This weekend, the world got a rather rare look at Swedish Prince Alexander, son of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia. The two took their eldest son to central Sweden to celebrate the country’s most famous and longest ski-race.
Little Prince Alexander, now five years old, sat quietly in the church with his mother Princess Sofia when his father delivered a speech. It was clear that it was Alexander who was the photographers’ favourite subject. The young royal occasionally smiled broadly to the cameras and waved to both the photographers and others as he sat through the service.
The Vasaloppet ski race is designed to imitate the stretch where Gustav Eriksson Vasa, later King Gustav Vasa, fled from the Danish king’s soldiers in 1521. The first arranged Vasaloppet was carried out in 1922 and then, as now, went between Sälen and Mora. Every year since 1922, ceremonial speeches have been held in connection with Vasaloppet’s traditional celebration party in Mora church. This year, Prince Carl Philip gave the keynote address.
During this year’s speech, His Royal Highness said: “The Vasaloppet is a symbol of Sweden and our history. It is a fantastic folk festival. In addition, just this year iti becomes, incredibly, a centenarian! A 100-year-old who is also very popular. Which makes you wake up with butterflies in your stomach and go up at dawn. Which makes you sweat, ache, spend as much time as you want – and then want to do it all over again”.
This is a ski competition that has had many royal participants. Prince Carl Philip himself has completed the Vasaloppet on several occasions. The first time was in 2004, then in 2012. During the race in 2013 and 2014, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia competed together, before Prince Carl Philip walked alone again in 2019. For several years, Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and Crown Prince Haakon of Norway have also participated in the competition together.
