Sweden's royal couple speak of wedding nerves
Sweden's soon-to-be-wed royal couple Prince Carl Philip and Sofia Hellqvist have spoke publicly of their love, the past and the future in an interview with Sweden's biggest newswire. p { margin-bottom: 0.25cm; line-height: 120%; }a:link { }
The official version is that the pair were introduced by mutual friends over lunch several years ago, but their first meeting is actually rumoured to have taken place in 2009 in one of Stockholm's hottest night clubs.
In either case, one thing led to the other and they eventually began dating.
“When we started seeing each other later, I understood what a wonderful person she is,” the Swedish prince said of his fiancée in Monday's interview with the TT news agency and added she was “down to earth” and had a “delightful outlook on life”.
Hellqvist's first impression of the prince was not much different.
“I think you notice pretty immediately when you meet Carl Philip that he is a very humble and kind person. I felt that almost from the start,” she told TT, but added that she was nervous to meet the rest of the royal family at first.
“Yes, of course. I think everybody's nervous before meeting the inlaws. But it passed pretty quickly. (…) We have been together for so many years now that it feels as if Carl Philip's family has become a great extension of my own family,” she said.
READ MORE: Six facts about Europe's hottest power couple
The royal pair have dated since January 2013. She is a former fashion model who famously participated in the scandalous TV series Paradise Hotel.
“I find it difficult to say that I regret anything I have done. (…) Many want to see these things as mistakes in my life, but I see them as experiences,” she said in the interview on Monday.
The royals' wedding on June 13th is set to be a grand affair, with world stars such as Swedish DJ Avicii and duo Icona Pop set to play at the party.
Dance music superstar Avicii, whose real name is Tim Bergling, told Swedish music station NRJ last week that he had been invited to the gig at Stockholm's Royal Palace after befriending the Swedish prince in Ibiza last year.
“I met Carl Philip in Ibiza, where we got to hang out and talk for some time. He is so damn cool and a really good guy, actually. Humble,” he said.
Carl Philip and Hellqvist told TT in Monday's interview that they want to make sure they put their own personal stamp on the ceremony, which is set to be Sweden's third royal wedding in five years.
"We're starting to get a bit nervous," admitted the Swedish prince.
“We have picked everything from floral arrangements to music. I think it will make us feel safe, when we are standing there in church, that it is all ours, it hasn't been done by someone else,” added Hellqvist.
In the future, Carl Philip said he wants to keep putting more media focus on dyslexia – which he, his older sister Crown Princess Victoria and father Carl XVI Gustaf suffer from – work on his designs, and develop his interest in food.
Hellqvist hopes to continue what she started with Project Playground, a charity she founded to help underprivileged children in South Africa.
“In my new role as a princess, I see opportunities to focus on important issues in society,” she said.
Comments
See Also
p { margin-bottom: 0.25cm; line-height: 120%; }a:link { }
The official version is that the pair were introduced by mutual friends over lunch several years ago, but their first meeting is actually rumoured to have taken place in 2009 in one of Stockholm's hottest night clubs.
In either case, one thing led to the other and they eventually began dating.
“When we started seeing each other later, I understood what a wonderful person she is,” the Swedish prince said of his fiancée in Monday's interview with the TT news agency and added she was “down to earth” and had a “delightful outlook on life”.
Hellqvist's first impression of the prince was not much different.
“I think you notice pretty immediately when you meet Carl Philip that he is a very humble and kind person. I felt that almost from the start,” she told TT, but added that she was nervous to meet the rest of the royal family at first.
“Yes, of course. I think everybody's nervous before meeting the inlaws. But it passed pretty quickly. (…) We have been together for so many years now that it feels as if Carl Philip's family has become a great extension of my own family,” she said.
READ MORE: Six facts about Europe's hottest power couple
The royal pair have dated since January 2013. She is a former fashion model who famously participated in the scandalous TV series Paradise Hotel.
“I find it difficult to say that I regret anything I have done. (…) Many want to see these things as mistakes in my life, but I see them as experiences,” she said in the interview on Monday.
The royals' wedding on June 13th is set to be a grand affair, with world stars such as Swedish DJ Avicii and duo Icona Pop set to play at the party.
Dance music superstar Avicii, whose real name is Tim Bergling, told Swedish music station NRJ last week that he had been invited to the gig at Stockholm's Royal Palace after befriending the Swedish prince in Ibiza last year.
“I met Carl Philip in Ibiza, where we got to hang out and talk for some time. He is so damn cool and a really good guy, actually. Humble,” he said.
Carl Philip and Hellqvist told TT in Monday's interview that they want to make sure they put their own personal stamp on the ceremony, which is set to be Sweden's third royal wedding in five years.
"We're starting to get a bit nervous," admitted the Swedish prince.
“We have picked everything from floral arrangements to music. I think it will make us feel safe, when we are standing there in church, that it is all ours, it hasn't been done by someone else,” added Hellqvist.
In the future, Carl Philip said he wants to keep putting more media focus on dyslexia – which he, his older sister Crown Princess Victoria and father Carl XVI Gustaf suffer from – work on his designs, and develop his interest in food.
Hellqvist hopes to continue what she started with Project Playground, a charity she founded to help underprivileged children in South Africa.
“In my new role as a princess, I see opportunities to focus on important issues in society,” she said.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.