Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling were married on June 19, 2010, in a magnificent ceremony in Stockholm.
Photo: Anders Wiklund/Scanpix
The wedding between Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling was held in historic Storkyrkan, the cathedral of Stockholm. The international press and prominent guests from all across the globe were there, and thousands of people assembled outside the church and along the procession route to offer their congratulations.
The celebration lasted three days. On the first day, younger members of the world’s royal families gathered for the festivities; on the second day, the Swedish Parliament and Government hosted a party; and on the third day the actual wedding took place. In conjunction with the wedding, Daniel Westling was given the title H.R.H. Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland.
It was not happenstance that Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel chose to get married on June 19. That is the same date Sweden’s current king, Carl XVI Gustaf, married Queen Silvia in 1976.
The king, Carl XVI Gustaf, is the seventh monarch of the House of Bernadotte. He was born on April 30, 1946, the fifth child and only son of Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf and Princess Sibylla of Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha. The crown prince died in an air crash in Denmark the following year.
At the age of four, Carl Gustaf became crown prince of Sweden when his great-grandfather Gustaf V died and was succeeded by the then 68-year-old Gustaf VI Adolf, the crown prince’s grandfather. Gustaf Adolf died after serving as monarch for 23 years, and the 27-year-old crown prince became King Carl XVI Gustaf in 1973. His motto is “For Sweden – with the times.”
It went click
In 1972, the crown prince met his German- Brazilian future wife, Silvia Sommerlath, who was born in 1943 in Germany. They met in Munich during the Olympic Games, where Silvia was chief hostess. It “just went click,” the royal couple noted in an interview after their engagement in 1976.
A queen in step with the times
Queen Silvia is a trained interpreter without either royal or noble origins, and is the first Swedish queen to have had a professional career. She has modernized the position of queen so that it is in step with the times and has pursued a strong commitment to social issues. The king and queen have three children: Crown Princess Victoria Ingrid Alice Désirée, Duchess of Västergötland, born on July 14, 1977; Prince Carl Philip Edmund, Duke of Värmland, born on May 13, 1979; and Princess Madeleine Thérèse Amelie Josephine, Duchess of Hälsingland and Gästrikland, born on June 10, 1982. Since 1981 the royal family has lived in Drottningholm Palace, outside Stockholm. However, only the King and Queen live there today.
For Sweden – with the times
Sweden is one of the world’s most stable and egalitarian democracies, with a monarchy that has strong roots and public support. The monarchy, as shaped by King Carl XVI Gustaf, has been adapted to the age we live in.
The royal family: Prince Carl Philip, Crown Princess Victoria, King Carl XVI Gustaf, Queen Silvia and Princess Madeleine.
Photo: Charles Hammarsten/IBL
As head of state, the king is Sweden’s foremost unifying symbol, apolitical and without formal powers, based on the new constitution approved in 1974. The king’s duties are mainly of a ceremonial and representative nature.
King Carl Gustaf has a strong environmental commitment and is a recognized authority on environmental issues. Among other things, he has received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Award. The king is likewise deeply committed to the preservation of Sweden’s cultural heritage and considers it important, for example, that the royal palaces be open to the public in order to show their collections and parks.
An active monarch
King Carl Gustaf is an active monarch and keeps up to date on current affairs and the Swedish business sector. In addition to two or three state visits abroad each year, he takes part in international trips organized by the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences and the World Scout Foundation. Under the collective label “Royal Colloquium,” the king also organizes high-level seminars on various themes in collaboration with Swedish scientists.
Thousands of invitations
Once a week, King Carl Gustaf holds a planning meeting with the queen, the crown princess and their closest staff members. They discuss the invitations and requests to participate in events received by the king, the queen and the crown princess and decide which are most important. They make sure that their appearances are spread across Sweden. The royal family receives thousands of invitations each year.
When the king is prevented from performing his duties as head of state, for example during a trip abroad, Crown Princess Victoria or her younger siblings, Prince Carl Philip or Princess Madeleine, in that order, assume the duties of temporary regent.
Crown Princess Victoria – Sweden’s future queen
Sweden’s future monarch is well educated and knowledgeable in a range of areas. She is described as being down to earth, enthusiastic and having a sense of humor.
Crown Princess Victoria at the 2009 Nobel Banquet.
Photo: Claudio Bresciani / SCANPIX
Crown Princess Victoria is in great demand as an ambassador for successful Swedish ventures in culture, art and design, fields she enjoys herself. Her enthusiasm and knowledge make her a much-appreciated representative of Sweden. The crown princess
is approachable, hardworking and respectful of traditions.
The future monarch of Sweden has had an extensive education. Crown Princess Victoria began her formal education at local public schools, switching to a private school when she began her high school studies. She graduated in 1996 with good grades despite having dyslexia, which meant that she had to devote a great deal of time and energy to her schoolwork.
The crown princess’s studies at universities and other academic institutions constitute an important part of her education – but as heir to the throne she must continuously maintain a breadth of knowledge on social issues. Courses in individual subjects have been seen as having greater importance than a specific academic degree.
Student at Yale
After graduating from high school in the fall of 1996, the crown princess studied French for foreign students at the Université Catholique de l’Ouest in Angers, France. In 1998, the crown princess enrolled at Yale University in the United States where she studied for five semesters, taking courses in geology, history and international relations. During her
time at Yale, her interest in international issues deepened and she took private lessons in current affairs, wrote an essay on the role of the United Nations in Iraq and completed internships at the UN in New York and the Swedish Embassy in Washington, DC. As well as Swedish, she speaks English, French and German.
Later, in the spring of 2002, she continued her international studies at the Department of Peace and Conflict Research at Uppsala University, Sweden. She has studied the structure and functioning of Swedish society, partly through internships at Swedish government offices and various other institutions. For example, through a study program at the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), she visited Uganda and Ethiopia. She has also served as an intern at the offices of the Swedish Trade Council in Berlin and Paris, has undergone basic military training and has taken courses at the Swedish National Defense College in Stockholm.
Political science
Continuing studies in social science subjects have been demanding. Her course in constitutional policy included the applications and consequences of rules concerning the electoral system, parliamentary government, referendums, federalism and the court system. The crown princess has also pursued studies in political science.
Female heir to the throne
Since 1980, Sweden has had fully cognatic succession, which means that the first-born child of the monarch is heir to the throne, regardless of gender.
The royal couple with the newly born Princess Victoria in 1977.
Photo: Jan Collsiö/PRB
The job description of Sweden’s head of state is found in the constitution. The heir to the throne should be educated so as to represent Sweden in a constitutionally correct way, something Swedes appreciate. This is vital because, in order to be effective, the heir to the throne needs the support of the Swedish people. In this case, the crown princess has a model in her father, King Carl Gustaf, who has modernized the Swedish monarchy in keeping with the times. Crown Princess Victoria will become Sweden’s 70th monarch and the third female monarch in the history of the Kingdom of Sweden.
Commemorative medal and dinner service
An official commemorative medal has been created for the wedding of Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling in June. The medal, designed by sculptor Peter Linde, is available in gold, silver and bronze. On the obverse of the medal is a depiction of the couple and on the reverse their home, Haga Palace.
Photo: SPORRONG
An official dinner service has also been produced to mark the wedding. The series, developed by Gustavsberg, the Swedish porcelain maker, is decorated with a pattern inspired by an existing design from Drottningholm Palace. Proceeds from the sale of the dinner service will go to the Crown Princess Wedding Foundation, which is dedicated to fighting social exclusion and promoting good health among Swedish children and young adults.
Publisher:
Swedish Institute
Published:
June 21, 2010
Copyright:
Published by the Swedish Institute on www.sweden.se. All content is protected by Swedish copyright law. The text may be reproduced, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast in any media for non-commercial use with reference to www.sweden.se. But never photographs or illustrations.