EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW:


Princess Birgitta of Sweden



chooses Mosman



for four-day stay

Her Royal Highness, Princess Birgitta of Sweden and Hohenzollern at Burnt Orange in Mosman. Picture: ELENOR TEDENBORG

By: BOEL ERIKSSON



WHILE Queen Elizabeth snubbed Sydney at what could be her last Australian visit, Mosman is hosting another royal for four days.

Her Royal Highness, Princess Birgitta of Sweden and Hohenzollern, arrived in Sydney on Thursday to help celebrate the Swedish Australian Chamber of Commerce’s 100th anniversary.

And she has chosen to stay in Mosman during her visit.

The Mosman Daily attended a brunch this morning at Burnt Orange in Mosman, and got an exclusive interview with the 74-year-old royal.

Princess Birgitta said no to all media requests from both television and newspapers, but agreed to talk to the Daily.

She said she preferred not to travel with security guards and tried to live a life as normal as possible.

“Others have a lot of security but I don’t like that,’’ she said.

“I just want to be myself and be able to have a nice time.

“I’m happy to just be a normal person.”

She is living with the Consul General of Sweden and director of The Swedish Australian Chamber of Commerce, Roger Letherbarrow and his wife Megan in Mosman during what is her first visit to Australia.

“It’s really nice to be here,’’ she said.

“My first impression of Australians is that they are very friendly people.’‘

Yesterday, she played golf at The Lakes Golf Club and attended a dinner at Dockside, Darling Harbour in the evening.

The brunch at the Middle Head cafe was an informal affair, and Princess Birgitta happily mingled with guests and posed for photographs.

Sweden’s ambassador, Sven-Olof Petersson and Mosman Mayor Anne Connon sat at her table.

The princess is married to Prince Johann of Hohenzollern, and is the older sister of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.