Här är kungens tal - ord för ord

Your Majesties, Your Imperial Highness, Your Royal Highnesses, Mr Speaker, Mr Prime Minister, Excellences, Ladies and Gentlemen!

It was cold, dark, and winter. Nearly like before we came to this dinner. That Sunday evening, in February 2009, when I asked the Prime minister to come and see me at Drottningholm Palace, I had something, …well, very important things to tell him. The Crown princess Victoria and Mr Daniel Westling were about to be engaged, to be married and I had given my consent. Now, we had to follow up the steps outlined in the Swedish constitution and I needed the Prime minister's acceptance.

This engagement was of course a very happy ocassion for the Queen and myself, as well as all the members of my family and, of course, the Westling family. But it was also a matter of state.

The heir to the throne, the future Head of State of Sweden, was to be married, and the formal approval of the Swedish government was needed. You, Mister Prime Minister, managed this issue with great efficiency and discretion. A few days later, You personally delivered the governmental decision to me. We took note of it at an informal council at the palace in Stockholm the same day, and directly thereafter the engagement was announced.

And, Mr Prime Minister, thanks to the cooperation of You and the members Your government, here we are today, in this magnificent Ericson hall, preparing for the state ceremony: the wedding between the Crown princess Victoria and Mr Daniel Westling that will take place …ehm …Tomorrow isn’t it?

We can all see how happy and engaged the engaged couple looks. They really… You can feel the joy and youth and optimism in their eyes. We can all feel the warmth and happiness also in this hall and during this day.

So on behalf of the Queen and myself, the Crown Princess and Mr Westling, my own family and Mr Westling's family, as well as all the guests from all over the world, I would like to express our gratitude to the Swedish government for having invited us all to this magnificent dinner.

The dinner was delicious, the singing was marvellous from the Ericson choir, and I think we all enjoyed this evening, and it will be a wonderful evening to remember.

Soon, we will leave this for the gala concert, at the Parliament's generosity have invited us to visit, we are very excited to attend this diverissement that has been prepared in honor, of course, of the bridal couple.

But, before leaving. I would like to thank the Prime minister and the Swedish government for this excellent and very memorable dinner. And I think we would all, once again, like to raise our glasses and make a skål and thank You for a wonderful evening. Skål!