We’ve all heard the tale about the prince captivated by the beautiful commoner. But once upon a time, Yale-educated Crown Princess Victoria—who will be the first woman to inherit the Swedish throne—dated Daniel Westling, a decidedly unroyal gym owner. Despite a July poll indicating that more than half the country found him to be an unsuitable match, the couple now shares a home, defying traditionalists and society snobs. The couple recently announced plans to wed in 2010, populace opinion be damned.

“The important thing is that the right people live with each other,” the queen-to-be has said, coming to the defense of her average beau. Fortunately, her family seems to agree—Westling is now a regular at official engagements and has, according to a Swedish newspaper, even taken “prince in training” courses. We say: Long live true love!

Just Wait Until They Register ...  Some of the gifts given to the Princess when she turned 30: a flatscreen TV from the government; a nature center from the Duchy of Västergötland; and a monkey from the Nordic Museum and Skansen Zoo. Man, do we feel bad for Westling—how do you top a monkey?