Princess Sofia attends Sophia feast.

Wednesday, May 31; Princess Sofia attended the Sophia feast and handed out medals of merit to Sophia sisters. The Princess is Sophiahemmet's (Sophia House) Honorary President.

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The Sophia feast is since 1913 an annual feast of the Sophia sisters - people working in health care 25 years after starting their training as nurses.

During the ceremony, which was held at Sophiahemmet University College, Principal Johanna a Adami and Peter Seger, ceo of Sophiahemmet's non-profit organization held a speech. Then, Princess Sofia presented the medals to the Sophia sisters.

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The medals are a Latin silver cross with a light blue small cross. The cross is worn on a silver collar.

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The King and Queen 80th anniversary: The Queen's speech

Your Majesties,

Your Royal Highnesses,
Excellencies,
What an evening!
If I had known it was going to be this fun, I would have liked to turn 80 a long time ago! But to be quite frank: Just like my husband, I don’t feel like 80 at all.
Let us take this with us in our everyday lives, wherever we live.

Dear friends and family,

 

The Colombian author Gabriel Garcia Marquez has helped me describe why in his famous novel “Love in the Time of Cholera”:

He writes:

“Age has no reality except in the physical world. The essence of a human being is resistant to the passage of time. Our inner lives are eternal, which is to say that our spirits remain as youthful and vigorous as when we were in full bloom.”

To me, that explains it beautifully! Isn’t this true to all of us..?

And I would like to add an aspect that my husband always reminds me of: The importance of playing, of having fun! 

When we where in South Africa in February, the two of us suddenly found ourselves in quite a rare situation: We were sitting quietly next to each other – for the second day! – reading our books. Then Harald turned to me and said slowly: “Sonja, this is the closest we’ll ever get to retirement.”

I want to thank each and every one of you who have contributed here tonight. Thank you so much for warm words and for great fun!  

You have made this evening unforgettable!

Dear Queen Margrethe, you have been a vital support all since I became part of this family. In addition to being an invaluable adviser, you are a close friend with whom I share common interests like nature and the arts. Thank you so much for all our walks and talks, and for your ability to discover comic aspects on special occations!

I feel deeply privileged to be able to share this celebration with you all tonight.

I want to thank Haakon and Märtha, Mette, Ari – and all our wonderful grandchildren, for a relationship based on trust, love and respect.

I want to thank you for shared experiences and adventurous trips.

Nothing matters more at this stage in life – feeling that we belong together and that we can enjoy each other’s company across generations.

I want to thank Haakon and Mette in a very special way. Thank you for the strength we feel by working together, by giving each other space, showing each other understanding and support. Thank you for your openness, for discussions, and for fun! 

And dear Märtha, thank you for being who you are. Thank you for being such a couragous person and loving daughter. In difficult periods, your laughter lights up the day and makes us all happy!   

I want to thank the rest of our family, Princess Astrid in particular, and our friends – some of you have been with us for almost 80 years! That is invaluable – and perhaps especially in lives like ours.

Now – we are celebrating birthdays. I have already received my present from my husband. He is known for being a modest man, so he gave me one of his own belongings: A stable, which was already in his possession here on the Palace grounds. The stable will be transformed into a gallery open to the public as Queen Sonja Art Stable, in July. Not that I am not grateful – I really am! In fact, I was completely overwhelmed and deeply touched…

But I decided to give you something in return, my dear Harald. My gift to you is also a house, it is a “stabbur”, a store house, for the royal cottage Prinsehytta in Sikkilsdalen. A store house was in the old days used as a place to keep and preserve food.

So when I admire art in the stable, you can admire the victims of your hunting and fishing in the stabbur!    

In closing, I would like to repeat and build on Harald’s call to gratitude for life in his welcoming speech.

Because:

Every day is a gift that we should never take for granted.

Every day is an opportunity to do good.

Every day we can be there for our loved ones.

And we can acknowledge those who need to be seen.

 

Because above all – regardless of roles – we are human beings. People who are meant to support each other.

Thank you – each and every one of you – so much for being here, for sharing this celebration with us! This is truly a night to remember!

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Crown Princess Victoria in Japan - Day 2.

Photo:  Jessica Gow/TT

The Crown Princess's second day in Tokyo began with a visit to an Aeon supermarket. Aeon is Japan's leading retail group, which operates malls, department stores, supermarkets and pharmacies. 
The company is one of Japan's key actors in sustainable fishing, and they are actively working to integrate sustainability aspects into their purchasing policies for fish and shellfish.

Photo: Jessica Gow/TT

During the afternoon, the Crown Princess participated in a seminar on the UN Global Sustainability Goal, organised by UN University in Tokyo. The theme of the seminar was the promotion of the UN's global sustainability goals with a particular focus on sustainable seas.

Photo: Jessica Gow/TT

The Crown Princess gave the following speech:

Your Imperial Highness,Rector, Ladies and Gentlemen. Just over 60 years ago, Japan joined the United Nations as its 80th member: Secretary-General at the time was Dag Hammarskjöld, a Swedish diplomat with a great interest in Japanese poetry. His diary notes, published after his death, contained 110 haiku inspired poems. At the time of Dag Hammarskjöld’s secretary-generalship, the environment was barely on the UN agenda. It was an age of ecological innocence. Today, we know better. Today, we know that environmental crime – like poaching, wildlife trafficking and illicit fishing – is a global security issue. We know that the effects of climate change affect poor countries to a greater extent than richer parts of the world. And we need only to open a newspaper to read about drought-related violence killing men, women and children. The facts are there, in plain sight. The question is: how do we act upon them? I would like to quote something that the UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjöld said at the University of Chicago in 1960. In a speech that he would later refer to as his “confession of faith”, he stated:“Working at the edge of the development of human society is to work on the brink of the unknown”.  He added that much of what is done will one day prove to have been of little avail. But, he said, there is no excuse for the failure to act in accordance with our best understanding. Our best understanding. The facts on the table. A year and a half ago, the UN General Assembly adopted the 2030 agenda for sustainable development and its 17 global goals. This was a major achievement by the member states. I am convinced that Japan, with its long history of great contributions to the work in the UN, will be a force to reckon with in the years to come. All my life, I have had the privilege to live near the water. My most precious childhood memories are connected to the sea. So when I had the honour to be appointed as Advocate for the global sustainable development goals, it was an obvious choice for me to focus on issues related to water and health. It is this commitment that has brought me to Japan - and to this seminar here at the UN University. Today, we are going to talk about sustainable oceans. But what we are really talking about is our ability to feed a growing global population. Fish is the largest source of animal protein in the world. But almost 60 percent of all stocks are already fully fished. 30 percent are even overfished. Let there be no doubt: the situation is urgent! The figures can be overwhelming. But let us remember: together, we have a superpower. The power of consumer demand. The choices we make in our everyday lives have enormous impact on the future of our planet. As consumers, we have a right to know and an obligation to ask. We need to let producers know that we want the right choice to be the easy choice. So please, let us make use of that superpower! Today and every day. Dag Hammarskjöld spoke about working on the brink of the unknown. Today, just like then, we have more questions than we have answers about the future.  Will we be able to limit global warming to two degrees Celsius? Will we succeed in our efforts to end poverty and hunger?And will future generations thank us for what we did, or blame us for not doing more?  The truth is, we don’t know. But we do know that Dag Hammarskjöld was right: We all have a moral obligation to act in accordance with our best understanding. And right now, that means doing everything we can to achieve the Sustainable Development Agenda. This is not only our obligation; it is our only option. Thank you.

During the seminar discussions about the global goals were held, how young people can be inspired to contribute to the achievement of the goals and the state of the world.

Photo: Jessica Gow/TT

The seminar is linked to the forthcoming UN conference The Ocean Conference, held in June in New York. Sweden and Fiji have jointly taken the initiative to support the work of saving the world's ocean and achieving the global sustainable development target for marine and marine resources, Objective 14 of the UN Agenda 2030.

Photo: Jessica Gow/TT

The Crown Princess's day ended with a dinner together with Princess Takamado of Japan.

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Crown Princes Victoria in Japan - Day 1.

Photo: TT

From Tuesday 18 april to Friday 21 april, Crown Princess Victoria is on a visit to Japan. The trip aims to deepen the Crown Princess's work in sustainability, marine and fishing issues - issues that the Crown Princess as an ambassador for the UN global sustainability has chosen to focus in particular

The Crown Princess began her visit in Tokyo with a lunch with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan.

Photo: TT

Afterwards, the Crown Princes visited the Swedish Embassy in Tokyo where a meeting was held about Japan's efforts on sustainability issues.

Photo: Swedish embassy in Tokyo

The day ended with a reception at the Swedish Embassy for Japanese fishing companies and fishing experts. The meeting was a follow up of the Soneva Dialogue, held in the Maldives in November 2016, where multinational companies in the fishing and aquaculture took part along with leading scientists from both Europe and North America and Asia.

During the reception, the Crown Princess held a speech and said:

Your Excellency, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am honoured to be here tonight.
Some of you I have met before. Some of you are new acquaintances, who I am looking forward to getting to know.
I brought with me, here tonight, this small plant of pine. It can be seen as a symbol of my country.
This little plant will need to grow for about 80 to 90 years before it is ready to fell.
So planting it is not something you do for yourself, but for your children and grandchildren. It is an investment for future generations.
Now, you may wonder, why am I talking to you about forests?
It is because I believe that there is a common ground between Swedish forestry and Japanese fishery.
They are both national industries that have been around for many, many generations. They are foundations of national prosperity, closely linked to our respective histories and cultures. And thanks to ground-breaking innovation and research, they are globally competitive.
This little plant is small enough to fit in the palm of my hand, but it holds opportunities greater than we can imagine today.
The forest is a renewable resource with remarkable capacity. But like with all renewable resources, we need to manage it in a wise and sustainable way. Otherwise, we will no longer be able to make a living from it.
Fish is the largest source of animal protein in the world. Half of it comes from aquaculture, the other half is ocean harvested. There is a strong worldwide demand for good and affordable fish and seafood.
But to a growing extent, consumers are asking for more:
They want to know that their food is healthy, that it does not contain harmful substances, and that it has been produced in a way that does not threaten endangered species.
So there are strong reasons to act now to meet future global consumer demand. And, ultimately, to secure the conditions for a thriving seafood industry.
Sustainability is not a corporate buzz word. Sustainability is competitive.
In November, leaders of the global seafood industry held a dialogue meeting – the Soneva Dialogue – to discuss risks and opportunities connected to the state of our oceans. Some of you were there. And so was I.
The Dialogue resulted in a joint statement. The keystone actors have identified a number of areas that they will address together in order to contribute to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
This is a major step forward! Moving from words to action.
Like this plant, the unique partnership founded in November has all the potential to develop into something strong and solid; something to build on for the future. But this will demand your effort, your commitment and your hard work.
For decades and centuries, your companies have been pioneers of the sea. I urge you now to grasp the opportunity to maintain that leadership.
I welcome you to the next dialogue meeting in Stockholm in May. I hope to see many of you there.
Thank you.

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Crown Princess Victoria's 40th birthday celebrations.

Photo: Pure People

On 14 July 2017 HRH Crown Princess Victoria celebrates her 40th birthday. The celebrations will take place in Stockholm on Friday 14 July and on Öland on Saturday 15 July.

Friday 14 July - Stockholm

The Crown Princess' birthday celebrations start at 10 a.m. with a thanksgiving service, Te Deum, in the Royal Chapel at the Royal Palace. Invited guests are the immediate family, representatives of the Riksdag, the Government and official Sweden, as well as the staff of the Royal Court.
After the thankgsgiving service a reception will be held in the Palace garden, Logården, for the guests present at Te Deum.
At 12 noon the Armed Forces will fire gun salutes from Skeppsholmen, as well as from the salute batteries in Boden, Härnösand, Karlskrona, and Gothenburg.
At 1 p.m. the celebrations in Stockholm end with the Crown Princess Family being escorted from the Royal Palace to the Royal Stables in a horse drawn carriage.

Friday 14 July - Borgholm
The Crown Princess' birthday celebrations will continue at Borgholms IP in the presence of the Royal Family. The festivities at Borgholms IP begin at 7 p.m. 

Saturday 15 July - Solliden
At around 11 a.m., the day after the birthday, the celebrations will end with The King and Queen and The Crown Princess Couple meeting the people gathered in front of Solliden Palace. The gates to Solliden Palace Park open at 8.30 a.m.

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Service in memory of the victims of the Stockholm attack.

This Monday morning, the King and Queen, The Crown Princess Couple and Prince Couple attended Stockholm's official ceremony at the City Hall in honor of the victims of the attack of the 7th April.
The ceremony was also attended by representatives of the official Sweden.

At 12.00, a national minute of silence was held for those affected by the attack. The Army Band played Segnale Solenne and the two flags fluttered at half-mast was hoisted on top.
During the ceremony, Finance Commissioner Karin Wanngård, Finance County Commissioner Irene Svenonius and Prime Minister Stefan Löfven spoke and praised Stockholm's residents and authorities that set up help and support in many ways and showed great humanity.

The ceremony ended with the band playing all the heavens.

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Interview: Queen Silvia talks about being a grandmother with BUNTE.

Photo: Dana Press

She is a Queen of touch: Silvia of Sweden (72) at the birthday reception of their daughter on Solliden Palace patiently shakes hands of visitors, poses for selfies with children and sings a birthday song for Victoria (38) with the amount. Two days before she had shown a similar attitude at the opening ceremony of the great horse show CHIO in Aachen. With her husband Carl Gustaf (70) she visited the "Swedish Village" on the tournament course, talked to Swedish entrepreneurs and active athletes in the stable.Even during the interview with BUNTE, the Queen acts approachable and very friendly. When the reporter tells her that she came from the Heidelberg area as the Queen also, they immediately fell into the typical Palatine singsong: "Hajo! Look! Isch of nätt! "

Majesty, you were born in Germany, but are in Aachen as a representative of Sweden. Where do you feel at home? 
That's an interesting question that I would like to answer with the following comparison: I think that if you get the first child, then you love it very much. And then you suddenly get the second child and one wonders: Is it possible to love the second just like the first? And suddenly you have a third child. But can you split your heart in three equal parts? I think so! And so it is with my own feelings. I grew up in Brazil, in Germany I spent my teenage years and then I came to Sweden. I love Germany, my roots, my father's country. Naturally! But I also love Brazil because my mother was Brazilian and I went to school there. Now I live in Sweden, have three children and five grandchildren - Swedish children. And my husband is Swedish. It is understandable that I also love Sweden! 

Many Germans are fascinated with the Swedish Royal Family. How do you explain our fascination with your family? 
Hm. You better ask the Germans. For me, it's hard to explain. But the bond between Germany and Sweden has always been very large, especially the familiar one: think of Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, my husband's mother. Or Queen Victoria of England. 

Do you speak German well at home? Have your grandchildren learned German? 
They're too small yet. But the Crown Princess speaks very good German. Madeleine and Carl Philip are shy, but of course they understand the language. And the grandchildren? Each language they learn, is a door to the world. It is also much more convenient when you can speak several languages. 

What do your grandchildren call you then?
 Moder Moder. Moder means mother. Moder Moder means grandmother. Or Farmor. That's said, if one is the paternal grandmother. In Swedish, one always knows exactly when you're called grandmother. 

2016 was another eventful year for your Royal Family: You have become twice a grandmother, celebrated your 40th wedding anniversary, Victoriadagen now and in autum the christening of your grandson Alexander. Everything seems more like a fairy tale. Appearances are deceptive? 
It is both a fairy tale, but also a lot of work. We have an intensive program. The events doesn't begin at 9am and finish at 17 o'clock, but it is constantly something going on. It's interesting, really, for that I am my husband also very grateful because it is unlikely possibilities. Many trips, for example. But it is also a lot of work to prepare for it. In October we are especially pleased with the state visit to Germany for the second time for us! The first time we were in Bonn, now Berlin is the capital and Germany is very different. We actually visit the country privately sometimes. Whenever we travel to the south of France, we drive through Germany, stopping in different cities. Every time we take a different route. I can only recommend!

Those are insanely long car rides. Straining not do this to? 
Oh, my husband is an excellent driver. 

I heard he wanted to still view necessarily the Mercedes stand here on the show grounds... 
Quite possible. He loves cars. They have a few more horsepower. 

Your granddaughter Leonore seems fond of horses. Recently you could see on photos, as she visited her pony Haidi.
 Oh yeah! She loves them! She grooms them, feeds and dresses them. Whenever she can, she visits her pony. If it were up to her she would have liked to do so everyday. 

Your credo is: grandchildren are the dessert of life. Are you a pampering Omi? 
Well, there are sweets in Sweden for children on Saturdays only. This is followed by all hold. Dentists propagate this rule, of course, say that children are better on a day to eat as much as they want, and then good brushing, than to nibble everyday Sweet. Sometimes I ask the children: "Is today Saturday? "Then I say," No. "And then they say:". No? Oh, I'll wait. "That's no problem.

• Original in German.

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Chris O'Neill talks family life and work with Expressen.

Photo: Suvad Mrkonjic

Solliden Palace. Princess Madeleine and Chris O'Neill are enjoying the Swedish summer on Öland. In a big summer interview, Chris O'Neill tells us now about tennis mornings and family home evenings at Solliden, how Nicolas took his first steps the other day and how the little Prince looks up to Leonore - and Chris O'Neill hopes to see the family grow more. 
We want to have more children. Both Madeleine and I want a big family. One or two more. 
It is an early morning at Solliden Palace. In a moment, the Palace shall be open to the public and the Royal Family get down to the private boathouse down by Kalmar to enjoy the glorious weather. One of the family members, Chris O'Neill, has chosen to take a little break this morning.I'ts almost exactly a year ago that he told me why he and Madeleine would leave Sweden in the fall and move to London. Now they have been living in London for almost 12 months and Chris summarizes the impressions:

For me it was like coming home again, of course. For Madeleine it was something completely new to move from New York to London, but it has worked wonderfully well. We moved to be closer to Sweden and I would still be able to do my work. Now it is so much easier being able to get back and forth to Stockholm for Madeleine. It's a completely different freedom.

We meet up at the King's Coffee Torp inside at Solliden. Chris chose a table a little aloof. It's still early and no one gets to notice him.I love Öland and Solliden Palace. It is a fantastic place and a wonderful place to be in the summer, he says.

How has the first year in London been? 
We're about to get into everything, and above all,  Nicolas and Leonore. They're what is called pseudo twins because they are so close in age.It has been a busy year. Both Madeleine and I have worked great. Besides my job and Madeleine's royal mission and commitment to Childhood, we focus heavily on family life and children. For example, we prepared the children's schools. Leonore starting kindergarten in the fall. It feels good.

How long will you stay in London?We have not set any time limit. However, it will be at least two to three years. Then we'll see what happens.

Is it okay for Madeleine? 
Yes absolutely. We feel both very good in England.

Chris O'Neill has previously reported on his work - how he helps other companies with different payment solutions through his company Wilton Payments. Helping large companies to secure new business at lower costs, long-term contracts and electronic payment solutions.I'm working on it. It takes longer than you think to develop such payment solutions to large enterprises. You can come up with a good idea and yet three years later remain in the same process. 
Especially if you work with large companies. It's a bit like an oil tanker. But once you've driven it and have a straight course and do a good job, it will be the company that will be loyal to you. You have to constantly be present, and it requires a lot of me.
 How much do you work?

A lot. I travel a lot, but above all, about 75 per cent in London. The trips I make, for example, Zurich or Milan is the day, so that I don't have to spend a night in a hotel. Back in London, I have an office that I share with a few other enterprises, and in the evenings I can be home with Madeleine and the children.

How is the weekend in London?

London is so much more child-friendly than New York. Usually on the weekends you can go to lots of parks like Richmond Park and Hyde Park. Even museums and a variety of aquariums. Both London and Stockholm are built more child-friendly than New York. On the evenings we prioritize being at home with the children. Both Madeleine and I are very much about family dinners and just being at home.Chris begins to proudly talk about the kids Princess Leonore and Prince Nicolas:

 Both Madeleine and I agree that life can not be much better than what it is today with these two little creatures. There are two completely different characters and you can see now that Nicolas is watching every single thing that Leonore makes and admires her.

Nicolas took his first steps the other day! says Chris and shining up. They weren't the most secure, but they're his first steps. Leonore went when she was 12 months. But I read somewhere that girls usually go earlier than boys.

What is the difference between Leonore and Nicolas?

They're completely different individuals. Nicolas is a soft little guy. Leonore is dominant and a certain small girl. And by the way, says Chris. I think Nicolas has inherited something of his uncle Carl Philip and grandfather the King. He loves everything that has a motor. He's completely obsessed with everything related to the engines. So we do know how it will be in the future, he says, laughing.

Do you want more children?
Yes absolutely. Since it's not a foregone conclusion. Madeleine and I love having a big family. But we want to wait with the kids right now. I feel that we must focus on Nicolas and Leonore. Make sure they get our time and that we see them 100 percent. But in the future, absolutely! 

How many more? A child? Two children? 
Chris laughs: One or two, accurate, he says and laughs again.Last winter was Chris and Madeleine were in "Skavlan 'on SVT and told for the first time about their relationship on TV. Chris is happy he did it: I have received many positive reactions. It feels good. Many have told me that they had a "very different picture of you" before "Skavlan".

 Do you Recognise it? That people who do not know you have a preconceived idea about you? 
Yes absolutely. We all have images and perceptions of people we may not know. My friends know who I am and what  kind of person I am. Since I am convinced that there are people who change their minds after perhaps seen a program like "Skavlan". It's always easy to judge anyone, but I believe in giving everyone a chance and get to know them as individuals. 

Do you find it hard to be public? 
It is what it is. I'm getting more and more used to it. Like making a TV show like "Skavlan" with so many viewers I was of course nervous. It was not the easiest. Being a public person has all its aspects. All the paparazzi if you are on vacation is such a thing. It can get annoying after a while. But that's a small price you pay.

How?
 I do not think much about it anymore. I have my amazing family and kids and have to say I think we've got to have a good and protected the privacy of the past year. Madeleine and I are committed to giving children a childhood as normal as possible. That they are protected and can have their life. Since're both Madeleine and I are aware that there will never be 100 percent normal, as for other children who are not public.

 Photo: Suvad Mrkonjic

You have left the United States and your summer house in Florida is on sale. Why? 
It is easy. We do not use it anymore. To have a house in Florida means a constant maintenance of everything from garden to pool and even when we are not there we need to have the air conditioner. Things like those cost a lot on the long run.Then there is Florida and all the insurances. Everything from insurance against flooding, to hurricanes. While it pulls in the way of costs. Now we do not use the house any longer, and therefore decided to sell it. Nothing goes fast in Florida so it will probably take its time to be sold.Chris and Madeleine are in Öland to enjoy the Swedish summer. Chris manages his operations from the castle:The King had the kindness to lend an office to me and from there I can control my business. In the rest of Europe and the United States now in the holidays. We're are all about to complete everything to go on vacation. So you have to fight on even harder. I go this weekend back and forth to London and will do so in the coming weeks. Madeleine, however, will stay in Öland with the children for at least a couple more weeks. 

What do you do everyday in Öland?
 I begin each morning with a game of tennis. 

Who do you play against?
 It could be Madeleine or Carl Philip. I also have a professional tennis coach from Borgholm coming and run different sports with me. Since we usually go down to the boathouse with the kids and just swim. I love to swim with the kids. There is so much to do inside at Solliden. If it's not the fantastic strawberry or raspberry plantations, it's horses for Leonore. Then we hang out a lot with the family and grandfather King and grandmother Silvia.
 
Do you eat breakfast with the rest of the Royal Family? 
Yes absolutely. We usually try to gather in the morning at breakfast.

 How do evenings go out? 
Usually we cook food first to the children and then add them. After that we usually get dinner with the rest of the family. Sometimes down at the beach when the weather is good. Then Madeleine and I can have nights when we just take a pizza and watch a movie.
 
Which movies then? 
I love old classic movies such as "submarine" and "The Hunt for Red October." Comedy is also something that I like. 

What about Madeleine? 
She likes action and new movies. Since we both like series. "The Good Wife" and "Suits" are two that we are watching.

Have you seen "Making a murderer" on Netflix? 
No, I have completely missed it. It is good, then? Thanks for the tip! 

How is your relationship with the King and Queen? 
Amazing. They are two wonderful and generous people. With both their time, love and warmth. They are also two incredibly good sounding board. Both have as much knowledge as I can ask about the different issues. The Queen is very humble. She is as she usually say a woman with Brazilian Heart and German brain. Incredibly sharp. 
 

Photo: Suvad Mrkonjic

And the King, then? 
He has a life experience that is huge. Just sit in the evenings and hear all his stories and all he has been through. It is huge. And very entertaining. I also have a fantastic relationship with the others in the family such as Victoria and Daniel and Carl Philip and Sofia.

 Did you feel welcome from the beginning into the Royal Family? 
From day one! Undoubtedly. 

Why do you think so? 
Everyone rely on Madeleine and her opinion. They know the incredibly wise woman she is.

 We end the interview taking a walk up on Alvar and taking pictures of Chris. Once there, Chris tells us that Alvar is a beathtaking for him and Madeleine:

We usually try to get here every day. It's tremendously beautiful.There, in the middle of Alvar, Chris and I talk about everything that is currently happening in the world. Everything from attacks in Nice to, most recently, Turkey.

It's just terrible. Just terrible, he says and shakes his head.We're talking about the English choice to stay or leave the EU. It became brexit - leave EUDue to my work, you probably understand what I think about brexit. Of course England will not leave. I believe that no side won because it was precisely those who are dissatisfied and want out England from the EU went and voted. Had more people who want to stay gone to the polling stations had been different. But what is happening now is not good.Before we be separated, I ask Chris if he follows the forthcoming elections in the United States:Yes of course.

Trump or Hillary?
 Well I can say as much as that of Clinton is elected we have three women in leadership in five of the world's leading economies. It would be amazing.Chris apologizes. Inside Solliden are waiting Madeleine and the children Leonore and Nicolas.Madeleine has some friends visiting with children. So it becomes the beach and swimming in the day. Another great family day at Öland, he says with a big smile.

• Read original in Swedish.

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