Lille Prins Henrik's future wife was born today in Stockholm at Karolinska Hospital at 4:26 am. She weighed 3280 grams (7 pounds, 3 ounces) and measured 51 centimeters (20") long. Her name and ducal title will be announced tomorrow morning, hopefully with the release of a formal photo or two. Happily, Victoria seems to have had a relatively easy labour and birth. Prince Daniel appeared in front of a small group of reporters - in a suit and tie (which is remarked on below) - to formally announce the birth and the vital stats and the couple's general elation. Then Vickan and Daniel did the unthinkable: THEY LEFT HOSPITAL 8 HOURS LATER - and discretely with the baby in its carrier, not in mummy's arms wrapped in a blanket mythologically knitted by Port Seton cousins who chewed the wool straight off the sheep. Crown Princess Victoria was adamant that she receive no special treatment. At 9:34 am, Mary's head exploded. Unlike the Danish doo-doo heads, the Swedes know how to be a modern royal family, eschewing privileges when they aren't merited or necessary. If it had been a difficult birth, or hard on mother or daughter, then absolutely more time in the attentive care of the medical staff would be merited. But luckily, both mother and daughter are strong and healthy and so were able to leave to go home at the earliest possible time.
Danish women are also pushed back home as soon as possible - unless there are complications, naturally - but the Danish royal women take their countrymen's blind allegiance to all things royal for granted and stay as long as it suits them. Crown Princess Mary of Denmark is the worst offender: besides having more children than she should be thrusting onto the Danish welfare system or should have her as mother, she takes even longer than Princess Marie or Princess Alexandra to leave hospital. And, boy! When the Danish royals leave hospital is it done with all the hoopla and media attention it can possibly gather up. You're earning your keep with all those Danish flags, red and white balloons and members of the media, Lene! Contrast to the low key exit of Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel with a little baby who will one day possibly be Queen of Sweden.
Denmark: 0
Sweden: 1
Article: BT
Article: Berlingske (same as BT article, same media group)
Newborn Princess Driven Home After Eight Hours
About eight and a half hours after the new Swedish princess was born, the royal family left hospital to go home.
Early Thursday morning - at 04:26 am - the new princess saw the light of day, and at 1 pm on Thursday afternoon, the couple left hospital to go home with their small daughter.
Tuesday was Crown Princess Victoria's last official working day and night to Thursday - about 1:00 o'clock - she was admitted to hospital to give birth. Later that night their daughter came into the world, and Thursday shortly after noon the royal couple left the hospital with packed bags to take home to their castle - Haga - just outside the Swedish capital of Stockholm.
The picture of the little family about to leave the hospital was placed by the court on the Swedish royal family's official Facebook page. In just 45 minutes, more than 5,000 people have pressed 'like,' while more than 1,000 have commented on the photo that has also been shared more than 1,000 times.
The 34-year-old crown princess and the 38-year-old Prince Daniel were married in June 2010, and the infant princess is King Carl Gustaf and Queen Sylvia's first grandchild.
The little princess measures 51 centimeters and weighs 3,280 grams.
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A complimentary article from a snarky paper about how at least one married-in Scandinavian royal understands his role and his responsibilities. We're looking at you, Mary!
Article: Ekstra Bladet
Therefore Daniel Was Rather Stiff
There wasn't anyone who wasn't expecting it, because the always well-groomed Prince Daniel told the press at seven o'clock this morning that he became a father of a real little princess at 4:26 am.
The suit was ironed and was perfect as he spoke from a podium about the 3280 gram, 51 centimeter long girl who will one day be Sweden's queen.
The framework for the happy event was somewhat more rigid in Sweden this morning than they have been in Denmark in recent years where lots of princes and princesses have been born.
Would show style
Both Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Joachim proudly held their arms up to show the size of the latest baby in the family wearing half crumpled shirts and a relaxed expression.
"In Sweden, we are generally a little more formal," says Lars Hovbakke Sørensen who is a historian and expert on royal houses.
"Daniel is very new in the job. He was not born into the royal house, therefore he needs to show that he is stylish and worthy of the Swedish royal family," says Sørensen about Daniel's stiff figure.
A worthy prince
If Prince Daniel had bypassed the suit and slipped into a casual shirt, it could quickly have created a heated debate about whether Crown Princess' former fitness instructor is worthy of being a prince of Sweden.
"Therefore it is very judicious, that he is so stylishly dressed. And it's one of the first times he stands on his own two feet in front of the press without Victoria by his side," said Sørensen, who thinks that Prince Daniel did well.
"He appeared quite natural and did well," he says.
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