Swedish Royal Wedding: The Ceremony

Prince Carl Philip of Sweden and Sofia Hellqvist have been married in a ceremony at the Royal Palace of Stockholm’s Palace Chapel this afternoon.

After their guests walked the coral carpet through the palace courtyard, Prince Carl Philip made his entrance with his best man, Jan-Åke Hansson, one of his oldest friends from boarding school. The Prince and Mr Hansson bowed three times before stepping up to the altar to await the bride and her father.

Ms Hellqvist, in a gown by Ida Sjöstedt with a new diamond and emerald tiara, was a few minutes behind schedule (the ceremony was meant to begin at 4:30pm) when she walked up the aisle on the arm of her father, Erik Hellqvist, to the tune of Enya’s Father in Heaven. She was preceded to the altar by her four bridal children: Princess Estelle, Chloé and Anaïs Sommerlath and Tiara Larsson.

Readings were given by Crown Princess Victoria, the groom’s elder sister, and Lina and Sara Hellqvist, the bride’s two sisters. Afterwards, the Royal Court Chief Chaplain, Revered Lars-Göran Lönnermark, read Carl Philip and Sofia their vows, to which they both said a resounding ‘Ja!’. The Prince had some trouble getting the wedding band on Sofia’s finger, almost having to force it on to the chuckles of their families.

It wouldn’t be a Swedish royal wedding of recent times if there was not some form of kitschy-song performance, and Carl Philip and Sofia did not disappoint: renditions of Fix You by Coldplay and the Swedish version of Rihanna’s Umbrella filled the chapel at points during the ceremony.

Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia recessed back down the altar to their guests clapping along to gospel tune Joyful, Joyful. The couple then embarked on a cortege through the streets of Stockholm.

We will be covering the reception, Sofia’s bridal gown and the royal guests tomorrow on the blog!

Filed under Sweden
Tagged Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, Princess Sofia of Sweden, Swedish Royal Wedding 2015.

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