Swedish Princess Will Marry Personal Trainer

King Carl Gustaf likes the ladies, according to new book

(NEWSER) - Sweden’s bespectacled King Carl Gustaf seemed respectable almost to the point of dullness, with such innocent hobbies as hunting and attending jamborees. A scandalous new book, however, changes all that: The Reluctant Monarch alleges the 64-year-old king, married 34 years to Queen Silvia, has attended sex parties hosted by a Mafia boss, spent thousands at strip clubs, and engaged in late-night whirlpool liaisons with aspiring models. More»

Biggest royal wedding in Europe since Charles and Di

(NEWSER) - It was the biggest royal wedding since Charles and Diana, the Telegraph reports, as Swedish Crown Princess Victoria married her personal trainer, Daniel Westling, in Stockholm yesterday. The bride wore an ivory silk, off-the-shoulder gown designed by Par Engsheden, and the groom had cleaned up nicely, the paper reports, since he was first introduced to the Swedish public as a rather scruffy hick eight years ago, horrifying her father, King Carl XVI Gustaf. More»

Fault the Soviets, and other reasons for no medals since 1936

(NEWSER) - Though the Scandinavian nations generally fare well in the Winter Olympics, there’s a gaping hole in their success when it comes to figure skating (no medals since 1936), leading some bloggers to try to figure why. Some theories:

• Blame the Soviets. During the Cold War, the Eastern Bloc sunk untold money and energy into high-profile figure skating, writes Scott Beaulier —totally blotting out the Swedes, Finns, Norwegians, Danes, and Icelanders.

African, Middle Eastern immigrants arrested after mutilations abroad

(NEWSER) - Scandinavian countries are hitting perpetrators of genital mutilation with heavy fines and prison sentences, even when the act is committed in other countries, Global Post reports. African and Middle Eastern immigrants who take their daughters abroad for genital mutilations—which are considered normal and even necessary in some cultures—are coming home to handcuffs in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. More»

Swedish school bans stripes, polka dots to ease migraines

(NEWSER) - Bad news for Pippi Longstocking wannabes—a Swedish preschool has banned striped and polka-dotted children's clothing because the patterns trigger one teacher's migraine headaches. The ban is driving some fashion-conscious parents dotty, but the school's principal defends the teacher's right to "an appropriate work environment," reports the Local of Sweden. More»