IN TIME HONORED TRADITION, THE PEOPLE OF SWEDEN MARKED THEIR NATIONAL DAY THIS WEEK. AS IS CUSTOMARY, THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE CELEBRATIONS WAS THE PROCESSION OF THE ROYAL FAMILY TO THE OPEN AIR MUSEUM OF SKAGEN IN STOCKHOLM, AND A GRAND RECEPTION IN SOLLIDEN PALACE WHICH BROUGHT THE GALA PROCEEDINGS TO A CLOSE. BUT THERE WAS AN EXTRA SPECIAL ELEMENT ADDED THIS YEAR, AS THE DAY OFFICIALLY KICKED OFF CELEBRATIONS LEADING UP TO THE UPCOMING ROYAL WEDDING OF CROWN PRINCESS VICTORIA AND DANIEL WESTLING. AND ROYAL FANS WERE PARTICULARLY HAPPY TO SEE THE GROOM TO BE ATTENDING THE CELEBRATIONS FOR THE FIRST TIME, ALONGSIDE HIS FIANCEE AND HER PARENTS QUEEN SILVIA AND KING GUSTAF XVI. THE ONLY MEMBER OF THE ROYAL FAMILY MISSING WAS PRINCESS MADELEINE, STILL STAYING OUT OF THE PUBLIC EYE FOLLOWING HER SPLIT FROM FIANCE JONAS BERGSTROM. THE SUBJECT OF THE UPCOMING ROYAL NUPTIALS, WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE ON 19.JUNE, WERE ALSO INCLUDED IN THE TRADITIONAL SPEECH OF THE SWEDISH MONARCH. THE KING RAISED A HUGE WAVE OF APPLAUSE AFTER REMINDING THE CROWDS THAT HIS FIRST-BORN DAUGHTER WOULD WED IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS TIME. 'THIS SUMMER THERE WILL BE A VERY IMPORTANT EVENT IN THE HISTORY OF OUR FAMILY, OUR ELDEST DAUGHTER MARRIES', SAID CARL GUSTAF, BEFORE BEING INTERRUPTED BY RAPTUROUS CLAPPING. HE CONTINUED: 'THE QUEEN AND I FEEL AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF HAPPINESS AT THIS TIME.' THE 6.JUNE HOLIDAY MARKED THE START OF THE 'FESTIVAL OF LOVE', WHICH WILL FILL STOCKHOLM WITH A PROGRAM OF CULTURAL EVENTS IN THE LEAD UP TO THE COUPLE'S BIG DAY.
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