Crown Princess Victoria, Fiance, Parents, Speak to Sweden Regarding Engagement

After years of speculations, the Swedish royal court finally announced the engagement of Crown Princess Victoria to gym-owner Daniel Westling.

The official announcement was not only done by a simple press release, but a statement to Sweden, and the world, via online video.

Sitting with his wife, his daughter and heir, and future son-in-law, King Carl XVI Gustaf gave the news Swedes everywhere have been waiting for.

“Dear Swedes, at home and abroad. Yes, this is how I tend to begin my speeches on radio and TV when there is something I wish to convey. And, as you may have guessed, there is something very special I would like to convey: namely, the public announcement today of the engagement of Crown Princess Victoria and Mr Daniel Westling.”

Exchanging glances and smiles, Victoria and Daniel listened as the King, and also Queen Silvia, spoke about how well the future Duke of Vastergotland is suited to be both husband and prince consort to the future Queen of Sweden. The royal and proud parents also told Victoria how much they supported her decision to marry Westling.

In addition, Daniel spoke to the Swedish people for the first time, saying “It is my task to act as a support for the Crown Princess and the important work she does for Sweden.”

Crown Princess Victoria assured her future subjects, telling them, “With Daniel by my side I feel secure.”

She also told about how the proposal went.

“It was a beautiful day out at Drottningholm, in the outdoors — that was all that I wanted.”

Daniel also explained how it went. He admitted he went down on one knee, and also confessed that he was “a little nervous of course, and I was hoping for a ‘yes’ but I wasn’t entirely sure.”

The royal wedding will take place early summer of 2010. That year will include the bicentennial celebrations of the House of Bernadotte.

Victoria and Daniel met in 2002, after Princess Madeleine was said to have introduced the two by encouraging her sister to go to one of Daniel’s gyms.

Rumors of a wedding have been rampant. Last year, they particularly escalated when Daniel moved into the royal palace.

Though there had been hopes for the pair to marry, many voiced disapproval for the future Queen to marry a gym owner/fitness trainer. There was talks that he didn’t make good speeches, or even spoke well enough English. There were even rumors that even the Swedish King did not like his eldest child’s love.

But today, Daniel Westling showed the Swedish people that he does indeed speak well. He also displayed the approval of the King and Queen, and more importantly, his love for Sweden’s future Queen.

Filed under Sweden
Tagged Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, Engagement, Press Conference, Prince Daniel of Sweden, Queen Silvia of Sweden.

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