Princess Ines of Sweden to be christened on her mum and dad's wedding anniversary

 

It's a rather special wedding anniversary this year for one royal couple and for more than one reason. Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia are celebrating ten years of marriage and to really put the cherry on top of their anniversary cake, they are having their youngest child baptised on the same day.

Royal Wedding Traditions: the Myrtle of Sweden

Princess Sofia of Sweden's wedding bouquet was the latest to follow a royal tradition

(photo kungahuset.se)

Royal weddings are all about tradition. While the old fashioned trading of pretty princesses for large chunks of land/ no wars for thirty years/ gold bars and barrels of rum etc in marriage contracts have fortunately faded into history, some habits remain. One of them is the tradition that all Swedish royal brides wear myrtle in their hair or carry it in their bouquets on their wedding day. It's a sweet custom that not only makes the flowers a bit easier to sort, it provides a link to an ancestress whose influence shaped the modern family.

Sweden's Royal Wedding Dresses

The wedding dress of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden

(photo kungahuset.se)

They are works of art, pieces of history and things of beauty. As a new exhibition opens at the Royal Palace in Stockholm featuring the five wedding dresses of the reign of King Carl XVI Gustaf, a selection of photos of the gowns have been released highlighting their true glory. From the simple satin of Queen Silvia to the light lace of Princess Sofia and everything in between, here are some fresh looks at the royal wedding dresses of Sweden.

The Royal Brides of Sweden

Silvia, Victoria and Sofia of Sweden at the official opening of an exhibition of their royal wedding dresses in Stockholm

(photo kungahuset.se)

Three of Sweden's modern royal brides gathered at the Royal Palace in Stockholm today to relive their wedding days. Queen Silvia opened an exhibition of the dresses worn by the women of the reign of King Carl XVI Gustaf for their marriages and at her side were two of the most famous royal brides of the past decade, Crown Princess Victoria and Princess Sofia. The royal brides of Sweden were surrounded by memories and they looked rather pleased indeed.