Duc_et_Pair
Imperial Majesty
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2014
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What made them "Royal" was a made up farce. They weren't better, nicer or smarter. They were the decendants of a man with a big sword. They created a mystique. Today, you couldn't sell that, as people are educated and can read and are not afraid of the guy with the big sword.
But exactly for that reason, and for nothing else, the Bernadottes -themselves from not royal origin- created one of the strictest marriage policies, to become royal, to stay royal and to be seen as royal amongst the royals. Note that in many other monarchies, like France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, etc. there is no any formal requirement that a partner should be "fitting" someone's rank. Of course they did their best to meet the unwritten requirements. In Sweden the Bernadottes themselves wrote one of the strictest policies. That was not for nothing. They knew very well they had to marry "up" to obtain a true royal status.
Prince Oscar (1859-1953), Prince Lennart (1909-2004), Prince Sigvard (1907-2002), Prince Carl (1911-2003) and Prince Carl Johan (1916) all lost their place in the line of succession, their title Prince of Sweden and their style HRH because they did not comply to the requirements. (Princesses were not in line of succession until 1979).
It was King Carl XVI Gustaf himself who threw these requirements out of the window by marrying Ms Silvia Sommerlath. Interesting enough, by various Swedish media and royaltywatchers, is said that King Carl XVI Gustaf was against the engagement of his eldest daughter with Mr Daniel Westling. Apparently he thought that Mr Westlings origins from littletown Öckelbö, his lack of academic skills and the kind of profession (fitness and bodybuilding) were "not befitting" a spouse to the future Queen of Sweden.
Apparently Mr Westling worked himself "up" from a fitness trainer to an owner of three gyms. He also took speech- and mediatraining. According to some Swedish newspapers of the time, for an example the very serious Dagens Industri, Mr Westling failed with his gyms. In 2007, before the crisis and with the economic boom at absolute peak, and with many clients willing to train in the clubs of "Princess Victoria's lover", he made a (small) loss of 13.690 Kronen. All this did not convince the King too much. However, the King himself threw all requirements out of the window for his Olympic hostess and had no any stance against the choice of his daughter. So also the King wanted "something better" (a gentlemen of standing, maybe also a nobleman) but finally gave in, with a sour face and grumblin' teeth.
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