Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Royal couple reveal new heir to the Swedish throne as three-week-old Princess Estelle has her first official photoshoot

At just three-weeks-old, these adorable pictures show the heir to the Swedish throne has already mastered photoshoots, after sleeping soundly through her first ever one. 
Doting first-time parents Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden can't hide their joy as they snuggle up to baby daughter Estelle for her first official snapshots. 
The pictures were taken at Haga Palace, the official residence of the Swedish couple since they started their family.
Sweden's Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel hold their baby daughter Princess Estelle during her first official photoshoot
Sweden's Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel hold their baby daughter Princess Estelle during her first official photoshoot
But the princess, second in line to the throne after her mother Crown Princess Victoria, appears to take it all in her stride as she peacefully sleeps through the whole thing. 
Her full name is Estelle Silvia Ewa Mary and her official title is Duchess of Oestergoetland - a region south of Stockholm.
 
Reports say the choice of Estelle - a French name - surprised many Swedes and it had not ranked among the favourites offered by betting agencies.
Estelle's birth on February 23 was greeted by two 21-gun salutes on Skeppsholmen island, opposite the royal palace in the capital Stockholm.
Wonderful: Sweden's future Queen Victoria, pictured with her baby daughter Princess Estelle, had described being a mother as 'wonderful'
Wonderful: Sweden's future Queen Victoria, pictured with her baby daughter Princess Estelle, had described being a mother as 'wonderful'
Sweden changed its constitution in 1980, three years after Victoria was born, to allow the eldest heir to inherit the throne regardless of gender.
Her mother, Crown Princess Victoria, 34, married her former personal trainer Daniel, 38, in June 2010.
Princess Victoria recently spoke for the first time of her joy at being a mother.
Doting dad: Prince Daniel holds his little girl who is now three weeks old
Doting dad: Prince Daniel holds his little girl who is now three weeks old
She said: 'It's fantastic, wonderful feeling,' says the future queen of Sweden, who welcomed her little one on February 23.
Estelle will be christened on May 22, just two days after Prince Joachim of Denmark and his wife Princess Marie baptise their own daughter.
Camilla Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles met the royal couple earlier this month during their Diamond Jubilee tour of Scandinavia which takes them to Norway, Sweden and Denmark.
From left to right: Princess Madeleine and Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, Camilla Duchess of Cornwall, Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf, Britain's Prince Charles, Queen Silvia, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden
From left to right: Princess Madeleine and Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, Camilla Duchess of Cornwall, Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf, Britain's Prince Charles, Queen Silvia, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2120887/Royal-couple-reveal-new-heir-Swedish-throne-week-old-Princess-Estelle-official-photoshoot.html#ixzz1qLhws7c6