The Swedish royal family is gearing up for the lavishwedding of its crown princess Saturday, even as more citizens are saying the country should divorce itself from the monarchy.

The royal family is something of an anachronism in a country that prides itself on being one of the most equal in the world. For decades, a majority of Swedish lawmakers have been in favor of abolishing the monarchy, but no political party has had the stomach to pursue it.

Royalists and republicans struck a deal in 1974 that allowed the king to remain head of state, but without any executive powers. Ever since, Sweden has been, in the words of then-Prime Minister Olof Palme, a 'pen stroke from a republic.'

Almost 40 years since the compromise was struck, more than 200,000 people are expected to line the streets of Stockholm to see Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling, her former personal trainer, take a lap of honor in their horse-drawn carriage from the royal castle through central Stockholm and back again. To further underscore that this isn't an average wedding, 18 fighter jets and 5,000 troops have been called out to pay tribute to the couple.

But it is far from certain that Victoria, 32 years old, will inherit the crown from her father, 64-year-old King Carl XVI Gustaf. Popular support is on a gentle, but steady, downward slide.

According to an April poll by Gothenburg University's SOM-Institute, the proportion of Swedes in favor of the monarchy has slid to 56%, from 62% six years ago, and is the slimmest majority since the institute started polling.

Attempts to reach the royal family were unsuccessful.

Some say the weakening support of late is due to public discontent at having to foot the bill for the wedding. Taxpayers are coughing up 10 million kronor ($1.3 million) for the wedding alone, before factoring in the cost of restoring the church, new uniforms for police officers, cleaning and other necessities.

'For all of us who weren't too fond of the whole monarchy deal, this has really triggered us to do something,' says Vilma Seth, organizer of 'Real Love Stockholm,' one of the many antiroyalist parties taking place in the capital this weekend.

'I don't understand why politicians refuse to do something about the monarchy,' Ms. Seth says. 'I think the way a country is run should reflect its values.'

Johan Anderberg

• wedding [´wediŋ] n.婚礼，结婚 (初中英语单词)
• princess [,prin´ses] n.公主；王妃；亲王夫人 (初中英语单词)
• divorce [di´vɔ:s] n.离婚 vt.同....离婚 (初中英语单词)
• stomach [´stʌmək] n.胃；胃口，食欲 (初中英语单词)
• pursue [pə´sju:] v.追赶；追踪；从事 (初中英语单词)
• executive [ig´zekjutiv] a.行政的 n.行政官 (初中英语单词)
• minister [´ministə] n.部长；大臣 v.伺候 (初中英语单词)
• carriage [´kæridʒ] n.马车；客车；货运 (初中英语单词)
• tribute [´tribju:t] n.贡物；献礼；颂词 (初中英语单词)
• proportion [prə´pɔ:ʃən] n.比率 vt.使成比例 (初中英语单词)
• institute [´institju:t] n.学院 vt.建立；设置 (初中英语单词)
• reflect [ri´flekt] v.反射；反响；表达 (初中英语单词)
• saying [´seiŋ, ´sei-iŋ] n.言语；言论；格言 (高中英语单词)
• sweden [´swi:dn] n.瑞典 (高中英语单词)
• compromise [´kɔmprəmaiz] n.妥协，和解 (高中英语单词)
• trainer [´treinə] n.训练员，教(练)员 (高中英语单词)
• fighter [´faitə] n.战士；战斗机 (高中英语单词)
• inherit [in´herit] v.继承；遗传 (高中英语单词)
• downward [´daunwəd] a.下降的，向下的 (高中英语单词)
• discontent [´diskən´tent] n.&a.不满(平)(的) (高中英语单词)
• swedish [´swi:diʃ] a.瑞典人 n.瑞典语 (英语四级单词)
• lavish [´læviʃ] a.慷慨的；浪费的 (英语四级单词)
• monarchy [´mɔnəki] n.君主政治；君主国 (英语四级单词)
• taking [´teikiŋ] a.迷人的 n.捕获物 (英语六级单词)