As the world prepares to watch Princess Madeleine of Sweden marry on Saturday 8 June, we take a look at the young royal's favourite places in the capital of Stockholm. To follow in the footsteps of the Swedish Princess, start at the Drottningholm Palace, the official residence of the King and Queen and where Madeleine, 30, was born on 10 June, 1982 – and will marry Chris O'Neill on Saturday.
Although the rooms are private in the south wing of the Baroque-style building, the rest of the palace, which is part of a World Heritage Site by Unesco, is open to the public. Here, discover the palace's magnificent salons of the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries, a beautiful park, a theatre and a Chinese pavilion.
Next stop is the Chapel of the Royal Palace, where Madeleine and her fiancé will marry in an intimate ceremony. The chapel, close to Princess Madeleine's heart because she was baptised there, has hosted five royal weddings to date.
A favourite hangout for the second daughter of the King of Sweden when she is in town, and where she and her fiancé Chris have been enjoying evenings out recently, is the Grand Hotel in Stockholm. This glittering, luxury spot will host an exclusive dinner for the royal guests on the evening previous to the big day. Attendees will get to experience the prestigious restaurant headed by Michelin-starred chef Mathias Dahlgren, one of Sweden's most celebrated chefs. The famous kitchen brings Swedish cuisine and local ingredients to new heights, making it one of the top restaurants in the world. If the Grand Hotel's restaurant happens to be fully booked, head to the chic bar-club Riche, another favourite of the Princess, to people-watch and mix with the fashion-forward glitterati of Stockholm.
For the best of the city's shopping go to one of the most exclusive shopping centres in Sweden, Sturegallerian, where the Princess and the rest of the Stockholm elite go to buy. It features more than 50 luxury stores and a variety of quality restaurants, in addition to hosting the most luxurious spa in the Swedish capital, Sturebadet. Finally, take in the beauty of the city by taking the same trail that the bride and groom will follow in a horse-drawn carriage on their wedding day. Starting from the Royal Palace, walk along the streets Slottsbacken, Skeppsbron, Strömbron, Strömgatan, Norrbro, Slottskajen, Wrangelska Myntgatan to the square of Evert Taubes terrass in Riddarholmen.
