Princess Madeleine of Sweden may appear poised and relaxed in royal portraits, but she admits it hasn't always been that way. Speaking during her television appearance on Norwegian-Swedish talk show Skavlan, the 33-year-old said she used to try and hide to avoid featuring in family photoshoots.
"My poor parents always got a headache when we were having family photos or something like that," Madeleine said. "I always ran away. I was always hiding – they always had to drag me there. I was screaming. I never really wanted to be part of it."
Princess Madeleine says she doesn't like being the centre of attention
The mother-of-two said that she still doesn't "like being the centre of attention" and struggles with the pressures of living in the public eye and talking to the press.
"I've had this all my life. One would think, and maybe expect, that I'd be comfortable in front of people, photographers and journalists who ask questions," Madeleine said. "But I'm really not, I'm quite shy."
She added: "I don't like being the centre of attention. But as an official person as I am, this is something I have to deal with. I'm struggling with it. I'm working on it. I'm here today!"
Madeleine and Chris' first joint interview will air on Friday
The comments were made during Princess Madeleine's first ever joint television interview with her husband Chris O'Neill, due to air on Friday night. In a preview clip released from the show, the royal couple are joined by Adele and Jamie Oliver, who both attempt to say Merry Christmas in Swedish much to their amusement.
While the couple prefer to lead a low-key lifestyle away from the spotlight as much as possible, they joined the rest of Madeleine's family for a dazzling appearance at the Nobel Prize Banquet at Stockholm's City Hall on Thursday evening.