Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden dressed in pink on Thursday to support the country’s annual Pink Ribbon campaign, which runs through October. The 49-year-old heir to the Swedish throne has been the campaign’s official protector for 18 years, and her appearance each autumn has become the traditional start of the fundraising drive.
For the occasion Victoria wore a tailored pink suit over a pussybow blouse in a soft rose shade, with gold hoop earrings that carried a small pink detail. She also wore this year’s ribbon, which is decorated with the pink elephant from the Swedish children’s illustration Five Ants Are More Than Four Elephants. The ribbon was designed by Ove Gustafsson, who created the cartoon, and the elephant was chosen as a symbol of wisdom and of people supporting each other through cancer.
The cause is personal for the crown princess. Her aunt, Princess Christina, the sister of King Carl XVI Gustaf, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010, and Victoria became one of the campaign’s most visible supporters from that point. Christina had three operations along with chemotherapy and radiation therapy before her doctors declared her free of cancer. In 2016 she was diagnosed with chronic leukaemia, received a stem cell transplant in 2017 and later stepped back from full-time royal duties.
Victoria’s role in launching the campaign each autumn helps it raise tens of millions of kronor a year for cancer research, diagnostic equipment and patient support. Ulrika Årehed Kågström, Secretary General of the Swedish Cancer Society, said the organisation was “incredibly proud” of the crown princess’s long-term commitment, adding that the campaign shows how people can support one another through difficult times.
The appearance drew warm messages from royal followers online. One described the crown princess as amazing, while another said her support meant a great deal to their family. A third simply called her beautiful. With the ribbon now in circulation, the campaign will run until the end of October, and the money it raises goes back into research, equipment and care for patients across Sweden.
