Sweden's four-day royal wedding celebration reaches its peak Saturday when Crown Princess Victoria marries commoner Daniel Westling at Stockholm Cathedral.
The ceremony is expected to begin at 3:30 p.m. (9:30 a.m. ET), followed by a wedding banquet, hosted by the king and queen, at the royal palace in the evening.
Victoria, 32, is the oldest child of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia. She has two siblings; Prince Carl Philip and Princess Madeleine.
Victoria, 32, is the oldest child of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia. She has two siblings; Prince Carl Philip and Princess Madeleine.
Westling, 36, runs a chain of gyms in the capital and met the princess when he became her personal trainer. The pair announced their engagement early last year.
After the wedding, Westling will be called Prince Daniel, Duke of Vaestergoetland, the palace announced. It is an honor not bestowed on a commoner since the medieval ages.
Westling has had to prepare for his role and learn about life in the royal family.
After the wedding, Westling will be called Prince Daniel, Duke of Vaestergoetland, the palace announced. It is an honor not bestowed on a commoner since the medieval ages.
Westling has had to prepare for his role and learn about life in the royal family.
"I'm learning a lot of things ranging from political science to historia, and also here 'in house,' so to speak, there are a lot of things that happen," he said recently. "I want to understand how this organization is set up and how tasks are carried out."
Marrying a princess means Westling must also follow her official duties, something he said he's prepared to do.
Marrying a princess means Westling must also follow her official duties, something he said he's prepared to do.
"The queen's main task is to support the king, and in my case, it is to support the crown princess, in their very important work," he said. "If I can do it in the same way the queen does, I would be more than satisfied. That is my goal long term."
Westling hails from the town of Ockelbo, about 120 miles north of Stockholm. That northern heritage, many Swedes say, makes him the perfect partner for Victoria.
"According to Swedish tradition and cliche about people from different parts of the country, people from the north, you can trust them," said historian Herman Lindqvist. "They are cool, they are calm. They don't talk very much. They are like solid rocks, and that's what Victoria needed -- somebody really solid she could trust."
The Swedish capital has been rebranding itself as the "City of Love" ahead of the wedding and inviting tourists to visit. Source by
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