Christening of Princess Estelle: May 22, 2012

[Danish_Royalist]

Guess I'll be recording the christening since I'm at work...

 

[Esmerelda]

Guess I'll be recording the christening since I'm at work...

It'll probably be online afterwards but you might miss bits like guests arriving and so forth

 

[LadyFinn]

The first guests have arrived. Victoria and Daniel are hosting a private dinner tonight for the closest relatives at Haga Palace, tells Bertil Ternert.
Victoria was seen walking with Estelle at the Haga Park today, and also at the balcony of the Haga Palace.
Första gästerna har anlänt till Haga slott | Nyheter | Aftonbladet

 

[tihkon2]

Just looking at the guestlist and saw this in the section with guests from Daniel's family:

Socionom Anna Westling Söderström och Adjunkt Mikael Westling Söderström
Fröken Hedvig Blom
Fröken Vera Blom

Herr Casper Söderström
Fröken Caisa Söderström

I didn't know that Mikael took the Westling name as a "middle" name.

Does anyone know if Caspar and Caisa are Mikael's children?

 

[LadyFinn]

Just looking at the guestlist and saw this in the section with guests from Daniel's family:
I didn't know that Mikael took the Westling name as a "middle" name.

Does anyone know if Caspar and Caisa are Mikael's children?

Yes, Anna and Mikael have had a boy and a girl with Hedvig and Vera with them, they were with Anna, Mikael and the Westlings at Glada Hudik theatre last October, they were seen at their wedding also.
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/9070/b95q9542.jpg
http://img802.imageshack.us/img802/1994/b95q9566.jpg
http://arbetarbladet.se/image_proce.../derivatives/wide/4197353704.jpg?maxWidth=468
It was told after the wedding that both Anna and Mikael have the name Westling Söderström.

 

[Esmerelda]

Anyone know when the Royals are flying in?

An article on Nyheter 24 around 4pm Swedish time: Bertil Ternert says Sofia and Chris haven't accepted their invitations yet and the court will need an answer 'by tomorrow morning or something'.
http://translate.google.com/transla...med-pa-dopets-gastlista-de-har-inte-tackat-ja

This guy really needs to be sent on a remedial course in public relations..

On a happier note, the pictures of Daniel's family are lovely. His nieces have grown since the wedding.

 

[LadyFinn]

Aftonbladet met queen Silvia today:
- I'm very happy and looking forward to tomorrow, said Silvia told Aftonbladet after she visited a forum in central Stockholm.

Naming ceremony will be broadcasted in several countries, more than 400 journalists are accredited. However, it's only a fifth of how many people watched the wedding of Victoria and Daniel, two years ago.
On Monday, the first royals arrive in Sweden and are taken in a police escort to both the Royal Palace and the Haga Palace.

For Estelle Tuesday's baptism is her first major public appearance - and Silvia feels with her grandchild.
- My thoughts are obviously with Estelle. She is so pretty, the queen said.
Silvia: Jag är lycklig | Nyheter | Aftonbladet

 

[polyesco]

Well, call me conservative.

I don't think it's a good idea to invite Sofia Hellquist and Chriss O'Neil before an official engagement.
They are probably nice people but that's not the point.

This is Victoria and Daniel and very much Estelle's day.
This is a state event and a dynastic event.
To invite Chris and Sofia will inevitable lead to speculations and discussions, which will detract from the event itself. And that is unfortunate, I think.

There will hopefully be more christenings and other major family events in the SRF. Surely Sofia and Chriss will survive waiting until they are officially "official" before attending such events.

Very well said.
I also think it distracts from the main event. I also do not think the official press secretary to the SRF should be commenting on boyfriends and girlfriends. Not well handed.

 

[rubies]

It is distracting if people keep talking about it. I don't think it should even have been mentioned. So what if they want to be there, they could have sat them in the general seating if it was a problem. I'm conservative but a baptism is a celebration to enjoy and this whole thing seems a bit silly. Of course I'm not a royal...

 

[LadyFinn]

So what if they want to be there, they could have sat them in the general seating if it was a problem.

But since only the invited people can get to the Royal Chapel, there will be a seating order...

 

[bojoha]

Official guest list, released by Kungahuset.

Gäster - Sveriges Kungahus [NS4 version]

On the list include:

The Duke and Duchess of Brabant
Queen Margrethe II, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark
Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg and Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy
The Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima of the Netherlands
Crown Prince Haakon and Princess Märtha Louise of Norway and Ari Behn
The President and First Lady of Finland
The President and First Lady of Iceland

I see only "ISLAND: Fru Dorrit Moussaieff", that is only the president's wife from Iceland, not he president.



BTW, there are at least 2 same-sex couples on the guest list:


- Biskop Eva Brunne, Stockholms stift, och Komminister Gunilla Lindén (Bishop Eva Brunne, Stockholm diocese, and assistant priest Gunilla Lindén)


- Ordförande Göran Arrius, SACO, och Överintendent Magnus Hagberg (chairman Göran Arrius, [union for university educated], and Magnus Hagberg, curator of the Royal Armoury, Hallwylska museum and Skokloster castle).

 

[Muhler]

It is distracting if people keep talking about it. I don't think it should even have been mentioned. So what if they want to be there, they could have sat them in the general seating if it was a problem. I'm conservative but a baptism is a celebration to enjoy and this whole thing seems a bit silly. Of course I'm not a royal...

But that's my point. It is mentioned.
There will be speculations about upcoming engagements, about the significanse of this, whether there (good grief) has been some kind of pressure within the family and so on and so on...
This is very much debated among the Swedes judging from the boards and comments sections.
Those who disapprove of Sofia in particular, and there are quite a few it seems, are practically at war with those who approve of her. Something that might have been avoided if she was "official", because then she would be entitled to attend, period, end of discussion.

In fact I will suggest that the moderators create a special thread for that discussion, so that this thread will be about the christening only.

 

[angieuk]

Both couples are living together as husband and wife ---- although not legally married YET?? I am not at all surprised they have been invited. Times have certainly changed! In the past an engagement between the couples would have been announced first? Whether this means an Official Engagement between either of the couples is the next step we have to wait and see? If so, I expect it will not be too long before we know? Am not expecting M to get engaged this year unless her 30th birthday she decides to spring a surprise??

 

[Artemisia]

Both couples are living together as husband and wife ---- although not legally married YET?? I am not at all surprised they have been invited. Times have certainly changed! In the past an engagement between the couples would have been announced first? Whether this means an Official Engagement between either of the couples is the next step we have to wait and see? If so, I expect it will not be too long before we know? Am not expecting M to get engaged this year unless her 30th birthday she decides to spring a surprise??

An engagement between the two couples would now seem to be the next logical, if not imminent step. The problem is, as other members have pointed out, that Estelle's christening will be a state event; inviting partners to such events has been a taboo for generations.
I do feel a bit bad for Daniel, Emma and even Jonas, although I suppose we have to move with time.

 

[carlota]

It's gonna be nice to see HGD Guillaume and his Stéphanie out on an official event together.

indeed. it's fantastic that they invited stéphanie and that she accepted the invitation. it will be her first "royal society" event.

i guess it's safe to assume that estelle's godparents will be one royal from each belgium, denmark, netherlands and luxembourg

it's strange that no norwegian royals made it...

 

[Artemisia]

...
it's strange that no norwegian royals made it...

Crown Prince Haakon, Princess Martha Louise and Ari Behn are attending.

 

[crm2317]

indeed. it's fantastic that they invited stéphanie and that she accepted the invitation. it will be her first "royal society" event.

i guess it's safe to assume that estelle's godparents will be one royal from each belgium, denmark, netherlands and luxembourg

it's strange that no norwegian royals made it...

CP Haakon, Martha Louise and Ari Behn are attending from Norway

 

[ricarda]

indeed. it's fantastic that they invited stéphanie and that she accepted the invitation. it will be her first "royal society" event.

i guess it's safe to assume that estelle's godparents will be one royal from each belgium, denmark, netherlands and luxembourg

it's strange that no norwegian royals made it...

Yes, it's nice Stephanie will be there.

No, that's not safe. IIRC Philippe&Mathilde and Guillaume attended the christening of Christian in Denmark without being chosen as godparents. Just because it was a big royal event, the christening of an heir.

Haakon will attend and I am willing to bet money he is going to be a godfather.

 

[Anne2]

Very well said.
I also think it distracts from the main event. I also do not think the official press secretary to the SRF should be commenting on boyfriends and girlfriends. Not well handed.

I also think the presence of Chris and particularly SOfia is likely to shift the attention to them rather than to princess Estelle. The king and queen are probably at a loss of knowing what to do about them. They want to appear more modern and accept to sacrifice traditions. I would feel quite sad if excessive attention is given to them, and if SOfia would use the opportunity for serving her own interests. She remains highly controversial, I hope the press will keep quite about her presence. I feel less worried about the rather discreet Chris, hoping he leaves his cigarets at home.

 

[sophie25]

No Spanish or Monaco Royals on the list, why have they been left out?

 

[principessa]

Or the Liechtenstein princely family!

 

[Lady Felicity M]

What time will be in Australia when it is showing?

 

[emmalisa]

I keep hoping that Sofia will refuse her invitation" - if she ever got one.

 

[sophie25]

Or the Liechtenstein princely family!

Oh yes, I had forgetten about them and there is Great Britain as well. The officials at the Swedish Palace seem a bit inept so I am hoping that the omission of Monaco, Spain etc from the list has just been a mistake. At the end of the day I see no reason why they wouldn't be invited, especially Spain and the U.K as major Monarchies.

 

[Artemisia]

I keep hoping that Sofia will refuse her invitation" - if she ever got one.

It has been confirmed that both Sofia and Chris did get invited to Christening.
Somehow, I can't see either turning it down, certainly not Sofia.

 

[Hans-Rickard]

No Spanish or Monaco Royals on the list, why have they been left out?

They might have been invited but turned down the invitation. Victoria and Felipe are good friends so i doubt she has forgot him.
We will see tomorrow

 

[NGalitzine]

No Spanish or Monaco Royals on the list, why have they been left out?

Presumably because none of them will be a godparent and Victoria is not a godparent to any of their children. There is also no one from the UK or Liechtenstein. I don't think anyone is being slighted or snubbed.

 

[sophie25]

Presumably because none of them will be a godparent and Victoria is not a godparent to any of their children. There is also no one from the UK or Liechtenstein. I don't think anyone is being slighted or snubbed.

But if you look at the number of Royal Families on that list there can't be a godparent coming from all of them. I am keeping my fingers crossed anyway!

 

[NGalitzine]

Victoria has a lot of godchildren, including children in Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark & Norway so she may have invited their family members even if they are not to be godparents. Not sure if she has any from Luxembourg but don't believe so.

 

[kathia_sophia]

^why not? the current King has 9 godparents, and im sure Estelle will have more than 4 herself, ive always said that.