Sweden is celebrating after Crown Princess Victoria gave birth to a daughter in the early hours of this morning. Proud father Prince Daniel announced the special delivery to the press gathered outside Stockholm’s Karolinska Hospital.
“This morning at 04.26 a very cute princess was born, 51 centimetres tall and weighing in at 3,280 grammes,” said the Prince. “My feelings are all over the place right now,” he added.
Prince Daniel reassured journalists that both mother and baby are doing well, and asked them to respect the family’s privacy.
“It was all very nervous. There are always risks giving birth, but it went well,” said the prince. “As I am sure you can all understand we have a great need just to be our own little family right now. You understand surely that we want to treasure what has just happened,” he added.
Specialist doctor Lennart Nordström helped deliver the princess, who has not yet been named. “They came in just before 1am, so it all went fairly quickly. There is a radiant, happy new mother with a baby in her arms. The couple are glowing with happiness. There is something special about becoming parents,” Nordström told TT.
The doctor refused, however, to take any credit for the delivery. “It is the Crown Princess who has given birth to a child. We have supported her in doing that, but she did all the work,” Nordström said.
Celebrations will now begin across the country, starting with a 42-gun salute at noon from Skeppsholmen Island in central Stockholm. This will be followed by further salutes from Härnösand, Boden, Göteborg and Karlskrona on Friday.
The carpets in the hospital maternity ward have also been changed to a royal red.
[…] Princess Victoria gives birth to a girl […]