It’s not easy to marry into a royal family if you grew up in the middle class. Catherine, Daniel, Mary and Co. can probably tell you a thing or two about this. Chris O’Neill probably also had some thoughts before his wedding to Princess Madeleine. The Swedish court didn’t necessarily make things easy for the businessman.
Once you get caught in the wheels of a well-oiled monarchy, you simply can’t get out. In the European royal families it is common practice for those who have married to become involved in the structure and from then on more or less dedicate their lives to the crown. One person who was able to pull his head out of the loop right from the start is Chris O’Neill, 49. Princess Madeleine’s husband, 41, made it clear quite directly that he would lead his loved one to the altar, but not royal ranks want. King Carl Gustaf, 77, son-in-law, presents himself as strong and independent to this day. He quickly earned the family’s respect. However, that didn’t stop them from putting the then newcomer through his paces.
Love for Princess Madeleine brought Chris O’Neill to the test
When things got serious between the monarch’s youngest daughter and the British-American businessman, the Swedish court set its mission in motion – and even brought American authorities into the mix. “I know that Säpo [Säkerhetspolisen; z. Dt.: Sicherheitspolizei] along with the FBI [Federal Bureau of Investigation, zu Dt.: Bundesamt für Ermittlungen] did a full check on him – before he was due to marry Madeleine – because they wanted to make sure there was nothing on him. There were speeding tickets and something else, that was it,” explains Johan T. Lindwall, editor-in-chief of “Svensk Damtidning” on Sveriges Radio’s “Monarkerna” podcast. Phew, lucky again! The security authorities dug deep.
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“They looked at his criminal history, whether he has a criminal record and whether there was any questionable dealings in Chris’s case.” The palace, in cooperation with the SÄPO and the FBI, carried out a full check on Chris, said Lindwall. “They also wanted to look at his business. Since he didn’t want to become Prince of Sweden but wanted to continue his business activities, their aim was to make sure everything was clean and there were no doubts. And there wasn’t.”
King Carl Gustaf gave the green light for measures
But anyone who assumes that the court was overwhelmed by the princess’s serious intentions with O’Neill and had to frantically launch an investigative review is mistaken. “It wasn’t that the court or even the king was shocked when Madeleine came home from the engagement in New York and showed off the ring,” Lindwall clarifies. “An engagement is not spontaneous in a royal context. It is not as if Chris suddenly proposed to Madeleine without checking everything first. It is something that is carefully planned. It has to be approved by the King, who is head of state – and Madeleine’s father.”
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At least the authorities’ good impression was not deceptive. Madeleine and Chris have been married for almost 11 years, have three adorable children and even plan to move back to Sweden from their adopted home of Florida soon. Their relationship has so far remained scandal-free – and the annual photos of the royal family’s vacation together on the island of Öland demonstrate unwaveringly that Chris is always warmly welcome in the Bernadottes’ circle. He no longer needs a certificate of good conduct.
Source used: svenskdam.se