How battling anorexia helped a Swedish princess get married

Princess Victoria was two years old when it became clear that she would become Queen of Sweden. In 1980, a law came into effect that the eldest of the sovereign’s children, regardless of gender, would inherit the throne. Such a lofty goal, however, did not save Victoria from school bullying, which even the most ordinary children face.

The monarchs daughter suffered from dyslexia as a child – problems with reading and writing. Other children laughed at the girl when she stuttered while reading aloud, telling her she was stupid and slow. Victoria was able to cope with the problem through diligent study with tutors, but her troubles did not end there.

After leaving school in 1996, she faced anorexia. At first they hid it in the palace, by the way, at that time Victoria was studying in France. However, when the media published photos in which she looked very skinny, public attention only increased and the royal palace had to admit the princess’s illness. As Victoria later said, the pressure she felt knowing she would become queen led to the eating disorder. The constant control and lack of solitude were difficult for her.

Read also: Young and naive: what Pamela Anderson wrote in letters to her first boyfriend

The Princess went to the United States to continue her studies at Yale University and undergo treatment. Back home, she was advised to play sports in order to consolidate her results. Exercise helped manage the anxiety that caused her symptoms of anorexia.

Victoria began attending the upscale Master Training gym, where in 2001 she met its owner, Daniel Westling, who later became her personal trainer. First, a friendship was born between them, then a romance.

Fearing her parents’ reaction, the princess kept her relationship with Daniel a secret, knowing she would be doomed, as the chosen one was a commoner. In the end, she confessed, and although her parents didn’t approve of this relationship at first, they accepted Daniel. The couple announced their engagement and on June 19, 2010, after eight years of dating, a solemn wedding ceremony took place.

This is how a difficult period in the life of the princess turned into a fateful meeting and personal happiness for her.