Daniel of Sweden, husband of Princess Victoria, heir to the throne, has given an interview to a television in his country on the occasion of his imminent 50th birthday. It is not usual for a member of royalty to speak in public, let alone in front of a camera. But Daniel has done it in a relaxed way and addressed very intimate aspects of his life.
During the short hour that the conversation lasted with the journalist Carina Bergdfeldt of the STV1 channel, Daniel Westling spoke freely about the crisis rumors that hovered some time ago about his marriage with the princess, with whom he went marry in 2010. In February 2022 the crown princes issued an unusual statement in which they flatly denied that they were going through a bad time in their relationship. It was the first time the royal couple had spoken out to end the rumours.
Now, with the perspective given by the passage of time, Prince Daniel has reflected on that chapter, “an unpleasant false rumor that we experienced and which had important consequences”, he pointed out. “Many friends from Sweden and also from abroad contacted us. It reached a level that made us feel that we could not accept it”, he said. That’s why they wanted to stop the speculation as soon as the announcement was made. “We have learned that an extensive negative rumor is spreading about our private relationship. There have been accusations of betrayal in the relationship and imminent divorce. We don’t normally comment on rumors and speculation. But to protect our family, we want to make it clear, once and for all, that the rumors that are being spread now are completely false”, they had to allege on social networks.
Daniel and the eldest daughter of kings Carl Gustav and Silvia of Sweden met in 2001, when Victoria was trying to overcome her problems with anorexia; he signed up for a gym where Daniel was a teacher. They got married on June 19, 2010 at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Stockholm and soon welcomed their two children, Estela, who was born on February 23, 2012, and Óscar, on March 2, 2016. .
Among the most difficult chapters he has experienced is a serious health problem that has put his life in danger, since he has struggled with serious kidney problems since he was a child. Although he has always wanted to keep the media attention away from his health, Princess Victoria’s husband has given unprecedented details of the kidney transplant he underwent in 2009, which was made possible because his father, Olle Westling, gave him he donated one of his kidneys.
The interviewer asked him what it is like to live with an organ that is not his own. “I don’t notice it. But I take medicine every day to make sure that the kidney is doing well”, he explained. “If Swedes were asked if they would be willing to donate an organ in an emergency, between 80% and 90% would say yes. However, the sad reality is that many are too lazy to apply for a donor card, even if it is a very quick process”, he said, thanking his father and the doctors for giving him years of life.
