Sweden’s crown princess engaged (updated)

The Swedish royal family has today officially announced that the crown princess, Victoria Bernadotte is formally engaged to her long-time boyfriend Daniel Westling. The couple met with the king and queen and the Swedish government, as well as prominent members of the court, in a cabinet meeting earlier today, in which the Prime Minister and his government officially approved the engagement. It is rumoured that the Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt was informed of the engagement by the royal family as early as Sunday evening.

According to the Swedish constitution, the Prime Minister should be the first to hear about the crown princess’s plans of engagement. The government then has to officially approve the person that the crown princess wishes to marry. If not, her right to the throne could be lost.

Daniel Westling will receive the title “Prince Daniel, Duke of Vastergotland”.

The relationship between the crown princess (31) and Daniel Westling (35), which has lasted since 2002, has caused some controversy in Sweden as Westling is considered to have a “common” background. The two met when Westling was a personal gym trainer for the Crown Princess. Daniel Westling today operates his own gym-chain.

The wedding will take place in the spring of 2010 and is expected to be a grand affair with prominent guests from Europe’s royal families and governments.