Victoria And Daniel W. - Current Events, Part 3 (July 2005-May 2006)

[Lena]

I guess you are right with saying, that the young Bernadottes with their loooong relationships got a bit boring...and I would say there´s no doubt, that the Swedish press is lazy...but this can´t be the only explanation

-We have seen Paparazzi pics of Daniel in the past half year

-Ppl telling on the net, that they have spotted Daniel never mention Victoria

-Victoria had so much spare time this spring

-If it´s true, that Madeleine was in Båstad as well, it would be even more strange, that Victoria didn´t go with him (Ok, this trip must have been a lot about promotion for his gym...but still)

Well, maybe they are a couple, who needs a lot of freedom and space for individual development...but then maybe their future of being the crown princely couple of Sweden could mean a tough time for them. I mean, it´s not that she will work as...let´s say...dentist and he as an...let´s say architekt...and they will just meet for dinner every second day

[GrandDuchess]

Here is my translation of today's column from TV4's "Kändis" (celebrity) editor Daniel Nyhlén about Daniel Westling. Make of it what you want, but I thought it was quite funny to read in Swedish, after all the attention and partly good media coverage Westling has received from the media for a short while - and now they get tough with him again.


Picture by Hot Gossip via TV4.

Poor little Daniel....

I met Crown Princess Victoria's boyfriend Daniel Westling here in Båstad. Dressed in an exclusive piqué shirt by Ralph Lauren (yes he must be sponsored), Westling glided around like a king to and from the centre court.

Daniel is here to try and advertise his fiasko gym Balance with Axa. Earlier, Daniel have often said 'hello', but now he didn't exactly look cheerful when he discovered whom he had to pass by. I understand why.

When Kändis last week reveled that Daniel has a crisis in his gym business, Expressen followed. A week later, today, Aftonbladet has a whole page about the matter were the information is confirmed again.

Sure, it can't be fun to see your life's work turn into a fiasko and then be forced to read the media's reports about it. But. Daniel has to both understand and accept that part. And this without becoming a geek without manners.

I, who have the last few weeks commended Daniel in the press for his "new" and nice way to meet the media, was surprised of what I got to see here in Båstad.

It was ridiculing.

Westling was back on square one again. He smiled and tried to look unaffected, but in the same second as my journalist colleagues got near, he turned crossways. He showed no understanding whatsoever for the media's interest. No pictures and no questions answered. Nada.

In a cocky and nouveau riche way, he then strolled off to shake hands with "more important" people. I didn't even bother to walk forward to him.

Instead I crassly ascerted that Daniel Westling has obvious problems for his future role as Crown Princess Victoria's husband. I have said it before, but it stands to be repeated: to live the life that the Royal Family does, you have to be a player. A guy who likes to be in the limelight, preferably with a portion of self irony. A man who can cope media in both relaxed and pressed situations. A person who doesn't take the media's reports as a thread, but as a given you have to teach yourself to live with.

Daniel has none of the attributes above. The Royal Court can media drill him in absurdum, but it will never go really well. I Båstad, Westling has certainly managed to achieve giving the rehearsed phrase:
- Thank you I don't sign autographs, but thank you for asking.

But oh my how hard he thought it was.

Daniel tries to play nice when he meets the media. In a strain way, he can answer questions and try to come out like a sympathetic guy. But it doesn't work. Daniel is a lousy actor who despise the press corps that the Royal Family are forced to meet throughout life.

http://www.tv4.se/kandis/476830.html

[Danielle]

Maybe he might not like the media, but to ignore them like that is rude. He does seem a little cocky though, even just looking at the photo above. Maybe it's just the smile and the greased-up hair. I don't know, but I think I've changed my opinion about him. I thought that as long as he loved Victoria, and she loved him, everything would work out. But I was wrong. He has to learn to get used to media scrutiny, and if he does this sort of thing (i.e. ignoring them in a rude way), he's just going to get media-bashed more.

[Lena]

Two more from Båstad. At least he stood up for some pics...it though looks as if he would pose for a school pic and hopes to get fast back to the school yard, where the other children play. :p Nonetheless I think these are nicer than the other ones from Båstad. And maybe it´s just me...but doesn´t he look less "bulky" than some months/years ago?
The pics are from AP

Thank you so much for the translation, GrandDuchess :)

[Toledo]

From what I have read so far in the Sweden thread seems that Daniel's main problem centers on, or around, one particular detail: the behind closed doors rejection from Victoria's father (or maybe both parents?) for the Crown Princess of Sweden to be dating a commoner, and not just any commoner but him in particular. Daniel, regardless of what he does, seems to be the person holding the short end of the stick in this difficult relationship that seems to be caught in a loop. Not only she is the first person that will inherit the Crown under the new laws of absolute primogeniture (the oldest child regardless of gender inherits) but she is also a female Heir, so the expectations toward whom she can marry seems to have more weight than the ones her very own father encountered when he married Sylvia.

In summary, is not easy being Daniel Westling, Mr Crown Princess Victoria Bernadotte.

I have this suspicion that their romance will end much like her best buddy/cousin, Prince Felipe of Spain, ended his long affair with model Eva Sanum. One public declaration from the Palace and give it a few months for Victoria to find (or to be moved to find) another candidate and a fast wedding.

Too bad that Luis Alfonso de Borbon is already married to someone else, the nice guys are always taken.

PS. This post is # 997 but is actually my 1000. Something happened to a couple of old posts that made my post count go Gregorian Calendar on me :p

[Avalon]

Originally Posted by Toledo

From what I have read so far in the Sweden thread seems that Daniel's main problem centers on, or around, one particular detail: the behind closed doors rejection from Victoria's father (or maybe both parents?) for the Crown Princess of Sweden to be dating a commoner, and not just any commoner but him in particular. Daniel, regardless of what he does, seems to be the person holding the short end of the stick in this difficult relationship that seems to be caught in a loop. Not only she is the first person that will inherit the Crown under the new laws of absolute primogeniture (the oldest child regardless of gender inherits) but she is also a female Heir, so the expectations toward whom she can marry seems to have more weight than the ones her very own father encountered when he married Sylvia.

In summary, is not easy being Daniel Westling, Mr Crown Princess Victoria Bernadotte.

I think you got it absolutely right, Toledo. I don't know whether the King opposes the possible marriage but the expectations of the duture husband of the future Queen are very high, and some people might think that Daniel is not up to them
For me, whatever makes Victoria happy is ok.

[GrandDuchess]

This thread has come to its 10 pages now, so it’s time to start up a new one. A big thanks to everyone who has participated in this one, I hope to see you all over in the next one!

The new thread, Crown Princess Victoria & Daniel Westling - Current Events Part 4 can be found here.