Princesses watchers

A 17h, les deux amoureux ont donc donné une conférence de presse au palais royal de Stockholm, suite à l'annonce officielle de leurs fiançailles à 14h.
Ils en ont dit plus sur la demande en mariage. Cela s'est passé lors d'une belle journée à Drottningholm, dans les jardins de leur propriété. Daniel s'est agenouillé pour lui demander sa main et il n'était pas certain d'obtenir un "oui". La princesse a ajouté que la réponse fut un "oui, oui, oui!!!"
Le grand moment de la conférence fut quand la princesse a montré sa bague de fiançailles. C'est un magnifique solitaire en diamant. La princesse a déclaré que cette bague représentait beaucoup pour elle.
Lors de cette conférence, les deux fiancés ont pu montrer à quel point ils étaient heureux et amoureux.

Le mariage sera célébré à l'été 2010, très certainement au mois de juin. Cependant la date officielle n'a pas encore été annoncée. Daniel recevra le titre de " Prince Daniel, Duc of Västergötland".
La résidence officielle du couple n'a pas encore été choisie non plus pour l'instant.

Vidéo de la conférence de presse (en suédois)

Mise à jour: Hier soir, un dîner privé a été donné en l'honneur de Victoria et de Daniel au château de Drottningholm. Etaient présents le roi et la reine, les parents de Daniel ainsi que la princesse Madeleine et son ami Jonas. Seul le prince Carl Philip était absent car il était retenu par ses études. Apparemment une fête est prévue ce weekend pour la famille et les amis.

Mise à jour: Voici la traduction en anglais de la conférence de presse (merci au blog the royaltwist.com)

V: (holds out her arms and gives the word to the media)

Reporter: …. (unclear) How did the proposal happen?

V: Oh, oh, oh (laugh)

(V & D look at each other and decides who to begin)

V: It was (laugh), well (looking at Daniel, perhaps deciding how much to tell)… a very beautiful day out on Drottningholm, out in the nature, it was the only thing I had wished for.

Reporter: And why has it taken so long?

V: Well, it, as said… For many it is a long time, but we have felt that we have needed this time as well, it has been a time when we have not only gotten to know each other very very well but also a time for us to be able to have things together without the official… And then also for preparations, because it is also so that Daniel has also had his business as well which he has built up and needed to spend a lot of time too… (looks at Daniel)

D: I have definitely needed this time to adapt and understand what this is about, it would be very naive of me to just fall down on my knees and propose after a year, I think that would’ve been very unsuccessful. (V laughs) I have simply needed this time.

Claes Elfsberg news anchor of Rapport/SVT: When I interviewed the Crown Princess’ parents for pretty much exactly 33 years ago in the room next door here, the King said that is just said click. Can I ask when it said click for you?

V: Well maybe it didn’t say click, it didn’t, but Daniel and I we had a very beautiful and well-founded friendship, we were very close friends before and it was a friendship which grew and grew to love. And that is also a great safety to have that to stand on as a base, so I’m sorry but no click (laugh).

Claes Elfsberg news anchor of Rapport/SVT: Can I ask Daniel, it can’t have been very easy to have been exposed to the pressure that it means to be hunted by the media all the time, but you have obviously not stepped wrong anywhere, how have you done it?

D: Well that will probably be given time, you’ll see (smiles). I’ll step on it later.

(Victoria and press giggles)

D: But, ehm, what should I answer to that? I have focused on my work and my company and with the Crown Princess at my side I have felt comfortable and strong, so it hasn’t been any bigger problem, but of course in some moments it has been a little hard.

Claes Elfsberg news anchor of Rapport/SVT: Like when?

D: Well with photographers after when you drive the car and things like that, but I don’t complain.

V: (grabs Daniels shoulders and smiles) It’s forgotten today…

D: (smiling) You’re forgiven!

Johan T Lindwall of Expressen: Can’t Daniel tell what you fell for with the Crown Princes and the Crown Princess could tell what she fell for with Daniel?

V: Mmm… (smiling)

D: Should I start then? Well you can see, is it hard to understand?

V: Yes, obviously (in English).

D: Well I think that the Crown Princess has a fantastically big heart and as Victoria told you our friendship developed to love, and it’s nothing special like that but the entirety and perfect personal chemistry I’d like to say.

V: A little bit like I said before, this safety which I feel with Daniel is incredible and that was also what our friendship was founded on as well, this fantastic safety… and then that we have very fun together, that’s not completely wrong…

Reporter: In which way has the relations with Daniel and his family affected the Crown Princess and the same question to Daniel.

V: Well, Daniel comes from Ockelbo, and has a fantastic nice and warm family. A small and very close knitted family and for me it was from the first moment a great relief to come to Daniel’s family, I felt a great warmth… and for me to come to Ockelbo with the respect that is shown both towards Daniel and our relationship… it has always been a place for me to charge my batteries in, so I always look forward to come to Ockelbo… And ehm, should you try (looks at Daniel).

D: Yes, I will try also… Well I feel that the King and Queen have received me with warmth and have supported me incredibly nicely from the first moment and I have a close relationship to the Crown Princess’ siblings since many years back through my work, so it has been pretty easy… Many nice Sunday dinners.

News agency TT reporter: I wonder if you could say something about what kind of wedding you wish for, is it big or small… Something… (unclear, cannot hear the complete very broken sentence)

D: It will surely be a small one (smile)…. (V laughs)

Press: Laughters.

Jenny Alexandersson of Svensk Damtidning: Could the Crown Princess show her ring and tell us something about the engagement ring?

Victoria: (holding up her ring) It is a ring that means incredibly much to me, but more than that is not possible to tell.

Reporter: Now Daniel becomes Duke of Västergötland (unclear finish of sentence)… I wonder, what do you know about Västergötland?

D: Well, what do I know about Västergötland… Well it was a good question…

V: That it is a fantastic place.

D: Yes of course.

V: Which I gladly visit and gladly go to…. and it is really a … To be able go to Västergötland, it really feels like a second home to me and I always look forward to going to Västergötland for many reasons, but also because it’s always very well arranged visits, it’s always very well arranged programmes and it has given me a great width and supply… But then also for the fantastic food which I absolutely want to accentuate. With joy and expectations I look forward to being able to show Daniel a lot of Västergötland.

Pamela Andersson of Queen: (unclear start) proposal… The Crown Princess told about this fantastic proposal, Daniel could you also tell, you said it felt stupid to go down on your knees after a year, does this mean that you went down on your knees now after seven years?

D: Yes of course.

Pamela Andersson of Queen: Please tell.

D: Well we… It was a wonderful sunny day, the ice squeaked as great as it does out on Drottningholm every now and then and well…. What more should I say? It was a fantastic mood and I was a bit nervous of course and hoped for a yes but I wasn’t completely sure…

V: And it became a yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

D: It was very emotional and beautiful and just as one can wish.

Reporter Stefan Åsberg of SVT’s news: Daniel both you and I come from Gästrikland, there you can live calmly and withdrawn, you don’t have this possibility after this day. How do you really look at this life in the public light?

D: I have gotten used to it a bit during these seven years, even though I suppose that this will just be a west wind of what is to come, and of course that is nothing I long for, this is incredibly nervous for me to sit here in front of you of course, a completely new and unaccustomed situation which one should be humble in front of but… I have won the Crown Princess’ love and the King’s support and with that in the back I feel strong to take this on.

Reporter Stefan Åsberg of SVT’s news: What sacrifices do you think you have to make?

V: Of course it will be a great changeover, that’s given. But therefore it’s also so… It feels good also from our side, from my family, from my side, to be able to give Daniel also the support now which we actually can do and which we perhaps earlier have not had the possibility to do because Daniel has also, well, had his business, but to now also have this time before the wedding.

Reporter Stefan Åsberg of SVT’s news: But Daniel will you be able to continue working with your business, you have talked about health and fitness activities, we heard business enterprising… Will you be able to continue working with this, do you want to do it?

D: I have founded the company and it is close to my heart that it will continue to go well for the company of course, but I will not continually, in connection to the wedding, continue to have an operative CEO role, that I will not.

Reporter Stefan Åsberg of SVT’s news: How does that feel?

Royal aide in the room: We have to more questions.

D: Well it… it feels like it’s worth to skip that… Then I will continually have a passive owner role also.

Reporter: A big congratulations from Sveriges Radio and it’s live right now…

V & D: Thank you.

Reporter (continues): What did you tell each other this morning when you woke up?

V: I just said I’m completely happy, I said..

Reporter: Dagens Industri here. Now (unclear) ambassador for Swedish industry abroad…. (unclear end of sentence, someone whispers near the microphone).

D: It would feel very good if I could be a part of contributing to Swedish business life’s successes and it is absolutely something which I’m interested in. It would feel good.

Reporter: (very unclear) entrepreneurship…. You come from where Sandvik comes from (unclear)…

D: Steel industry… It will be only steel industry (joking)… (unclear finish)… No but of course health and health and fitness activities are close to my heart but I am open and willing to learn about different types of business, I don’t close any doors.

Reporter: Crown Princess, (unclear) understand that Daniel was the right one?

V: It is of course something which grew because it is not a simple role to come into, it is absolutely not a simple family either… But it is also that because we were so secure with each other from the beginning I also felt that this was a person who gave me so incredibly much, ehm, of what… As Daniel said it is also good personal chemistry and we complement each other very very well, and that stood clear to me pretty fast… And then of course, why hurry, we’ve had fantastic years together when we have been able to build up the base we stand on.

Claes Elfsberg news anchor of Rapport/SVT: One more question, I think that all young men in Sweden wonder: how does one gather courage to court or hit on a Crown Princess?

V: Well in our case it was simple, that we had a relationship which the love grew out (from). I don’t know if it was me who was so racing…

Reporter Stefan Åsberg of SVT’s news: But there has still been a discussion (all reporters talk in each other’s mouths)… Can I just ask a last question (Daniel gets up from the sofa) Daniel? D, Daniel… There has still been a discussion if a man of the people should have the right to marry into the Royal Family, how have you reflected over this discussion which has still existed? (Victoria gets up too, they get ready to end)

D (standing up): I feel comfortable in myself and proud to come from Ockelbo and being a man of the people, I don’t see a problem in that.

V (Daniel joins V’s side): I think that what we have, the beautiful love, and the friendship we have I think is the best of all bases one can stand on.

Reporter: I have to ask, wasn’t it enormously hard to tiptoe with this, when one loves someone, one sort of wants to show it for the whole world… 7 years has passed now, what were your thoughts before this moment (unclear end).

V: Our thought was that we wanted, in all ways, to be as fair as possible, that everyone should get the opportunity to take part of this news at the same time… You were fairly good, but it didn’t go all the way home… (tries to end with saying something, reporter breaks)

Reporter: Can we take this picture over here?

V: That was what we had hoped for, now we had thought of taking a picture and we want to thank you.

Claes Elfsberg news anchor of Rapport/SVT: May I ask one question in English for our international audience? (V&D start to move to pose for pictures) Princess? Why did it take so long before you got engaged?

Victoria gives a very unclear and broken up answer during noises from the media, lots of ehm while preparing to pose for photos. It all ends with receiving flowers from Jenny Alexandersson and posing for photos in front of a door. The couple leaves the room.

La confirmation vient de tomber! Victoria,31 ans, et Daniel, 35 ans, sont officiellement fiancés!!! Le roi et la reine ont fini par céder. Le mariage devrait avoir lieu au début de l'été 2010. Nous en serons plus dans la journée car les deux tourtereaux doivent donner une conférence de presse vers 17h au palais royal de Stockholm. Daniel recevra normalement le titre de Prince Daniel, Duc de Västergötland.

Communiqué de presse officiel de la cour royal de Suède:

Engagement between Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling

Today, Tuesday 24 February 2009, the engagement between Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria and Mr. Daniel Westling was announced at the Royal Palace in Stockholm.

After His Majesty The King of Sweden had given his consent to the marriage between the Crown Princess and Mr. Westling, His Majesty, in accordance with the procedures set out in the Swedish Constitution, requested the agreement by the Swedish Governmet, which was subsequently communicated to His Majesty in connection with an information council held at the Royal Palace today.

The wedding is planned to take place in the early summer of 2010. I connection with the wedding Mr. Westling will be invested with the title Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergörland. The question of residence for the Crown Princess and her future consort is subject to further consideration. Some different alternatives are being examined.

Meeting with the press
Media is invited to meet with the Crown Princess and Mr. Daniel Westling today at 17.00 hours in Princess Sibylla´s Apartment at the Royal Palace in Stockholm. This will not be a traditional press conference, but rather a photo opportunity with a possibility to put a few questions to the couple. For this reason we are mainly directing ourselves to larger media with a wide distribution both nationally and internationally. Only one writing journalist per media will be invited. For photos we refer to picture agencies.

Please see enclosed PDF-file (to the right) to see the available seats for the press. Journalists are kindly requested to bring their press ID´s .

Access to the Royal Palace will be provided from 16.00 hours through the main entrance at Västra valvet. All journalist should have taken their seats at 16.45 hours at the latest.

Nina Eldh
Director of Press & Communication

Le couple s'est rencontré en 2002. Il était le professeur de gym particulier de la princesse. Les parents de Victoria ne voyaient pas d'un très bon œil cette idylle. Ils pensaient que Daniel n'avait pas les qualités nécessaires pour être prince consort. A force de persuasion, ils ont dû se rendre à l'évidence qu'il était parfait pour leur fille et pour la Suède.

Toutes nos félicitations aux futurs mariés!!!!

Voici la vidéo de l'annonce des fiançailles (en suédois):

Voici la traduction de la vidéo:

Déclaration du roi Carl Gustav: Chers suédois, c'est ainsi que j'ai l'habitude de commencer mes discours à la radio et à la tv quand j'ai quelque chose à vous annoncer. Peut être l'aurez vous deviné: il y a quelque chose de spécial que je veux partager avec vous: l'annonce officielle des fiançailles de la princesse Victoria avec Mr Daniel Westling. Dans les années précédentes, nous avons appris à connaître Daniel et nous avons compris qu'il était un jeune homme qui travaille dur et qui prend ses responsabilités. C'est pourquoi nous sommes heureux de l'accueillir aujourd'hui.C'était avec bonheur que j'ai donné mon consentement et que j'ai accepté le consentement du gouvernement comme le prévoit la constitution.
C'est biensûr un jour spécial pour nous mais aussi pour la Suède."

Déclaration de la reine Silvia: "Nous accueillons Daniel dans notre famille à bras ouverts. Je vois en lui un homme humble mais décisif ainsi que judicieux et sage. Vous êtes plein d'énergie, attentionné et vous ferez un merveilleux mari pour Victoria.
Nous avons pleinement confiance en toi en tes choix Victoria et je ferai tout pour te soutenir. Un nouveau chapitre commence maintenant et j'en suis très heureuse."

Déclaration de Daniel Westling: " La princesse et moi même nous sommes trouvés et notre amour n'a cessé de grandir au fil des années. Je veux remercier le roi et la reine. C'est mon rôle d'agir comme un soutien pour la princesse et le travail important qu'elle réalise pour la Suède."

Déclaration de la princesse Victoria: "Je suis fière de représenter la Suède et cela sera plus facile encore avec la présence de Daniel à mes côtés. Je me sens en sécurité avec Daniel. Vous avez surement remarqué ces dernières anées que je me sentais plus forte et plus heureuse. Et aujourd'hui le moment est venu de commencer les préparations pour quelque chose à nous et pour fonder une famille"