STOCKHOLM -

Although there was a great deal of uncertainty as to whether or not Marie Fredriksson would be able to attend, it was both members of Roxette who arrived at the Royal Palace here this afternoon to receive medals from His Majesty, the King of Sweden.

  This morning the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet and tabloid Expressen reported that it was still uncertain if Marie would attend or not. "It will depend on the mood of the day," had previously told Per to Aftonbladet, but in the end, she felt with the energy to attend the event and receive the Medal personally.


  Per and Marie both were beaming with pride as they stepped forward to be distinguished by the King. "Both [of them] are so honored and very proud to have received this medal," explains Marie Dimberg, their manager.


  Aftonbladet also reports today that Marie feels better, "it is like night and day, she feels definetely better," explains Per, but we have to bear in mind that "she didn't get a cold, but a big knockout." So Marie has to take her time to come back "Marie has to decide it for herself when she feels like coming back," Per goes on telling, "there is no reason for her to stress."


  It is for this reason that it is not sure what Roxette will do during this year. Previously the target was to work together this summer, but now Per reveals that the "The Pop Hits" release may be the last that the band does this year. "Under normal circumstances, we would have surely spent a couple of months in the spring to promote this album," says Per, "but now I doubt it." Besides that, there is no urge for Roxette to release a new album. "We are not in panic of having to make a new album," Per states.


  On the other hand, Expressen reported this morning that a bump was found in Marie's left breast. According to the tabloid's source, they will apply a biopsy to this bump next week, but Dimberg already denied this piece of information in the press message we reported earlier today.

• Aftonbladet's story (In Swedish)
• Expressen's story (In Swedish)
• TV4's report (Requires Real player)
• SVT's article (In Swedish)