The wedding of Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, and Daniel Westling took place on 19 June 2010 in Stockholm Cathedral. It had been described as "Europe's biggest royal wedding since the Prince of Wales married Lady Diana Spencer in 1981". Westling thereby acquired Victoria's ducal title, becoming a Swedish prince and Duke of Västergötland. In time for the wedding, a joint monogram of their initials was created.
Background
Victoria is the eldest child of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia. As the firstborn of the family, she was designated heir apparent in 1980 (SFS 1979:932), ahead of her younger brother.
Westling was Victoria's personal trainer at Master Training. In July 2002, Victoria and Westling were pictured kissing for the first time at a birthday party for Caroline Kreuger, a close friend of Victoria's. Westling and Victoria's engagement was announced on 24 February 2009. The wedding was set to take place in Stockholm Cathedral on 19 June 2010, the 34th anniversary of her parents' marriage and a traditional wedding date of the Swedish Royal Family (several past House of Bernadotte family members had married on that date). The chosen year 2010 also marks the 200th year since Jean Baptiste Jules Bernadotte, from whom the Royal House of Sweden descends, became heir presumptive to the Swedish throne.
Preparations and finances
On 17 September 2009, the cathedral parish of Stockholm announced that there would be a restoration of Stockholm Cathedral during the period January–April 2010, and costing 12.4 million Swedish kronor. The wedding itself cost about 20 million kronor which was paid half by the Swedish Royal Family and half by the Swedish government from tax money. This was criticized by some Swedish citizens but the argument was debunked by official response saying that the wedding will generate equivalent or more revenue from the event. This argument was mostly seen as an excuse to continue the monarchy system, rather than evaluating their present-day relevance.
Celebrations
On 24 November 2009 it was decided that the days between the Swedish national day on 6 June and the wedding date on 19 June would be Love Stockholm 2010 days. With festivities for residents and visitors such as music, art, culture, food, design, and history, the city of Stockholm had hoped for sponsor deals to pay for the arrangements.
On 18 June, the Parliament of Sweden honoured the couple with a gala performance at Stockholm Concert Hall. Performers at the gala included the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Malena Ernman, Helen Sjöholm, and Peter Jöback. The famous Swedish band Roxette was reunited on stage, and they performed their hit song "The Look".
Insignia at the wedding
On the morning of the wedding, the Crown of Sweden's Heir Apparent and Prince Wilhelm's Crown were removed from their showcases in the Treasury at the Royal Palace of Stockholm. They were placed on each side of the altar in the cathedral. The crowns are part of a tradition, a crown is used in association with the person the occasion is about. Princess Sofia Albertina's crown is also associated with Victoria as it was used at her christening. Princess Sofia Albertina's crown was later used at the wedding of Prince Carl Phillip.
Wedding service
The wedding service began at 15:30 local time in Stockholm Cathedral, with around 1,100 guests present. The music in the ceremony was headed by Gustaf Sjökvist, court organist and organist for the Cathedral Parish of Stockholm. He was also in charge of the music during the wedding of Victoria's parents in 1976.
The service was conducted by Anders Wejryd, Archbishop of Uppsala. He was assisted by Lars-Göran Lönnermark, Royal Court Chief Chaplain, and Dr Antje Jackelén, Bishop of Lund. The Great Marriage Litany was sung by Åke Bonnier, Dean of the Cathedral and Royal Court Chaplain.
Victoria's white satin dress was by Swedish designer Pär Engsheden and had a five meter long train. She wore Empress Josephine's cameo diadem which her mother, Queen Silvia, and two of her paternal aunts wore when they married.
The first piece of music that was played was written by Karin Rehnqvist especially for the couple as a gift from the Royal Swedish Academy of Music.
Victoria walked down the aisle with her father, who then handed her over to Daniel. The wedding couple then stood in front of the archbishop, who told them about the importance of supporting each other in a marriage. After Victoria and Daniel were pronounced husband and wife, Swedish singers Agnes Carlsson and Björn Skifs finished the ceremony with the song "When You Tell The World You're Mine", written for the couple. Victoria and Daniel walked under crossed swords after stepping out of the cathedral.
Debate about handing over the bride
The couple wanted the king to lead the crown princess to the altar and there hand her over to the groom. This created a public debate in Sweden, as that would have been contrary to the established customs of the Church of Sweden, where bride and groom walk up to the altar together. Critics among the clergy held that the symbolism in handing over the bride from father to groom reflects reactionary societal norms, as if an unmarried woman is the property of her father and is about to turn into the proprietary ownership of the groom. The Royal Court defended the handing over with the statement that, "the king conveys the heir to the throne and hands her over to a man who has been accepted". In the end a compromise was reached, with the king handing over the crown princess to her groom before they reached the altar.
Carriage procession
A carriage procession followed the ceremony, in which the wedding couple was transported through the streets of Stockholm. On their way they passed by twenty musical bands, nineteen of which were military. Victoria and Daniel then proceeded in the royal barge Vasaorden over Stockholm's waters; the same barge that was used by Victoria's parents, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, during their wedding in 1976. 500,000 people are estimated to have gathered to watch the procession, which was nearly seven kilometers long. 18 fighter jets flew across the sky as the barge approached its landing place at the royal palace, where the wedding banquet was later held.
The wedding of Victoria and Daniel was the biggest event that has ever been covered on television in Stockholm, according to Sveriges Television.
Guest list
Notable guests include:
The bride's paternal family
- The King and Queen, the bride's parents
- Princess Margaretha, Mrs. Ambler, the bride's paternal aunt
- Baroness Sibylla von Dincklage the bride's first cousin
- Madeleine von Dincklage, Bridesmaid, the bride's first cousin, once removed
- Edward and Helen Ambler, the bride's first cousin and his wife
- James and Ursula Ambler, the bride's first cousin and his wife
- Princess Birgitta and Prince Johann Georg of Hohenzollern, the bride's paternal aunt and uncle
- Prince Carl Christian and Princess Nicole of Hohenzollern, the bride's first cousin and his wife
- Désirée and Eckbert von Bohlen und Halbach, the bride's first cousin and her husband
- Prince Hubertus and Princess Ute Maria of Hohenzollern, the bride's first cousin and his wife
- Princess Désirée, Baroness Silfverschiöld and Baron Niclas Silfverschiöld, the bride's paternal aunt and uncle
- Baron Carl and Baroness Maria Silfverschiöld, the bride's first cousin and his wife
- Baroness Christina Louise and Baron Hans De Geer, the bride's first cousin and her husband
- Baroness Ian De Geer, Page boy, the bride's first cousin, once removed
- Baroness Hélène Silfverschiöld, the bride's first cousin
- Princess Christina, Mrs. Magnuson and Mr Tord Magnuson, the bride's paternal aunt and uncle
- Gustaf Magnuson and Nathalie Ellis, the bride's first cousin and his partner
- Oscar Magnuson and Emma Ledent, the bride's first cousin and his partner
- Victor Magnuson and Frida Bergström, the bride's first cousin and his partner
- Countess Marianne Bernadotte of Wisborg, the bride's paternal grandaunt by marriage
- Count Michael and Countess Christine Bernadotte of Wisborg, the bride's first cousin once removed and his wife
- Countess Kajsa Bernadotte of Wisborg, the bride's second cousin
- Count Carl Johan and Countess Gunnila Bernadotte of Wisborg, the bride's paternal granduncle and grandaunt
- Countess Bettina Bernadotte of Wisborg and Philipp Haug, the bride's second cousin once removed and her husband
- Count Björn and Countess Sandra Bernadotte of Wisborg, the bride's second cousin once removed and his wife
- Madeleine Kogevinas, the bride's second cousin twice removed
- Count Bertil Bernadotte of Wisborg and Countess Jill Bernadotte of Wisborg, the bride's second cousin twice removed, and his wife
- Dagmar von Arbin, the bride's second cousin twice removed
The bride's maternal family
- Ralf de Toledo Sommerlath and Charlotte de Toledo Sommerlath, the bride's maternal uncle and aunt
- Carmita Sommerlath Baudinet and Pierre Baudinet, the bride's cousin and her husband
- Thibault Radigues de Chennevière, the bride's cousin, once removed
- Chloé Radigues de Chennevière, the bride's cousin, once removed
- Thomas de Toledo Sommerlath and Ms Bettina Aussems, the bride's cousin and his partner
- Susanne de Toledo Sommerlath
- Tim de Toledo Sommerlath, the bride's cousin, once removed
- Philip de Toledo Sommerlath, the bride's cousin, once removed
- Giulia de Toledo Sommerlath, Bridesmaid, the bride's cousin, once removed
- Walther Ludwig Sommerlath and Ingrid Sommerlath, the bride's maternal uncle and aunt
- Sophie Pihut-Sommerlath, the bride's cousin
- Patrick Sommerlath and Maline Luengo, the bride's cousin and his partner
- Leopold Lundén Sommerlath, the bride's cousin, once removed (page boy)
- Camilla Lundén, the bride's cousin ex-wife
- Helena Christina Sommerlath, the bride's cousin
- Vivien Nadine Sommerlath, Bridesmaid, the bride's cousin
- Carlos Augusto de Toledo Ferreira and Senhora Anna Luiza de Toledo Ferreira
- Senhora Maria Virginia Braga Leardi and Exmo Senhor Eduardo Longo
- Senhor Luiz Machado de Melo and Senhora Maria Fernanda Machado de Melo
- Exma Senhora Vera Quagliato
- Senhor Carlos M. Quagliato
- Senhor Pedro Ferreira
The groom's family
- Olle Westling and Ewa Westling, the groom's parents
- Anna Westling Blom, the groom's sister and Mikael Söderström
- Hedvig Blom, the groom's niece (bridesmaid)
- Vera Blom, the groom's niece (bridesmaid)
Foreign royalty
Members of reigning royal families