Princess Estelle of Sweden is baptised in royal ceremony
She has a lifetime of official engagements ahead of her, and this afternoon Princess Estelle of Sweden was officially baptised.
The royal baby, who is second in line to the throne behind her mother, Crown Princess Victoria, 34, was christened just after noon today (May 22) in the lavish 17th century chapel of the Royal Palace in Stockholm.
Wearing a long white gown used by the Swedish royal family for such occasions since 1907, Princess Estelle Silvia Ewa Mary let out a loud gurgle as she was brought to the font of the religious building.
Both Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel, 38, looked emotional as their first child was baptised in a font filled with water brought specially to Stockholm by King Carl XVI Gustaf from his royal residence, Solliden, on the island of Olan.
Victoria’s brother, Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, 33, as well as Daniel’s sister, Anna Westling Söderström, were announced as two of the godparents to the three-month-old princess.
Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, 38, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, 40, and Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange, 45, rounded off the five.
“God, we thank you for this child,” Princess Victoria said in a prayer. “Thank you for the gift you have given and the trust you have shown. Give us tenderness and stability and peace, and help us to pass your love on to the child we have been given responsibility for. In the name of Jesus. Amen”
As Victoria, dressed in a dusky pink gown and matching headpiece, and Daniel left the church with little Estelle in their arms, the royal couple were welcomed by a gun salute.
Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt explained celebrating the birth of Estelle is a “historic” moment as following a change to the country’s constitution back in 1980, the eldest heir now inherits the throne regardless of their gender.
“It's a historic day,” he told reporters as he entered the church. “We will now have a new era of Queens that will follow the present King, therefore that's a very important occasion.”
Estelle, Duchess of Ostergotland, was born on February 23, weighing 7lbs 3oz.
BY LOUISE SAUNDERS AND NIKOLAJ VRAA / STARLOUNGE
