Although of course we all knew that Princess Madeleine of Sweden was happy with her boyfriend Christopher O’Neill, and despite some minor rumours, the announcement of their engagement on Thursday morning, 25 October 2012, came quite unexpectedly.
Early in the morning, the Swedish newspapers Expressen and Aftonbladet wrote that the couple had become engaged. Bertil Ternert, spokesperson for the royal court, said only that there would be more information later on, which could already be seen as a confirmation. Just after 9am, the court released a few pictures and a press announcement to confirm the engagement officially. The couple gave a short interview the previous day at the Drottningholm Palace, but afterwards travelled to London. They were to come back to Sweden later on Thursday. Both families are said to be very happy with the engagement.
The couple met through mutual friends two years ago. Chris proposed to Madeleine very romantically early October, and asked her father, King Carl XVI Gustaf, for permission to marry his daughter. The King has requested the approval by the Swedish government. The wedding is to take place in the Summer of 2013 in Sweden. The couple for the moment will live in New York.
Christopher Paul O’Neill was born in London, United Kingdom, on 27 June 1974 as the son of Paul Cesario O’Neill († 28 December 2004) and Eva Maria Walter. He has five half-sisters: Tatjana, Natascha, Stephanie, Annalisa and Karen. He has both the British and US nationality, and presently is a partner and head of research at the investment firm Noster Capital in New York.
Princess Madeleine was born on 10 June 1982 at Drottningholm Castle as the youngest child of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and Silvia Sommerlath. On August 11, 2009 became engaged to the Swede Jonas Bergström, but they broke off the engagement on April 24, 2010.
I am so happy for them and I hope that they will be happy and healthy during the rest of their lifes.