Engagement of Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling: February 24, 2009

[royalone3]

I too think Carl Philip should have remained crown prince.

 

[Lena]

While I am agreeing, that Carl Philip should have remained crown prince (a change for the next generation would have been much wiser for all involved), I am so glad, he isn´t. That´s so much not his piece of cake...

 

[Odette]

The paper "The Local" is reporting that the reaction to the engagement is lukewarm at best. If you look on the righthand side of the website, there is a gallery of people's "reactions" to the announcement. Papers give royal engagement a lukewarm reception - The Local

I have a question though: people have said that they "look good together". What does that mean? What are the criteria to look good together?

They have been together for so long they look like a matched set. We got used to seeing them together for so long..........JMHO However Victoria looked much happier than Daniel did.

 

[reen]

I think Daniel looked rather numb in the photos. I think the whole thing was happy but a bit surreal for him and he didn't quite know what to think of the whole thing. Victoria just glowed. All the best to them in the future. May they have many happy years together.

 

[HRHofNothing]

And Queen Elizabeth II's husband isn't called King either.

If I recall right, Prince Henrik just suddenly became The Prince Consort around 2005, so there was no automation in it. Before that, he was just referred to as "The Prince"

I think it is the case of following the modern precedent set in countries which Sweden is comparable to. Why re-invent the wheel with how Daniel is going to be addressed, when the Netherlands, Denmark and the UK have all had their heiresses being married in the generation before, and managed it without the world collapsing. (Prince Henrik's temper tantrum aside - that one had more to do with being ranked after his son in the precedence than the actual title he had.)

You have to remember that all of the Queen Regenants have been "accidental" monarchs; that is they only became monarchs because their predecessors died without leaving male heirs. Victoria is the first female heiress-apparent (all the others were heiress-presumptive) so they will learn from her situation and adress it hopefully for the next batch of heiress-apparent coming up.

 

[MARG]

You have to remember that all of the Queen Regenants have been "accidental" monarchs . . . . . .

I don't quite understand your point.

1. Elizabeth II became Heir Apparent on the Coronation of her father.

2. Had she been a male "he" too would only have become Heir Apparent on the Coronation of his father.

2. Even had her Uncle not abdicated she was still 2nd in line.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

I don't quite understand your point.

1. Elizabeth II became Heir Apparent on the Coronation of her father.

No she became heiress presumtive the title for those where the male heir is missing in a male-preferring monarchy (eg Infanta Leonor will have this title in Spain when Felipe becomes King). After all the (remote) possibliltiy remains that the monarch will father a legitimate son who would take precedence.

 

[Kotroman]

I don't quite understand your point.

1. Elizabeth II became Heir Apparent on the Coronation of her father.

No, Elizabeth became heiress presumptive (not heiress apparent) on her father's accession (not coronation).

Anyway, I still hope Daniel will be given the title of king. If they want gender equality, why should they think that the title of queen is inferior to the title of king?

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

Stuart Jeffries: Want to bag a Swedish princess? Become a personal trainer | Life and style | The Guardian

only time will tell what this development will mean for monarchies in general...

 

[Boris]

Which 'development'? Heirs to the throne, Princes and Princesses of Royal Houses including the British, and a Swedish King have been marrying commoners for decades now.
I find the 'Guardian' article rather pompous in its high airs. There's hardly anything more 'common' than the heirs to the British throne stumbling out of nightclubs in the early morning hours, which I have no recollection of seeing any member of the allegedly 'lesser' Scandinavian Royal Family ever do.
Needless to say, Mr. Westling's current occupation is not personal trainer either but business man, co-owning his five Stoxkholm gyms, but what the heck.
It's funny when British columnists perpetuate the misguided view of the Windsor dynasty being in any way superior to their counterparts on the continent.

 

[Odette]

The sad truth is that today the noble families of Europe have more "blue blood" than the royal families. In another generation we will be them and they will be us.

 

[Ccile]

New article about the wedding from Billed Bladet

Billed-Bladet - Victoria planner the wedding with Daniel's mother

 

[sgl]

Thanks for the links, Cecile76. I was wondering about the relationship between Victoria and Daniel's parents. It is very nice to hear that she is enjoying a close relationship with his mother, although, I truly wonder how much input his mother has in planning a royal wedding. I would imagine that her input is very small, considering all of the royal protocol and traditions that need to be followed.

 

[Silvia❦CarlGustaf]

here are some more articles from the two big swedish newspapers:

Victoria och svärmor planerade bröllopet - Förlovningen - Expressen.se

På stan – som vanligt folk | Victoria gifter sig | Nyheter | Aftonbladet

 

[HRHofNothing]

Which 'development'? Needless to say, Mr. Westling's current occupation is not personal trainer either but business man, co-owning his five Stoxkholm gyms, but what the heck.

The article was snobbish but Daniel is a personal trainer. Please don't tell me that you think he would have found investors for his business had not it been for his realtionship with Victoria. He has used his relationship for spectacular business advantage and there are still some who believe this Royal Marriage is nothing but a long term business stratergy for him,

 

[Ccile]

Yesterday morning they had breakfast with Daniel's parents in their hostel near Stockholm (photos ANP)

Hebergement gratuit d'images, heberger vos photos pour forum, msn et site sur casimages
Hebergement gratuit d'images, heberger vos photos pour forum, msn et site sur casimages

 

[lilnana]

although, I truly wonder how much input his mother has in planning a royal wedding. I would imagine that her input is very small, considering all of the royal protocol and traditions that need to be followed.

I think what would be more telling is what Daniel's mothers input is in comparison to the Queens own input as the 'mother of the bride'.

 

[jinigirl]

Yesterday morning they had breakfast with Daniel's parents in their hostel near Stockholm (photos ANP)

Hebergement gratuit d'images, heberger vos photos pour forum, msn et site sur casimages
Hebergement gratuit d'images, heberger vos photos pour forum, msn et site sur casimages

Eeehm.... Drottningholm has 300??? rooms, Victoria lives in a Villa with lots of rooms at the estate and Daniel has a small house at Drottningholm estate as well, but
his family has to stay at a hotel?!?

 

[Ccile]

Eeehm.... Drottningholm has 300??? rooms, Victoria lives in a Villa with lots of rooms at the estate and Daniel has a small house at Drottningholm estate as well, but
his family has to stay at a hotel?!?

According the article of expressen, the parents stay in that hotel because it's owned by one the daniel's best friend. They prefer to stay here than in the castle.

 

[Boris]

Drottningholm Palace indeed has close to 300 rooms, Stockholm Palace has around 600 rooms (it used to be Europe's largest permanently lived-in Palace until the Royal Family moved to Drottningholm in 1982), but Victoria's apartment in an annexe consists of only two rooms, and the house on the estate rented by Daniel Westling is also very small - both of them just transitory places, obviously.
I think it's completely understandable that for reasons of privacy and comfort, the parents of Daniel and his sister stayed at a hotel owned by a friend.

 

[Jacknch]

Which 'development'? Heirs to the throne, Princes and Princesses of Royal Houses including the British, and a Swedish King have been marrying commoners for decades now.
I find the 'Guardian' article rather pompous in its high airs. There's hardly anything more 'common' than the heirs to the British throne stumbling out of nightclubs in the early morning hours, which I have no recollection of seeing any member of the allegedly 'lesser' Scandinavian Royal Family ever do.
Needless to say, Mr. Westling's current occupation is not personal trainer either but business man, co-owning his five Stoxkholm gyms, but what the heck.
It's funny when British columnists perpetuate the misguided view of the Windsor dynasty being in any way superior to their counterparts on the continent.

I agree completely with what you have said here Boris. The Guardian does come out with these tabloid pieces of rubbish sometimes and the journalist in this particular piece clearly hasn't done his research properly and is therefore not a properly qualified or experienced journalist. Unfortunately, most British newspapers appear to be anti-monarchy and not only look down upon the British royal family but other royal families too. I would have more respect for their points of view if the just came out openly with their desire for world-wide republicanism rather than write cheap jokes. One of the reasons I became interested in European royals (and laterly royalty around the world) was because of the common behaviour of the British royal family. I wanted to see if all royalty acted like this and found to my relief that the Scandinavian royals in particular carry out there business a little more seriously than some of the British!

 

[LadyFinn]

Princess Desirée (2nd L) and baron Niclas Silfverschiöld (4th L) arrive to the engagement party for Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling at the Drottningholm castle, on Friday evening
ANP Beeldbank
Daniel Westling's sister Anna and parents Eva and Olle arriving
ANP Beeldbank
Crown Princess Victorias friend Caroline Kreuger arriving to the party for friends, on Saturday
ANP Beeldbank
Daniel Westling leaves the Stallmästargården hotel after eating breakfast with crown princess Victoria, and his parents
ANP Beeldbank

Hola!/LA CENA DE COMPROMISO DE LA PRINCESA VICTORIA Y SU PROMETIDO, DANIEL WESTLING, Y SU PRIMERA SALIDA JUNTOS TRAS EL ANUNCIO DE BODA

 

[Silvia❦CarlGustaf]

Here are some pics of the couple while enjoying a walk in the sourroundings of Drottningholm. I think they look very happy.

ANP Beeldbank
ANP Beeldbank
ANP Beeldbank
ANP Beeldbank
ANP Beeldbank
ANP Beeldbank
ANP Beeldbank

 

[laduchesse]

I'm very happy to hear CP Victoria and Daniel are engaged. It's unfortunate there are some people who think he isn't good enough because he is a personal trainer. I have a lot of respect for people who start and operate their own businesses. Daniel's success as a young entrepreneur is a remarkable achievement. Micro- and small businesses are at the heart of most economies, and retail and service businesses have a higher failure rate than other industries. Not only that but being there are additional challenges faced by young entrepreneurs given their lack of experience, credit history, etc. I think it is irrelevant whether or not his status helped him get investors. He still had to put a lot of work to start, sustain, and grow his businesses. It takes a lot of hard work to run a business and I think the fact he has become a successful entrepreneur is a testament to his character, although I recognize other factors also contribute to business success. I think he will be a positive addition to the royal family.

 

[el-khanz]

Congratulations to CP Victoria and Mr. Westling...

 

[Furienna]

I'm very happy to hear CP Victoria and Daniel are engaged. It's unfortunate there are some people who think he isn't good enough because he is a personal trainer. I have a lot of respect for people who start and operate their own businesses. Daniel's success as a young entrepreneur is a remarkable achievement. Micro- and small businesses are at the heart of most economies, and retail and service businesses have a higher failure rate than other industries. Not only that but being there are additional challenges faced by young entrepreneurs given their lack of experience, credit history, etc. I think it is irrelevant whether or not his status helped him get investors. He still had to put a lot of work to start, sustain, and grow his businesses. It takes a lot of hard work to run a business and I think the fact he has become a successful entrepreneur is a testament to his character, although I recognize other factors also contribute to business success. I think he will be a positive addition to the royal family.

I have nothing against Daniel at all. I think most of us already accepted him, when they only were dating. I for one was only waiting for them to finally take the next step, and I'm so glad, that they've finally gotten engaged now.

 

[Soli Deo Gloria]

In my local newspaper today: a picture of Hans Åström in a ermine cloak and with a crown on his head. Its an old picture because Hans Åström is retired now, but back in a few years he was called "the king of bandy" "The king of Sävstaås". Thats the reason to the picture.
Hans Åström is a famous bandy player (sports on ice), star of Bollnäs GIF (Sävstaås is BGIFs home ground) BIG in this part of the world (Hälsingland) AND he is a cousin of Daniel Westling... and the day the newspaper wrote about the engagement between the crown princess and mr Westling, they also had a word w Hans Åström... and he said (whit I suppose ) "We alredy have a king in the family, its about time we get a prince too...."

 

[Jo of Palatine]

I think he will be a positive addition to the royal family.

The way to live as a Royal has changed so much during the last century and so Royals, especially those who reign or will reign have different needs when it comes to their spouses than their ancestors. Edward VII. and his wife Alexandra of Denmark in 1909 could arrange themselves within their marriage without the intrusion of the media, without the need of the public of knowledge of their private life. Victoria of Sweden in 2009 lives a completely different life, so she does not need a prince for securing her bloodline but a real husband who is there for her, supports her and makes her life bearable on sharing the better and the worse things with her. In their interveiw she said that it was not love at first sight - which is good. So it wasn't the strong emotions that propelled them together but the love slowly growing out of freindship and the experience that one can rely on the other. For years both obviously found that they get what they really need from the other and that opened up their way towards the oath of "For better and for worse". And once Victoria and Daniel found this love based in friendship and trust, it didn't matter anymore that she is the future queen and he was once her fitness trainer. They are now an item and that's what the throne needs in the next generation and what Sweden needs. IMHO, of course.

 

[Ccile]

Thanks for those new pics!!!
They seem to be very happy together!!!

 

[biboquinhas]

Gosh two bodyguards and so near them??Why is that really necessary!!!
I found Crown Princes Victoria dress so old fashion for the ocassion!!! Very conservative and I know she is a very conservative person but she should dress a little bit more in fashion and modern!!! Congratulations to them they should be very happy!!!!