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| Photo: DT.se |
Prince Carl Philip and fiancée Sofia Hellqvist visited the Dalarna County to attend the Festival “Peace & Love” in Borlänge.
Sofia Hellqvist is one of seven members of the Board of Directors of the Foundation “Peace and Love” that manages the festival.
The couple has also given an exclusive interview to DT, a Swedish news agency, where they talked about their first meeting, their relationship, the engagement, and hope for the future. We have the translation here!
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| Photo: DT.se |
They looked shyly at each other, and then say it clicked at the first meeting.
I'm here for the most beautiful reason in the world, and it is love. As long as it is strong, I'm strong, says Sofia about the future life as a princess.
It feels right. We have received tremendous support from all over the country but especially here in Dalarna, she says, talking about the feeling of security when she passes the Älvdalen sign on the way home. In Kåtilla she has a private room left in her parents' house.
It was the best choice when my parents made the move back, says Sofia who remembers a childhood filled with activities - theater, dancing, singing, basketball, skiing, orienteering, pistol shooting ... She is one which takes advantage of opportunities, and doesn't remain on the station as the train passes.
Prince Carl Philip talks about the warmth and respect he met in the playground. Although his home district is a major city, he feels at home in the municipality where each resident has one square to move on.
People are friendly. I like to come home with Sofia, where there is the same feeling that I'm used to from my own family, he says.
DT met the couple last Friday in Falun. They are in Dalarna to visit the Peace & Love Festival in Borlänge. Sofia Hellqvist sits on the board of the festival and this year she is most interested in the panel discussions, especially those dealing with diversity and racism.
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| Photo: DT.se |
It's been exactly one week after the engagement. How does it feel?
Wonderful. Quite right. It's like coming home. We haven't had ime to meet as much as Sofia has been in Almedalen ... but I've still been happy all week, says Prince Carl Philip and said that he was excited about the courtship.
I was nervous and loaded. My whole body felt like it pulsed. I woke up several times at night before, I do not know if Sofia noticed. I wanted it to be a surprise, he says.
He managed to surprise me, but I did think he was strangely refreshed that morning, says Sofia. Otherwise, he is the one of the two who wakes up at six or seven in the morning and is ready for the day.
The ring glistens and the sun is blazing, and there is no doubt about the warmth between the newly engaged. A few minutes into the interview, they take each other's hands, and they sit like that through the whole conversation.
Tell us about the first meeting?
We met at a lunch. I sat there with some friends, and you came in with a friend of yours, who knew my friends. It just clicked right away, says Prince Carl Philip.
We looked shyly at each other, and some said it clicked, but I would have never believed that it would end like this. Everyone who knows Carl Philip notices at once that he is an incredibly humble, warm and kind person. This can be seen in your eyes directly and who can resist that. The more I got to know you, the more it grew, says Sofia Hellqvist.
Other hit then?
It was when you asked if I would like to go on the go-cart. You probably wanted to show your racing skills, says Sofia teasingly to the prince.
It creeps forward to that first date turned into competition, even if Prince Carl Philip first chuckle deterrence, so he may admit.
I thought it would just be a little quiet ride, but we had other friends who pulled away and then flew fan in me, and I thought "whatever" said the prince whose competitive spirit awakens in terms of motorsport.
I had lots of fun, and he succeeded after all. I think we won, says Sofia Hellqvist. And now it's probably no longer on go-carts, but about love.
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| Photo: DT.se |
You have been a couple for almost five years. What is the difference between being engaged?
The biggest change is probably that people had the opportunity to come up and congratulate, when I was in Almedalen, but also on the street in Stockholm, Now we get to do things together, have better guidance and know where we are going. It's a little sketchy before taking this step, says Sofia Hellqvist.
How she is supposed to represent is not decided yet. Even before the engagement, Sofia Hellqvist has been invited to family events like Madeleine's wedding and Estelle's baptism.Now she is automatically a guest at public events where Carl Philip is involved. For the prince is a great joy that they can now play together.
It was so great to do that press conference last Friday when we told them about the engagement, having finally Sofia by my side, it's us.There was a huge confidence in it, a feeling that I have not felt before. I've been with my parents, and my sisters have their men. Now I finally have my baby, my security, says Prince Carl Philip.
The wedding will be next summer. Can you tell me more about when and where?
We really haven't had time to talk time and place for the wedding yet. It was busy around the engagement, and then Sofia went to Almedalen.
Future?
First, we naturally get to the wedding. Children should naturally come in the future, but we are really taking one step at a time, says Sofia Hellqvist.
Now we want to live, do things together, enjoy being us says Prince Carl Philip.
Both the prince and Sofia Hellqvist are working full time. When DT meets the couple Falun, she will then direct from Almedalen where she disseminated information about the organization Project Playground.
It's the best job, I'm passionate about it and feel that our work makes a difference, says Sofia Hellqvist.
The couple finds that commitment often rubs off in a relationship. The prince is interested in and sits on the board of Project Playground. Sofia, in turn, is a sounding board when he wants to test ideas in his work as a graphic designer.
There is a strong woman behind every successful man, says Sofia laughing. There is a strong man behind every successful woman, the prince replies. No, you know, it's the combination, we support each other, both say. As I said at the press conference when we were engaged - at last, we are a team, and we're a good team, says Prince Carl Philip.
You both work hard, what makes a good day out, when you do not work 110 percent?
The landing gear of the thong which is our breathing, we value enormously. Sometimes it feels like the only place in the world where we can just be us. We cut the grass, spike things up, go for long walks and cuddle with our border terrier Siri, says Prince Carl Philip and Sofia - as often one begins the sentence, and then other fills in.
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| Photo: DT.se |
Besides that, how you connect to?
My best relaxation is yoga, which is a big part of my life. And so the wild, and to come home to playground. I'm social, but I need to be myself sometimes, says Sofia Hellqvist, who also likes to read. I'm omnivorous. Lately, there have been stories from reality, sad fate - everything from the Holocaust to the prostitutes girls in India ... But I might as well read a romance novel, you know, same story every time, but I love it just as much, says Sofia.
You mean the one that started off on a go-cart track? says Prince Carl Philip, smiling.
The prince likes motorsport, which he was indulged in since he was little. He runs six racing weekends of the year, a total of twelve races.
For me it's my relaxation, a way to relax from everything else. Racing requires focus.When I get into the car, it's just where and when applicable. There is not a chance to think otherwise because then booms man and sits in the rack says Prince Carl Philip.
You both like to ski. Will you be there at the Vasa relay next year?
We'll see, we both work so much and do not have time to exercise. We drive in Älvdalen, and last winter it was possible to make the rounds at Gärdet in Stockholm, said the prince.
No, it was not in Vaasa tracks which he first visited the playground. He made this clear during military service when he coached winter war in Trängslet.
Last winter when the couple went VasaStafetten Sofia Hellqvist had been sick the week before, but she held still his leg.
That man has taken on, it carries you, says Sofia Hellqvist is happy that the prince who went first stretch awaited her in Eldris.
The sun warms. We talked for over an hour. The atmosphere is relaxed and the interview will take whatever time it takes. When the couple gets up comes a grålockig lady from Norrköping and asks shyly get to take a picture. They posing friendly, just as they do a little later down at Faluån, when two young guys suddenly brakes and jumps out of the car with smartphones at the ready.
Now you're a public figure, Sofia. How do you handle celebrity and gossip?
It's probably a reason that we have not taken this step earlier. I've wanted to get me, it's a gradual process of being recognized all the time, from that have not been there.
That I had with me from the beginning is that I have a strong identity and self-image.It's both boos and laptop in reporting, but I know who I am and the values I have. So it has been ever since I was little. It is important to always recognize himself, no matter what people say.
Prince Daniel comes from a similar background, from Ockelbo. Have you been advised by him?
Yes, Daniel has a lot of good advice, we're talking pretty much says Sofia Hellqvist who feels confident about the future life as a princess.
I'm here for the most beautiful reason in the world, and it is love. As long as it is strong, I'm strong, she says
