During the concert, Swedish skater Nils van der Poel received the Victoria Prize. The award is presented annually to an athlete who has achieved a unique achievement for his country. Van der Poel, who has Dutch ancestry, is the 43rd winner of the Victoria Prize.
It was the birthday girl Victoria herself who handed over the prize to Van der Poel. “He took the skating world by storm,” said Victoria. “And he has put Sweden back on the world skating map.” According to the crown princess, Van der Poel is Sweden’s great hope for a gold medal at next year’s Winter Olympics in Beijing.
In his acceptance speech, Van der Poel said he was very happy with his prize. He also said that he was thrilled to meet the Crown Princess. “It’s really a moment to enjoy,” he said of receiving the award.
View a photo of the award ceremony below. In addition, the Swedish court shared photos of Princess Victoria’s family, who were also present at the concert and prize drawing.
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