A date to remember for Leonore

Chris O'Neill will never have an excuse for not remembering his wedding anniversary.  Apart from the fact that his marriage to Princess Madeleine of Sweden was a global news event, June 8th will now be the date of his daughter's christening.  Exactly one year on from their wedding, the couple are returning to Stockholm for Leonore's baptism.

The first official photograph of Princess Leonore of Sweden who will be christened on June 8th 2014

The christening will take place in the Royal Chapel of the Drottningholm Palace and will be the first time, probably, that Leonore visits Sweden.  Her godparents haven't been announced yet.  But by picking such a special date, her parents have ensured that June 8th becomes a real family affair for them.  And ensured that Chris O'Neill never forgets his wedding anniversary.

The princes of Sweden

They're a rare breed and normally outnumbered by their female counterparts but for one night only, the princes of Sweden were the stars at Stockholm's Royal Palace.  Prince Daniel and Prince Carl Philip were on hand to help the king and queen host a gala dinner for a wide range of people from all walks of Swedish life and for once, there were were more princes than princesses on parade.

Boys' night out - Prince Daniel and Prince Carl Philip of Sweden at a gala dinner in Stockholm

Crown Princess Victoria is on a tour of Africa while Princess Estelle, although already well schooled in public engagements at the tender age of two and a bit, was safely tucked up in her nursery.  And Princess Madeleine is in New York where she gave birth to Sweden's other princess, Leonore, just over a month ago.  The only princess to be seen last night was the king's sister, Princess Christina.

Christina had the princess category all to herself at the Royal Palace in Stockholm on March 19th

The Swedish Royal House is dominated by women with the line of succession made up of four princesses and just one prince.  Usually gala events are awash with princesses so it's rare to see the husband and brother of the Crown Princess centre stage. But it won't last long.  Madeleine will be bringing her little girl to Stockholm for her christening and some European papers are now talking about another princess joining the fold soon - it's reported that an engagement between Carl Philip and his girlfriend, Sofia Hellqvist, is imminent.  This could be the only chance the two princes of Sweden will have for years to take the limelight.  Let's hope they enjoyed it.

For once, the royal men outnumber the women in Stockholm as King Carl XVI Gustaf leads his family in greeting guests at a gala dinner at the Royal Palace

Pink for her princess

Queen Silvia of Sweden hasn't stopped smiling since meeting her newest granddaughter, Leonore.  And at a special church service held for the arrival of the princess, the queen consort was still beaming while dressed from head to foot in pink.  Her outfit was no doubt inspired by her newest family member who was born in New York on February 20th 2014.  Princess Leonore will be christened in Sweden in the coming months and her arrival in her homeland - Princess Madeleine and her family are expected to move back in the next few years so that her little girl can go to school there - will no doubt put an even bigger smile on her royal grandmother's face.

Queen Silvia of Sweden and King Carl XVI Gustaf arriving at the Te Deum to mark the birth of Princess Leonore held in Stockholm

Madeleine is a mummy

Princess Madeleine of Sweden is now a mummy.  The princess gave birth to a daughter in New York on February 20th 2014 at 22:41 local time.  The announcement was made by the Marshal of the Realm.

The new royal parents - Madeleine of Sweden and Chris O' Neill welcomed their daughter on February 20th 2014

Mother and baby are doing well.  The new princess of Sweden is fifth in line to the throne - her name will be announced later.  The little girl is a second grandchild for King Xarl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia.

A princess about to pop

Princess Madeleine of Sweden is about a month away from giving birth to her first baby.  In days gone by, royal mummies to be would usually retire from public view about now and go into confinement to prepare for the arrival of their little prince or princess (Madeleine's baby is a little girl).  But in the 21st century, everything is different and now this royal lady in waiting is still at work and posting photos of herself on her Facebook page as she contemplates a commute home in the snow of New York.  The Big Apple will be the birthplace of the fifth in line to the throne of Sweden next month.  In the meantime, it's the setting for this royal mum to be to show how regal maternity trends are changing.

Princess Madeleine of Sweden and bump in New York

The Princess of New York

The news that Princess Madeleine of Sweden will have her baby in America means that the Swedish Royal Family may be able to lay claim to the first official princess of New York.  The youngest child of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia is due to have her baby in the city at the end of February and the child, believed to be a daughter, will be a Swedish princess with full dynastic rights.  And if Madeleine and her husband, Chris O'Neill, want to do the full old fashioned royal thing they could give their daughter the place of her birth as part of her title.  The fist Princess of New York.

Princess Madeleine of Sweden has confirmed that her baby, who will be fifth in line to the Swedish throne, is to be born in New York

In days gone by, royal babies were known by the place where they were born.  So King John of England began life as John of Oxford, the only son of Richard III was known as Edward of Middleham until his father became king and he became Prince of Wales for just a few months and one of the daughters of Edward I was named after her place of birth while her parents were on Crusade and went into the history books as Joan of Acre.  So if Madeleine does make her baby a princess of New York, she'll be giving an old tradition into a very modern twist.

A baby for Madeleine

Princess Estelle is about to get a little cousin.  The Swedish Royal House has just announced that Princess Madeleine will become a mummy in March 2014.

 

Two become three - Princess Madeleine of Sweden and her husband, Chris O'Neill, are expecting their first baby next year

 

The baby is the first for Madeleine and her husband, Chris O'Neill, who married in June this year.  The second grandchild of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia will be fifth in line to the throne when they arrive in 2014. 

 

 

 

One of the official photos of Madeleine's summer wedding to Chris O'Neill

 

The princess, who is 31, made her own announcement via her Facebook page this morning and the royal household confirmed the news.  The official press release said there were no planned changes to the princess' schedule for the rest of the year.  The news comes just days before her father celebrates the 40th anniversary of his accession meaning he starts his jubilee with another member of the next generation on the way.