimm, but certainly not a prince. And the first kiss didn't change that.
His transformation would not have been possible without the support of the wise king and queen, who ruled the kingdom for many years and who had wisdom, experience and kind hearts. They knew what was best and gently guided the young couple, generously sharing their valuable experience.
I am extremely grateful to Your Majesties, the King and Queen, for your heartfelt support and for the way you have accepted me into your family. And now, naturally, my thoughts turn to my own family. To my father and mother, my sister and her daughters.
Mother, father, all my childhood, all my adult life, you gave me your unconditional love. You helped me with your wisdom, and your life values guided me and helped me gain self-esteem and confidence in the future.
Today, as we drove through the streets of Stockholm, people greeted us with joy and warmth. This memory will stay with us forever.
In the years that Victoria and I spent together, I felt the support of a huge number of people I met along the way. This support was incredibly important to me. Thank you.
I have the deepest respect for the responsibilities that will soon be assigned to me. There is no doubt that this will be a serious test. I will do my best to live up to expectations. I will make every effort to support my wife, the Crown Princess of Sweden, in her important mission.
My dear Victoria, I am so proud of what we have. I'm so happy to be your husband. And I will do my best to keep you as happy as you are today.
Victoria, there is nothing higher than love. I love you so much".
Yes, in ordinary life a kiss cannot turn a frog into a prince. But mutual love, long-term work on oneself, and support from loved ones (and distant ones) can accomplish such miracles that make fairy-tale miracles pale next to them.
From the book 100 great architects author Samin DmitryMATTHEUS DANIEL PÖPPELMANN (1662-1736) The most striking stage in the development of Dresden architecture dates back to the first half of the 18th century. It was then that ensembles were formed that still make up the beauty and glory of the city. “At the very height of its splendor, sparkling Dresden,”
From the book Great Soviet Encyclopedia (DA) by the author TSB From the book Great Soviet Encyclopedia (KA) by the author TSBKarl (in Sweden) Karl (Karl). In Sweden. The most significant: K. VIII Knutsson Bonde (1409-1470), king in 1448-70 (with interruptions). From a wealthy noble family. During the popular uprising against the dates. domination (1434-36) was elected one of the rulers of the Swedish state, and after
From the book of Aphorisms author Ermishin OlegDaniel-François Aubert (1782-1871) composer Where equality ends, there cannot be
From the book Grammar of Film Language by Arizhon DanielDaniel Arizhon Grammar of film language (abstract) CHAPTER 1 This essay on the “Grammar of film language” by Daniel Arizhon is an educational and methodological manual for directors, cameramen, editors and all those who strive to improve their professional level in
From the book Dictionary of Modern Quotes authorDANIEL Julius Markovich (1925-1988), writer 10 Day of Open Murders. “Moscow Speaks” (1962), ch. I “In connection with the growing prosperity... to meet the wishes of the broad masses of working people... to declare Sunday August 10, 1960 as Open Day
From the book 100 Great Books author Demin Valery Nikitich58. DANIEL DEFOE “ROBINSON CRUSOE” The novel about the adventures of Robinson is an absolutely amazing book. Everyone who has once touched it (and there are practically no such people who have not touched it) has in their memory not only the stunning, unique DANIEL YULIY MARKOVICH Yuliy Markovich Daniel (1925–1988). Russian writer, poet. He was convicted of distributing anti-Soviet works; the trial of Yu. Daniel and A. Sinyavsky became the most famous political trial in the Soviet Union in the 60–70s. Author of collections
From the book Popular History - from electricity to television author Kuchin Vladimir1836 Daniel In 1836, the self-taught English chemist John Frederick Daniel (1790–1845) proposed a successful design for an electric battery, which was called the “Daniel cell”. Daniel's element had two vessels and two liquids: the outer one contained acidified water and zinc
From the book Big Dictionary of Quotes and Catchphrases author Dushenko Konstantin VasilievichDANIEL, Yuliy Markovich (1925–1988), writer 23 Day of open murders. “Moscow Speaks” (published abroad in 1962 under the pseudonym Nikolai Arzhak), ch. 1 “In connection with the growing prosperity ... to meet the wishes of the broad masses of working people ... to declare Sunday August 10, 1960
38-year-old Victoria, as befits a future monarch, wants to be closer to her subjects. The Crown Princess shared sweet photos of her 4-year-old daughter and newborn son. Touching photos appeared on the Swedish royal court's Facebook page.
Caring mother
The official photo shoot took place at Haga Castle, under the direction of famous photographer Keith Gabor. In the photo, the Crown Princess of Sweden, who became a mother for the second time on March 2, cuddles her treasure, three-week-old Prince Oscar. The baby, who was recently born, has already become a public favorite.
Commenting on the photo, Victoria thanked everyone for the good wishes they received the day before on Princess Estelle's birthday, as well as for the congratulations on the birth of Prince Oscar. The future queen added that she and her husband are grateful that ordinary Swedes share their worries and joys.
Read also- The Royal Palace of Sweden has published new portraits of Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar
- The Royal Family of Sweden unveils a new official portrait of Crown Princess Victoria
Big sister
According to users, the most touching was the shot in which Princess Estelle, who will take the throne after her mother, carefully holds her little brother in her arms, who is sleeping sweetly in his native arms. The girl, looking at Prince Oscar, smiles at him, it is obvious that she has managed to fall in love with him and feels responsible for the baby. The author of this touching photo was the children's father, Prince Daniel.
 |
 |
 |
Loading...
