The first birth in the Swedish royal family for nearly three decade will be marked with some fanfare. As Princess Victoria made a glowing final appearance along with her husband Daniel before welcoming their little prince or princess, the palace revealed details of the planned celebrations. A cannon salute of 42 shots fired in the capital Stockholm is expected to herald the arrival of the new heir.
In a more modern touch, news of the birth will also appear on the royal household's Facebook page. And the proud grandfather King Carl Gustaf will announce the baby's name and titles in a meeting of the Cabinet Council. Meanwhile, the royal family will give thanks for the safe delivery at a 'Te Deum' service in the Royal Chapel the day after the birth. Victoria and her family will be hoping the happy event unites the country behind them after a testing period.
In 2011, the Scandinavian country was rocked by scandal following the publication of a biography chronicling the king's youthful indiscretions. "It's been a very rough year. It hurts very much to see your parents written about in a harsh way," admitted the future queen in a TV interview. Although, Victoria, 34, added that it had "strengthened" their ties as a family.
