Friday 3 June 2016

Leonore's Duchess Debut


Princess Leonore of Sweden has visited her Duchy of Gotland for the first time

She's been its duchess since the very first days of her life but today Leonore of Sweden paid her first visit to Gotland.  The littlest duchess headed to the land her grandfather made her own with her mum and dad for a first formal visit. And Leonore seemed to love every minute.



Leonore Lilian Maria was made Duchess of Gotland on February 26th 2014, six days after her birth in New York, when King Carl XVI Gustaf announced her names and titles at the special cabinet meeting that accompanies royal births in Sweden. Now, two years and three months on she stepped into its sunshine to say an official hello.



And this little princess had a lot to get through. First step on this official visit with her parents, Princess Madeleine and Chris O'Neill, was a trip to a horse farm where Leonore got to meet the pony that had been given to her as a christening present back in June 2014.



If mum Madeleine looked a little bit worried, then Leonore took it all in her stride, stroking the horse and helping look after it.


But perhaps even more interesting to this two year old was the huge field of flowers and long grass that she took off in. All toddlers love a run and Leonore is no exception, flying through the field and enjoying the sunshine.



There was time for a spot of lunch at Visby and an introduction to a staple of royal life - a choir. Leonore sat down for her musical welcome and then as the crowds got bigger, understandably clung to her mum and dad for a bit of support.




The three of them then headed off to the Gotland Museum where Madeleine did what all mums do on days out like this and started playing with all the exhibits to keep her toddler happy while Chris O'Neill did the dad thing and smiled while trying to keep a tired two year old amused.



Leonore, who wore two pretty blue and white dresses for her big day, headed home looking pretty exhausted but with her first big royal engagement out of the way. It was all a dream of a duchess debut.

Photos: kungahuset.se and Princess Madeleine Facebook.

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