Sweden has just had what has probably been the biggest royal wedding in Europe since Charles and Diana married in 1981.
More than 1000 guests, include royalty from across the world, gathered at Stockholm Cathedral to see Crown Princess Victoria, the daughter of King Carl XVI Gustaf, marry her former personal trainer Daniel Westling. He will take the title HRH Prince Daniel, Duke of Vastergotland. Victoria his heir to the Throne.
Thousands of well-wishers lined the capital's streets to see the wedding.
In fairytale scenes that can only be witnessed in a constitutional monarchy, Swedish national flags and 40,000 roses, carnations, lilies and hydrangeas have been used to decorate the streets.
After the wedding, a royal barge then took them across Stockholm's picturesque harbour to the Royal Palace, where the Crown Princess's parents, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, hosted a wedding banquet.
The Swedish media were annoyed that several British royals missed the event. The Queen and Prince Philip never attended but were represented by Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex. Princes William have Harry have been visiting Harry's Sentebale charity in Botswana, before going to neighbouring South Africa to follow England's World Cup campaign.
Amongst the royals who attended the ceremony are Luxembourg's Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, Prince Albert of Monaco and Prince Alois, the heir to the throne of Liechtenstein.
There are also those in Britain who are wishing that Crown Princess Victoria had married Prince William and becoming a future British queen.
Sweden, which is twice the size of Britain but with a population of just 9 million, has been a monarchy since prehistoric times. As early as the 1st century, the Roman historian Tacitus wrote that the Suiones, the founders of Sweden, had a king.
The king has been on the Throne since 1973.
Sweden's fairytale royal wedding
The Swedish Crown Princess Victoria has tied the knot with Daniel Westling, her former personal trainer, in the country's long-awaited royal wedding.
By Nick Squires
19 Jun 2010
The Telegraph
Swedish Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling during their wedding ceremony in Stockholm's Storkyrkan cathedral, in Stockholm, Sweden Photo: EPA
More than 1,000 guests, including royalties from around the world, attended the ceremony in Stockholm Cathedral.
Thousands lined the streets of Stockholm to see the princess, 32, marry her "commoner" boyfriend, Daniel Westling, 36, who will assume the title HRH Prince Daniel, Duke of Vastergotland.
Swedish Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling exchange rings during their wedding ceremony in Stockholm's Storkyrkan cathedral, in Stockholm, Sweden Photo: EPA
Swedish national flags and 40,000 roses, carnations, lilies and hydrangeas have been used to decorate the streets, which were be patrolled by 8,000 soldiers and police officers. Shops have been selling mugs, plates and embroidered pink slippers bearing the couple's smiling faces.
Swedish Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling during their wedding ceremony in Stockholm's Storkyrkan cathedral, in Stockholm, Sweden Photo: EPA
Crown Princess Victoria's decision to be escorted down the aisle by her father, King Carl XVI Gustav, was criticised by many as sexist and outdated. The country is renowned for its gender equality and couples normally walk to the altar together.
The Swedish media has lamented the fact the wedding has been "snubbed" by Prince William, who is in South Africa following England's World Cup campaign.
The Queen and Prince Philip also skipped the event, and were represented by Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex.
Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf (R) leads his daughter, and Heir to the Throne, Crown Princess Victoria through Stockholm's Storkyrkan cathedral for her wedding to Daniel Westling, in Stockholm, Sweden
Royal watchers had to be content with the likes of Luxembourg's Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, Prince Albert of Monaco and Prince Alois, the heir to the throne of Liechtenstein.
The marriage ceremony took place in the afternoon at Stockholm Cathedral, after which the newly-weds are expected to be driven through the city centre in a horse-drawn carriage.
A royal barge then took them across Stockholm's picturesque harbour to the Royal Palace, where the Crown Princess's parents, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, hosted a wedding banquet.
A regal affair: (L-R) Queen Rania of Jordan, Britain's Duchess of Wessex and Princess Laurentien of Holland all attended Princess Victoria's special day in their finest
Westling, who comes from a modest white collar family, met Princess Victoria in 2001 when he became her personal trainer at a luxury gym he owned.
Her father initially disapproved of the match, despite the fact that 36 years ago to the day he himself married a commoner – Silvia Sommerlath, who is of mixed German and Brazilian descent.
Swedish Crown Princess Victoria (center R) arrives with her father, King Carl XVI Gustaf (center L) at Stockholm's Storkyrkan cathedral for her wedding to Daniel Westling, in Stockholm, Sweden
Wedding party: There were ten flower girls and pageboys who wore simple white dresses and sailor suits
But Victoria's steadfast insistence that Westling was her Prince Charming earned her the respect and admiration of many Swedes.
"It will be exciting," said Lennart Soderstrom, 61, a Swedish pensioner who will be watching the procession in Stockholm's Old Town. "He doesn't come from royalty.
He's an ordinary person like you and me. It's just great."
Stockholm's 700-year-old Storkyrkan Cathedral
The nuptials will also offer respite from scandals that have recently dogged other members of the Swedish royal family.
There are 44 monarchies in the world. Some are constitutional, such as the UK, Japan and Sweden, and some are absolute, such as Brunei. Bhutan has moved from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy in recent years. Unusually, Liechtenstein has taken the opposite route, moving from constitutional to absolute monarchy. The Prince of Liechtenstein was given expanded powers after a referendum amending the Constitution of Liechtenstein in 2004. There are seven absolute monarchies in the world: Brunei, Oman, Tonga, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Swaziland, and Vatican City. The European monarchies are: Andorra, Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the UK.
Sealed with a kiss: Guard of honour, the couple leave the cathedral
The happy couple acknowledge the crowds from the Royal Palace after their wedding in Storkyrkan Church
Earlier this year Victoria's brother, Prince Carl Philip, 31, made headlines by ditching his long-time fiancée for a 26-year-old reality TV show star who has posed topless with a python.
Her younger sister, Princess Madeleine, 28, called off her engagement to a lawyer after it was claimed that he had been unfaithful with a 21-year-old Norwegian woman he met in a nightclub at a ski resort.
Aboard the 'Vasaorden': Victoria and Daniel sailed downstream to the royal palace for a private reception
Enlarge
The happy couple dance the bridal waltz during the celebrations at the Royal Palace in Stockholm. The couple had been together for eight years before deciding to get married
Enlarge
Surrounded by liveried servants the wedding guests sit for the wedding banquet
telegraph.co.uk
More than 1000 guests, include royalty from across the world, gathered at Stockholm Cathedral to see Crown Princess Victoria, the daughter of King Carl XVI Gustaf, marry her former personal trainer Daniel Westling. He will take the title HRH Prince Daniel, Duke of Vastergotland. Victoria his heir to the Throne.
Thousands of well-wishers lined the capital's streets to see the wedding.
In fairytale scenes that can only be witnessed in a constitutional monarchy, Swedish national flags and 40,000 roses, carnations, lilies and hydrangeas have been used to decorate the streets.
After the wedding, a royal barge then took them across Stockholm's picturesque harbour to the Royal Palace, where the Crown Princess's parents, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, hosted a wedding banquet.
The Swedish media were annoyed that several British royals missed the event. The Queen and Prince Philip never attended but were represented by Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex. Princes William have Harry have been visiting Harry's Sentebale charity in Botswana, before going to neighbouring South Africa to follow England's World Cup campaign.
Amongst the royals who attended the ceremony are Luxembourg's Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, Prince Albert of Monaco and Prince Alois, the heir to the throne of Liechtenstein.
There are also those in Britain who are wishing that Crown Princess Victoria had married Prince William and becoming a future British queen.
Sweden, which is twice the size of Britain but with a population of just 9 million, has been a monarchy since prehistoric times. As early as the 1st century, the Roman historian Tacitus wrote that the Suiones, the founders of Sweden, had a king.
The king has been on the Throne since 1973.
Sweden's fairytale royal wedding
The Swedish Crown Princess Victoria has tied the knot with Daniel Westling, her former personal trainer, in the country's long-awaited royal wedding.
By Nick Squires
19 Jun 2010
The Telegraph
Swedish Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling during their wedding ceremony in Stockholm's Storkyrkan cathedral, in Stockholm, Sweden Photo: EPA
More than 1,000 guests, including royalties from around the world, attended the ceremony in Stockholm Cathedral.
Thousands lined the streets of Stockholm to see the princess, 32, marry her "commoner" boyfriend, Daniel Westling, 36, who will assume the title HRH Prince Daniel, Duke of Vastergotland.
Swedish Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling exchange rings during their wedding ceremony in Stockholm's Storkyrkan cathedral, in Stockholm, Sweden Photo: EPA
Swedish national flags and 40,000 roses, carnations, lilies and hydrangeas have been used to decorate the streets, which were be patrolled by 8,000 soldiers and police officers. Shops have been selling mugs, plates and embroidered pink slippers bearing the couple's smiling faces.
Swedish Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling during their wedding ceremony in Stockholm's Storkyrkan cathedral, in Stockholm, Sweden Photo: EPA
Crown Princess Victoria's decision to be escorted down the aisle by her father, King Carl XVI Gustav, was criticised by many as sexist and outdated. The country is renowned for its gender equality and couples normally walk to the altar together.
The Swedish media has lamented the fact the wedding has been "snubbed" by Prince William, who is in South Africa following England's World Cup campaign.
The Queen and Prince Philip also skipped the event, and were represented by Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex.
Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf (R) leads his daughter, and Heir to the Throne, Crown Princess Victoria through Stockholm's Storkyrkan cathedral for her wedding to Daniel Westling, in Stockholm, Sweden
Royal watchers had to be content with the likes of Luxembourg's Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, Prince Albert of Monaco and Prince Alois, the heir to the throne of Liechtenstein.
The marriage ceremony took place in the afternoon at Stockholm Cathedral, after which the newly-weds are expected to be driven through the city centre in a horse-drawn carriage.
A royal barge then took them across Stockholm's picturesque harbour to the Royal Palace, where the Crown Princess's parents, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, hosted a wedding banquet.
A regal affair: (L-R) Queen Rania of Jordan, Britain's Duchess of Wessex and Princess Laurentien of Holland all attended Princess Victoria's special day in their finest
Westling, who comes from a modest white collar family, met Princess Victoria in 2001 when he became her personal trainer at a luxury gym he owned.
Her father initially disapproved of the match, despite the fact that 36 years ago to the day he himself married a commoner – Silvia Sommerlath, who is of mixed German and Brazilian descent.
Swedish Crown Princess Victoria (center R) arrives with her father, King Carl XVI Gustaf (center L) at Stockholm's Storkyrkan cathedral for her wedding to Daniel Westling, in Stockholm, Sweden
Wedding party: There were ten flower girls and pageboys who wore simple white dresses and sailor suits
But Victoria's steadfast insistence that Westling was her Prince Charming earned her the respect and admiration of many Swedes.
"It will be exciting," said Lennart Soderstrom, 61, a Swedish pensioner who will be watching the procession in Stockholm's Old Town. "He doesn't come from royalty.
He's an ordinary person like you and me. It's just great."
Stockholm's 700-year-old Storkyrkan Cathedral
The nuptials will also offer respite from scandals that have recently dogged other members of the Swedish royal family.
There are 44 monarchies in the world. Some are constitutional, such as the UK, Japan and Sweden, and some are absolute, such as Brunei. Bhutan has moved from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy in recent years. Unusually, Liechtenstein has taken the opposite route, moving from constitutional to absolute monarchy. The Prince of Liechtenstein was given expanded powers after a referendum amending the Constitution of Liechtenstein in 2004. There are seven absolute monarchies in the world: Brunei, Oman, Tonga, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Swaziland, and Vatican City. The European monarchies are: Andorra, Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the UK.
Sealed with a kiss: Guard of honour, the couple leave the cathedral
The happy couple acknowledge the crowds from the Royal Palace after their wedding in Storkyrkan Church
Earlier this year Victoria's brother, Prince Carl Philip, 31, made headlines by ditching his long-time fiancée for a 26-year-old reality TV show star who has posed topless with a python.
Her younger sister, Princess Madeleine, 28, called off her engagement to a lawyer after it was claimed that he had been unfaithful with a 21-year-old Norwegian woman he met in a nightclub at a ski resort.
Aboard the 'Vasaorden': Victoria and Daniel sailed downstream to the royal palace for a private reception
Enlarge
The happy couple dance the bridal waltz during the celebrations at the Royal Palace in Stockholm. The couple had been together for eight years before deciding to get marriedEnlarge
Surrounded by liveried servants the wedding guests sit for the wedding banquettelegraph.co.uk
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