Well after 7 years together and almost as many years of speculation and drama from the media's side, they are engaged - 31 year old Crown Princess Victoria and her 35 year old former gym instructor Daniel Westling.There is plenty of media coverage about them so I won't write too much - read Sweden's English newspaper The Local for more coverage.
Watch this interview/announcement/press release and you will see how she glows, and he, although nervous, is clearly happy to make the announcement. The couple now have both the King and the Government's permission (can you imagine?) and can live more openly than they have in their years together - even if they will always need to be guarded.
Swede's love their Royal Family, and they love their Crown Princess. While a republican movement exists and there are those who question the rights, purpose and privileges of this family, there is relatively little discussion about Sweden becoming a republic - and all for good reason. Unlike their many of their European cousins the Swedish Royals have managed to stay out of trouble, and instead represent Sweden with dignity, warmth and respect. They bring focus to important issues, both at home and abroad, and they have been proclaimed to be a modern monarchy in many ways. The change to the law of inheritance from first son to first child and now the engagement between the Crown Princess and a man of the people are just two examples, albeit important ones.
The newly-engaged couple presented themselves well during the press release, talking of how their friendship grew to love and how secure Victoria feels with Daniel by her side.
Daniel in turn said " it is with joy that we look forward to our life together. A life, that for me, will to a large part be about supporting the Crown Princess in her important assignments for Sweden. And then I hope that I can earn the Swedish people's confidence."
Plans will now start for their future together including a wedding to be held in the spring of 2010 and the starting of a family.
Watch this (Swedish) announcement with the King and Queen of Sweden. In times of economic trouble this might just be a welcomed relief - a romantic journey for Sweden's gracious and humble Princess. A princess of the people, a princess of the forest, a princess who deserves every happiness that this marriage will hopefully bring her.
More quotes from Daniel "...in time I also hope to be able to contribute in different ways, to serve Sweden, health and entrepreneurship are issues that are important to me. As the Princess's husband, there will be a lot of demands placed on me. I am aware of that and I will do all I can to live up to those expectations. I know that confidence/respect is not something that is given, it is worked for and I will do all that I can to earn the Swedish people's confidence/respect."
"Metro, DN1, DN2, DN Blogger reactions, TV4, SvD1, SvD2, SvD3
In English Reuters1, Reuters2, Reuters3, Yahoo, The Local1, The Local2, The Local3
The Local - A Boost for the Monarchy
This is wonderful. I wish for the couple and the country the best they have to give.
ReplyDeleteHi- It's really cool your living in Sweden for a while. I lived there for a year in 1978, and learned to speak Swedish fluently, which I still do. I don't know if the Lord is ever going to send me back, but if He does, I'll be ready! I fell in love with Sweden...
ReplyDeleteJean
Hello-I am fascinated by the engagement of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden to Daniel Westling. I was born in Stockholm and my mother is Swedish and lives there now. I reside in Phoenix, AZ and I was just in Stockholm a week ago to visit my mother. When I came back to the US, I watched and listened over and over again to the engagement announcement that was released in February 2010 on UTube. I loved not only hearing the lovely Princess speak of her relationship with Daniel and how their well grounded friendship grew into love, but also to their responses to the press corp during the interview and to hear the Princess say that they both needed time to get to know each other "very very well". I loved hearing Daniel speak lovingly of the Princess at the press conference and enjoyed watching Princess Victoria look at Daniel. To watch her body language during the press conference speaks volumes on how much in love she is with her Daniel. I am very excited about this royal wedding in Stockholm on June 19 and plan to read more about it as the date approaches. I wish it were televised. Swedish was my first language and I have always been a "royal watcher". This royal couple has me completely enraptured!!! I love the real thing when I see it and I am absolutely sure that Princess Victoria and Daniel will be very happy together as they have been a couple for so many years. I also think that the couple was gracious to thank the Swedish people and the Swedish media for their considerate treatment of them as a couple. I enjoyed hearing Princess Victoria speak of Daniel's warm family. In my opinion, their love has remained steadfast and she has suffered a great deal to attain her true love. I just want to say that for me it is a real treat for me to watch them on UTube ! I am a true romantic.
ReplyDeleteWow! A GENUINE, unscandalized Royal Romance! I wish the Royal Couple, (and their families -- on both sides!), all the happiness anyone can!
ReplyDeleteDaniel seems SO handsome, aware, alert, intelligent -- no wonder the Princess fell in love with him! The Princess herself seems an amazingly intelligent, aware, and quite balanced individual....she knows her position, but, (just like Queen Elizabeth II -- who is one of my idols...and I suspect one of Crown Princess Victoria's as well), she has one foot firmly in the 14th century, and one foot just as firmly in the 21st century. Sweden seems to have it all-- a great climate, (especially during global warming!), "green-centred" use of energy, a marvelous lifestyle.....and now, the most romantic Royal couple in the world! I am sure that they, (and probably all other Swedish people), will quite definitely, and very happily, truly live "happily ever after"!
(( P.S.: I hope the Royal Wedding will be broadcast in the USA where I live....and/or put onto YouTube for people to watch....for years to come! { :) [: )8 <Royal Bride and Groom Smilies!