The Unofficial British Royal Family Pages

Wednesday 10 November 2004

The Next Queen Victoria

Like lots of other young career women, she doesn’t get much free time but when a spare moment appears, she likes nothing more than sweeping up her thick, dark hair, putting on a pair of jeans and visiting friends.  She’s a regular at the local gym, which is where she met her boyfriend, its owner and in a warm, slightly husky voice she describes her job as, ‘helping mum and dad’. 

In reality, there’s not much that is ordinary about 27 year old Victoria Ingrid Alice D�sir�e, Crown Princess of Sweden, Duchess of V�sterg�tland or the family business she’s involved in. This pretty young woman with warm, brown eyes will eventually head the House of Bernadotte as Queen of Sweden. 

In one particular way, her life has already set a standard for modern constitutional monarchies when, as a two year old, the hereditary crown was removed from her infant brother’s head and placed on hers by an Act of Parliament.  From that moment on, the Act of Succession decreed that the first born child of a Swedish monarch will inherit the throne and not the first born son. 

What, if any, effect the Swedish government’s decision of 1979 had on the relationship between Victoria and her brother is unknown.  Whilst there is a clear historic precedent for boys to take place over their sisters where crowns are concerned, there has never been a whisper from Carl Philip about the situation and brother and sister appear to share a rapport like any other siblings. 

The one person who has let his feelings show about the Act on more than one occasion, is Victoria’s father King Carl Gustav, although he is careful to add that his words do not undermine his daughter’s capabilities.  The trouble is that while he might say that he is proud of his daughter’s handling of the role, it can’t be easy for Victoria hearing that the King would still prefer his son to be Crown Prince. 

Of course, after the Act, Victoria’s life was destined to be different from that of an indirect heir.  Unlike the British line of succession, which goes on down to the hundreds, the Swedish line is tartly short and consists of only the monarch’s children.  As it stands, the current line includes Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Carl Philip and the Nordic beauty Princess Madeleine.  Perhaps, one day, Victoria would have faded into near obscurity like some of King Carl Gustav’s sisters but fate has other plans. 

Instead, Victoria will carry the House of Bernadotte into the next generation.  It’s a duty that she takes very seriously and one that she says she would never renounce for any reason.  She firmly believes that the monarchy plays an important role in Sweden, despite the fact that the monarch’s powers are extremely limited.  Although the role of monarch in Sweden is a purely ceremonial one, the Swedish government makes sure that its future sovereign is as prepared as she can be for what awaits her. 

The Swedish Government is not what you would call fervently monarchical.  At best, a number of Swedish political parties seem to marry such an ancient institution as monarchy with the country’s renowned modern progressive ways, cordially.    

Only recently the King was reprimanded during a trip to Asia, for publicly saying that the Sultan of Brunei was not such a bad leader as he met weekly with members of the general population in special audiences.   

The Swedish media and government were aghast because the Sultan rules Brunei rather autocratically. To imply that the Sultan might be anything close to a democrat was therefore preposterous.  As a result of this faux pas, the King must now face the demoralising proposition of a government official accompanying him on State visits so that nothing like that happens again. 

While the bureaucrats of Sweden may, on the whole, be in two minds about the merits of their monarchy, the public holds a very different view.   Victoria is tremendously popular with her countrymen and the royal family’s public standing is very high.  If the Swedish public has its way, the monarchy will be around for some time to come and this is perhaps why the government, working closely with the palace, has ensured that Victoria receives a solid grounding in the running of Sweden. 

Her education in preparation for her future role can only be described as gruelling, especially when one considers that she spends much of her time travelling the world representing Sweden.  Following studies in Political Science at Yale and Uppsala, the government’s programme included a study of the workings of the Swedish Parliament, stints at both the United Nations and the European Union and a course at the Swedish Trade Council.  She even impressed the ranks of the Swedish Army during a combat training programme. Not bad for a twenty-seven year old who battles dyslexia! 

The Crown Princess, like her father and brother, suffers from this syndrome.  She has said that there were periods in her childhood when learning proved difficult.  She was sometimes made to feel stupid at school – a common experience amongst sufferers – but in the end she triumphed, which is just as well for a young woman whose life consists of endless study. 

Victoria also suffered briefly from an eating disorder in her early twenties.  Rather than keeping the fact under wrap, her parents issued a statement declaring that the Princess had developed the disorder and asked the Swedish public and media to give her the space and time to recover, which she did, surprisingly quickly.   

Although no one would choose to suffer from dyslexia or an eating disorder, people who face such challenges tend to develop an understanding of what others can go through in their lives. Such compassion from first hand experience can only be an asset, albeit a bittersweet one, to someone who shall one day be a Queen. 

What Swedes are curious to know is the name of the man who will win their future Queen’s heart.  Victoria has dated a couple of young men, but her current boyfriend of three years, Daniel Westling, is rumoured to be the one. 

Opinion of the entrepreneurial gym owner in the media appears divided, as are the reports of what the King and Queen think of the man who may stand beside (behind?) Crown Princess Victoria.  One report declared that King Carl Gustav and Queen Silvia feel Daniel to be a perfect match for their daughter while, a week later, another said that they lamented his reportedly poor English and background.   

A more likely guide is his increasingly frequent appearances with the family in public and Victoria’s reluctance to confirm or deny that he is currently undergoing and intensive course in royal life. 

If photographs are anything to go by, the two seem happy in each other’s company.  It can’t be easy running a relationship where the outcome is of importance to the entire country and Victoria realises that being her boyfriend is more difficult than it would be were she a regular Swedish girl.  In a recently aired documentary she said, ‘It’s not easy to be together with me but the situation is the same for anyone who’s in the spotlight’. 

The life of a Prince Consort has historically been an uneasy one.  Prince Albert battled with the role, as have modern men like Prince Philip of Great Britain, Prince Claus of the Netherlands and Prince Henrik of Denmark.  Crown Princess Victoria can only be well aware of the pressures her husband will face as Consort and no doubt wants to be sure that Daniel will cope. 

Sweden has not had a Queen since the reign of the eccentric madcap Queen Christina in the 1600’s.  Apart from steering the country into bankruptcy, Christina was, to put it bluntly, a crackpot and hardly a role model for a Crown Princess of the 21^st Century.  However, Victoria appears to share her resolute conviction to duty with an Englishwoman who bore the same name.  And, if the young Princess’s flawless work ethic to date is anything to go by, the reign of Queen Victoria of Sweden will be just as golden as that of her namesake.   

- Gioffredo
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