The Brits don’t have the monopoly on cute royal babies. New photos released by the Swedish royal family are going to give Prince George of Cambridge some competition in that department (difficult as that may be to believe after all the great photos of Gorgeous George on tour in Australia in recent days).
The new images show two-year-old Princess Estelle, daughter of Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel, kissing her tiny cousin, two-month-old Princess Leonore. Leonore is the daughter of Crown Princess Victoria’s younger sister, Princess Madeleine, and American Christopher O’Neill.
On her Facebook page, Princess Madeleine posted a simple comment with one of the images: “A cousin is a ready-made friend for life . . .”
Princess Leonore, left, is to be baptized next month in Sweden. Facebook.
Princess Estelle is second in line to the Swedish throne, after her mother, and Princess Leonore is fifth, after her aunt, cousin Estelle, uncle (Prince Carl Philip) and mother.
“Royal watchers had been eagerly awaiting the first photo King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia‘s two grandchildren, but arranging it had been difficult given that the youngsters live on opposite sides of the Atlantic,” explained Hello! “While Estelle lives in Stockholm with her parents Prince Daniel and Princess Victoria, Leonore was born in New York where her parents, Chris O’Neill and Princess Madeleine, are based.”
According to The Local, an English-language Swedish news site, tiny Princess Leonore Lilian Maria will be baptized in Sweden on June 8 in Drottningholm Palace.
This handout photo released by the Swedish Royal Family shows Princess Leonore shortly after she was born. Her full name is Leonore Lillian Maria and she has received the title of Duchess of Gotland. AFP Photo/Swedish Royal Family/Christopher O’Neill.
“The palace, set on the shores of Lake Mälaren near Stockholm, was also where Princess Madeleine and her new husband held their wedding celebration in June 2013,” the site reports.
Princess Madeleine and Christopher O’Neill pose in Stockholm in 2012 to mark their engagement. AFP Photo/Sweden Royal Family, Ewa-Marie Rundquist.
Christopher O’Neill, husband of H.R.H. Princess Madeleine of Sweden, was all smiles after the birth. Jemal Countess, Getty Images.
Smoke rises in front of the Royal Palace in Stockholm Friday Feb. 21, 2014 during a 21 gun salute to celebrate the birth of the new princess. Bertil Enevag Ericsson, AP Photo.
Princess Madeleine of Sweden. Chris Jackson, Getty Images.
The newlywed Princess Madeleine and Christopher O’Neill kiss outside the chapel on June 8, 2013 at the royal palace in Stockholm. Jonathan Nackstrand, AFP/Getty Images.
Swedish Royal family members Prince Carl Philip (3rdL), Prince Daniel (C), Princess Estelle on the knees of Crown Princess Victoria, Queen Silvia and King Carl Gustaf sit at the Royal church as they wait for the wedding ceremony of Princess Madeleine of Sweden and Christopher O’Neill to begin on June 8, 2013. Anders Wiklund, Pool/AFP Photo.
The newly wed Princess Madeleine of Sweden and Christopher O´Neill (C) pose with families and guests in front of the Drottningholm castle on June 8, 2013 after the wedding ceremony at the royal chapel. Jonas Ekstromer, Scanpix/AFP/Getty Images.
(Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
Leif R. Jansson, AFP/Getty Images.
(Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
Princess Madeleine of Sweden and Christopher O’Neill appear on the balcony after their wedding. Andreas Rentz/Getty Images.