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| Prince Daniel | |||||
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| Duke of Västergötland | |||||
 Daniel in 2023 | |||||
| Born | Olof Daniel Westling (1973-09-15)15 September 1973 (age 52) Örebro Hospital,Örebro, Sweden[1] | ||||
| Spouse | |||||
| Issue | |||||
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| House | Bernadotte (by marriage)[2] | ||||
| Father | Olle Westling | ||||
| Mother | Ewa Westring | ||||
| Signature |  | ||||
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Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland[3] (bornOlof Daniel Westling; born 15 September 1973) is a member of theSwedish royal family bymarriage toVictoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, making him the presumptiveconsort of Sweden. Prior to his marriage to theheir apparent to theSwedish throne, he was apersonal trainer and gym owner and ran a company called Balance Training with three gyms in centralStockholm.[4]
Olof Daniel Westling was born on 15 September 1973 to Olle Westling and Ewa (née Westring) atÖrebro Hospital.[5][6] His mother and father worked for the postal service and social services, respectively.[7] Shortly after his birth, the family moved to a suburb ofFalun, and then again in 1978 toOckelbo.[8] He has an older sister, Anna. Most of his ancestors were farmers in the province ofHälsingland.[9][10][11][12] Daniel was christened at Almby Church in January 1974.[13] His father hasForest Finnish ancestry.[14]
He graduated from Perslundaskolan, and also played hockey at the junior and A-team level. After completing his education, he worked as acare assistant in a nursing home.[15] He completed 15 months of military service as part of national conscription in theSwedish Army atHälsinge Regiment inGävle. He was honorably discharged as a second lieutenant.[16] Daniel then worked at an after-school center for children with special needs for about a year.[8]
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In November 2009 it was reported[17] that Westling was to step down as CEO and member of the Board of Directors of the Balance company, although he would continue to be an equity partner. It was expected that the same procedure would be followed with his involvements in other companies before he became prince.
In 2001, he met Victoria when he became her personal trainer. In May 2002Expressen reported that he was datingCrown Princess Victoria. As the relationship progressed, the press noted that he did not appear comfortable with public attention.[18] In July 2002, Daniel and Victoria were pictured kissing for the first time at a party.[19] On 1 July 2008, he moved into a one-bedroom rental apartment in the Pagebyggnaden building on the grounds ofDrottningholm Palace. The move was confirmed by the Royal Court.[20]
On 24 February 2009, Daniel andCrown Princess Victoria received the required consent ofKing Carl XVI Gustaf and theGovernment of Sweden for marriage.[21] Such permission is necessary according to the terms of theSwedish Act of Succession.
Thewedding took place at theStockholm Cathedral on 19 June 2010, the 34th anniversary of her parents' wedding. After the wedding, Daniel and Victoria moved into theHaga Palace inStockholm,Sweden. On 26 September 2010, Daniel went on his first tour with Victoria, visiting France in connection with the Bernadotte anniversary.[22]
On 17 August 2011, the Swedish royal court announced that Daniel and Victoria were expecting their first child in March 2012.[23] She gave birth to a girl on 23 February 2012,Princess Estelle, Duchess of Östergötland.[24] Daniel took his paternity leave and switched parental roles with Victoria when Estelle began preschool.[25] Their second child,Prince Oscar, Duke of Skåne, was born on 2 March 2016.[26][27]
Daniel has a congenital, non-hereditary kidney disease, which was discovered in connection with an accident at age 16. The condition became more severe around 2008–2009, and he underwentdialysis while his parents were tested as potential donors.[28] Three months after his engagement, on 29 May 2009, Westling underwent akidney transplant atKarolinska University Hospital.[29] His father was the donor and the operation was a success.[30] Victoria could not be present during the operation as she was on a state visit toGreenland at the time.[28][31] He has since discussed his experience with the press and advocated for organ donation.[32]
Daniel is a patron in the following organizations: A Swedish Classic, The Healthy Generation Foundation,International Society of Nephrology, More Organ Donation.[33]
Daniel is a keen sportsman. He has attended theRyder Cup and also plays golf himself; as of October 2023 had ahandicap of 4.4.[34] He also enjoys football and ice hockey, and supportsAIK Fotboll andAIK Hockey, respectively.[35]
Daniel inventedPrince Daniel's Race and Sports Day, which are arranged each year to encourage more young people to get exercise and to take an interest in sport. The game is in association with theSwedish Sports Confederation.[36][37]
Daniel and Victoria established a foundation to mark the occasion of their marriage in 2010. The focus of the foundation is to combat exclusion and promote good health among children and young people in Sweden.[36] The couple establishedGeneration Pep [sv], a non-profit organisation that works to raise awareness of and encourage commitment to issues relating to the health of children and young people.[36] It awards one school each year for promotion of physical activity in young people.[38] Schools can also earn a certification for creating initiatives to increase movement and sport participation amongst its students.[39] In association with the organization, Daniel has visited schools in Sweden and Finland.[40][41]
In 2022, theKarolinska Institute conferred him with an honorary doctorate for his public health advocacy.[42]
He is an honorary chairman of the board of the Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation and has given his name toPrince Daniel's Grant for Promising Young Researchers.[36]
Each year, Daniel visits the Swedish Young Enterprise Championship. He is also a member of Young Enterprise's national board.[36]
The Prince Daniel's Fellowship project and its entrepreneurial programme were launched in January 2013.[36] Prince Daniel with business leaders and entrepreneurs visits upper secondary schools, universities and university colleges around Sweden to inspire young people to get involved in entrepreneurship.[36] This project is a long-term partnership between Prince Daniel and theRoyal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences.[36]
Sweden has practisedabsolute primogeniture only since 1980. This means that Victoria is the first female heir apparent, and questions arose as to how Daniel would be known after their marriage.
When Carl XVI Gustaf marriedSilvia Sommerlath in 1976, he discontinued the established norm that Swedish princes must marry royalty to be eligible to inherit the throne. But men, royal or not, had only twice before, in the 13th and 17th centuries, obtained new title or rank as the spouse of a Swedish princess, and even threequeens regnant left no clear precedent.Margaret (reigned 1388–1412) was the widow ofHaakon VI of Norway andChristina (reigned 1632–1654) was unmarried. The most recentUlrika Eleonora (reigned 1718–1720) was already married during her tenure as queen regnant: her husband,Frederick of Hesse-Kassel, was given the style "Royal Highness" during his tenure as consort, a style granted to him by the estates.[43] Ulrika Eleonora abdicated so her consort Frederick could be king. In Daniel's case, the Swedes were treading on new ground.
The Swedish Royal Court announced that Daniel would become "Prince Daniel" and "Duke of Västergötland",[21] corresponding in form to thestyle used by previous Swedish princes, including Victoria's younger brotherPrince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland, i.e.Prince + Given name + Duke of Province.
As was further announced in May 2010, on his wedding day Daniel was made a prince of Sweden and was granted the styleRoyal Highness, making him an official member of the Swedish royal family and on par with other senior members of the royal family, such asPrince Carl Philip,Princess Madeleine andPrincess Lilian. AtStockholm Cathedral, he was also then made a knight of theRoyal Order of the Seraphim.[44]
Since his marriage, Daniel has been styled as "His Royal Highness Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland". He added the surname of the Swedish royal family,Bernadotte, making his full legal name Olof Daniel Westling Bernadotte.[45] When referring to both him and his wife, they are called the Crown Princess Couple (Swedish:Kronprinsessparet).[46]
Sweden:
Knight Grand Cross of theRoyal Order of the Seraphim (LoK av KMO)[47]_-_Commander_Grand_Cross.svg)
Knight Commander of theRoyal Order of the Polar Star (KmstkNO)[citation needed].png)
Recipient of theRuby Jubilee Medal of King Carl XVI Gustaf (15 September 2013).[48]
Recipient of the70th Birthday Medal of King Carl XVI Gustaf (30 April 2016).[citation needed].png)
Recipient of theGolden Jubilee Medal of King Carl XVI Gustaf (15 September 2023).
Chile: Grand Cross of theOrder of Bernardo O'Higgins[citation needed]
Denmark: Knight of theOrder of the Elephant[49] (R.E.; 6 May 2024)
Estonia: Grand Cross of theOrder of the Cross of Terra Mariana[50]
Finland: Grand Cross of theOrder of the White Rose of Finland[citation needed]
France: Grand Officer of theNational Order of the Legion of Honour (30 January 2024)[51]
Germany: Grand Cross, 1st class of theOrder of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (7 September 2021)[citation needed]
Iceland: Grand Cross of theOrder of the Falcon[52]
Italy: Grand Cross of theOrder of Merit of the Italian Republic[53][54]
Netherlands: Knight Grand Cross of theOrder of the Crown (11 October 2022)[55]
Norway: Knight Grand Cross of theRoyal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav[56]
South Korea: Grand Cross of theOrder of Diplomatic Service Merit[citation needed]
Spain: Knight Grand Cross of theRoyal Order of Civil Merit (16 November 2021)[57]
Tunisia: Grand Officer of theNational Order of Merit[58]
Daniel's coat of arms is based on thegreater coat of arms of Sweden. It features in the first and fourth quarters, theThree Crowns; in the second, the lion of theHouse of Bjälbo; and in the third, the lion of the arms ofVästergötland, representing the titular designation of his and his wife's dukedom. In the centre, on aninescutcheon, is his personal arms (Westling). This Westling escutcheon is based on the arms ofOckelbo. Surrounding the shield is the chain of theOrder of the Seraphim, of which he has been a member since his wedding.[59]
Måhända hann Ewa Westling sända en snabb tanke tillbaka till lördagen den 19 januari 1974 när – åtminstone enligt nuvarande kyrkoherde Åke Sonesson – sonen Olof Daniel döptes i Almby kyrka.[Perhaps Ewa Westling had time to think back to Saturday, January 19, 1974, when – at least according to the current vicar Åke Sonesson – her son Olof Daniel was baptized in Almby Church.]
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