diff --git a/components/fpspreadsheet/examples/read_write/excelxmldemo/excelxmlread.lpi b/components/fpspreadsheet/examples/read_write/excelxmldemo/excelxmlread.lpi
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e49d6a95c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/fpspreadsheet/examples/read_write/excelxmldemo/excelxmlread.lpi
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<CONFIG>
+  <ProjectOptions>
+    <Version Value="12"/>
+    <PathDelim Value="\"/>
+    <General>
+      <Flags>
+        <LRSInOutputDirectory Value="False"/>
+        <CompatibilityMode Value="True"/>
+      </Flags>
+      <SessionStorage Value="InProjectDir"/>
+      <UseXPManifest Value="True"/>
+    </General>
+    <BuildModes Count="1">
+      <Item1 Name="default" Default="True"/>
+    </BuildModes>
+    <PublishOptions>
+      <Version Value="2"/>
+    </PublishOptions>
+    <RunParams>
+      <FormatVersion Value="2"/>
+      <Modes Count="1">
+        <Mode0 Name="default">
+          <local>
+            <LaunchingApplication PathPlusParams="\usr\X11R6\bin\xterm -T &apos;Lazarus Run Output&apos; -e $(LazarusDir)\tools\runwait.sh $(TargetCmdLine)"/>
+          </local>
+        </Mode0>
+      </Modes>
+    </RunParams>
+    <RequiredPackages Count="1">
+      <Item1>
+        <PackageName Value="LazUtils"/>
+      </Item1>
+    </RequiredPackages>
+    <Units Count="1">
+      <Unit0>
+        <Filename Value="excelxmlread.lpr"/>
+        <IsPartOfProject Value="True"/>
+      </Unit0>
+    </Units>
+  </ProjectOptions>
+  <CompilerOptions>
+    <Version Value="11"/>
+    <PathDelim Value="\"/>
+    <Target>
+      <Filename Value="excelxmlread"/>
+    </Target>
+    <SearchPaths>
+      <IncludeFiles Value="$(ProjOutDir);..\..\..\source"/>
+      <OtherUnitFiles Value="..\..\..\source\common"/>
+      <UnitOutputDirectory Value="..\..\lib\$(TargetCPU)-$(TargetOS)"/>
+    </SearchPaths>
+    <Parsing>
+      <SyntaxOptions>
+        <UseAnsiStrings Value="False"/>
+      </SyntaxOptions>
+    </Parsing>
+    <Linking>
+      <Debugging>
+        <UseExternalDbgSyms Value="True"/>
+      </Debugging>
+    </Linking>
+  </CompilerOptions>
+</CONFIG>
diff --git a/components/fpspreadsheet/examples/read_write/excelxmldemo/excelxmlread.lpr b/components/fpspreadsheet/examples/read_write/excelxmldemo/excelxmlread.lpr
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..42577fbbd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/fpspreadsheet/examples/read_write/excelxmldemo/excelxmlread.lpr
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+{-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+                           excelxmlread.lpr
+
+Demonstrates how to read an Excel 2003 xml file using the fpspreadsheet library
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------}
+program excelxmlread;
+
+{$mode delphi}{$H+}
+
+uses
+  Classes, SysUtils, LazUTF8, fpsTypes, fpspreadsheet, xlsxml, fpsutils;
+
+var
+  workbook: TsWorkbook;
+  worksheet: TsWorksheet;
+  inputFilename: string;
+  dir: string;
+  i: Integer;
+  cell: PCell;
+
+{$R *.res}
+
+begin
+  // Open the input file
+  dir := ExtractFilePath(ParamStr(0));
+  inputFileName := dir + 'test.xml';
+  inputFileName := dir + 'datatypes.xml';
+
+  if not FileExists(inputFileName) then begin
+    WriteLn('Input file ', inputFileName, ' does not exist. Please run excelxmlwrite first.');
+    Halt;
+  end;
+  WriteLn('Opening input file ', inputFilename);
+
+  // Create the spreadsheet
+  workbook := TsWorkbook.Create;
+  try
+    workbook.Options := workbook.Options + [boReadFormulas];
+    workbook.ReadFromFile(inputFilename, sfExcelXML);
+
+    WriteLn('The workbook contains ', workbook.GetWorksheetCount, ' sheets.');
+    WriteLn;
+
+    // Write all cells with contents to the console
+    for i:=0 to workbook.GetWorksheetCount-1 do begin
+      worksheet := workbook.GetWorksheetByIndex(i);
+      WriteLn('');
+      WriteLn('Contents of the worksheet "', worksheet.Name, '":');
+      WriteLn('');
+
+      for cell in worksheet.Cells do
+      begin
+        Write(' ',
+              ' Row: ', cell^.Row,
+              ' Col: ', cell^.Col,
+              ' Type: ', cell^.ContentType,
+              ' Value: ', UTF8ToConsole(worksheet.ReadAsText(cell^.Row, cell^.Col))
+        );
+        if HasFormula(cell) then
+          WriteLn(' Formula: ', workSheet.ReadFormulaAsString(cell))
+        else
+          WriteLn;
+      end;
+    end;
+
+  finally
+    // Finalization
+    workbook.Free;
+  end;
+
+  {$IFDEF WINDOWS}
+  WriteLn;
+  WriteLn('Press ENTER to quit...');
+  ReadLn;
+  {$ENDIF}
+end.
+
diff --git a/components/fpspreadsheet/source/common/xlsxml.pas b/components/fpspreadsheet/source/common/xlsxml.pas
index a22a0964e..d07f46723 100644
--- a/components/fpspreadsheet/source/common/xlsxml.pas
+++ b/components/fpspreadsheet/source/common/xlsxml.pas
@@ -23,9 +23,28 @@ interface
 uses
   Classes, SysUtils,
   laz2_xmlread, laz2_DOM,
-  fpsTypes, fpsReaderWriter, xlsCommon;
+  fpsTypes, fpsReaderWriter, fpsXMLCommon, xlsCommon;
 
 type
+  { TsSpreadExcelXMLReader }
+  TsSpreadExcelXMLReader = class(TsSpreadXMLReader)
+  private
+    FPointSeparatorSettings: TFormatSettings;
+    function ExtractDateTime(AText: String): TDateTime;
+    procedure ReadCell(ANode: TDOMNode; AWorksheet: TsBasicWorksheet; ARow, ACol: Integer);
+    procedure ReadRow(ANode: TDOMNode; AWorksheet: TsBasicWorksheet; ARow: Integer);
+    procedure ReadTable(ANode: TDOMNode; AWorksheet: TsBasicWorksheet);
+    procedure ReadWorksheet(ANode: TDOMNode; AWorksheet: TsBasicWorksheet);
+    procedure ReadWorksheetOptions(ANode: TDOMNode; AWorksheet: TsBasicWorksheet);
+    procedure ReadWorksheets(ANode: TDOMNode);
+  protected
+
+  public
+    constructor Create(AWorkbook: TsBasicWorkbook); override;
+    procedure ReadFromStream(AStream: TStream; APassword: String = '';
+      AParams: TsStreamParams = []); override;
+
+  end;
 
   { TsSpreadExcelXMLWriter }
 
@@ -89,8 +108,8 @@ var
 implementation
 
 uses
-  StrUtils, Math,
-  fpsStrings, fpspreadsheet, fpsUtils, fpsNumFormat, fpsXmlCommon, fpsHTMLUtils;
+  StrUtils, DateUtils, Math,
+  fpsStrings, fpspreadsheet, fpsUtils, fpsNumFormat, fpsHTMLUtils;
 
 const
   FMT_OFFSET   = 61;
@@ -158,6 +177,199 @@ begin
   end;
 end;
 
+{@@ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  Constructor of the ExcelXML reader
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------}
+constructor TsSpreadExcelXMLReader.Create(AWorkbook: TsBasicWorkbook);
+begin
+  inherited;
+
+  // Special version of FormatSettings using a point decimal separator for sure.
+  FPointSeparatorSettings := DefaultFormatSettings;
+  FPointSeparatorSettings.DecimalSeparator := '.';
+end;
+
+{@@ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  Extracts the date/time value from the given string.
+  The string is formatted as 'yyyy-mm-dd"T"hh:nn:ss.zzz'
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------}
+function TsSpreadExcelXMLReader.ExtractDateTime(AText: String): TDateTime;
+//var
+//  syr, smon, sday, shr, smin, ssec, smsec: String;
+const
+  PATTERN = 'yyyy-mm-ddTdd:nn:ss.zzz';
+var
+  dateStr, timeStr: String;
+begin
+  dateStr := Copy(AText, 1, 10);
+  timeStr := Copy(AText, 12, MaxInt);
+  Result := ScanDateTime('yyyy-mm-dd', dateStr) + ScanDateTime('hh:nn:ss.zzz', timeStr);
+  //Result := ScanDateTime(PATTERN, AText);
+end;
+
+{@@ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  Reads a "Worksheet/Table/Row/Cell" node
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------}
+procedure TsSpreadExcelXMLReader.ReadCell(ANode: TDOMNode;
+  AWorksheet: TsBasicWorksheet; ARow, ACol: Integer);
+var
+  sheet: TsWorksheet absolute AWorksheet;
+  nodeName: string;
+  st: String;
+  sv: String;
+  node: TDOMNode;
+  err: TsErrorValue;
+begin
+  if ANode = nil then
+    exit;
+  nodeName := ANode.NodeName;
+  if nodeName <> 'Cell' then
+    raise Exception.Create('Only Cell nodes expected.');
+
+  node := ANode.FirstChild;
+  if node = nil then
+    sheet.WriteBlank(ARow, ACol)
+  else
+    while node <> nil do begin
+      nodeName := node.NodeName;
+      if nodeName = 'Data' then begin
+        sv := GetNodeValue(node);
+        st := GetAttrValue(node, 'ss:Type');
+        case st of
+          'String':
+            sheet.WriteText(ARow, ACol, sv);
+          'Number':
+            sheet.WriteNumber(ARow, ACol, StrToFloat(sv, FPointSeparatorSettings));
+          'DateTime':
+            sheet.WriteDateTime(ARow, ACol, ExtractDateTime(sv));
+          'Boolean':
+            if sv = '1' then
+              sheet.WriteBoolValue(ARow, ACol, true)
+            else if sv = '0' then
+              sheet.WriteBoolValue(ARow, ACol, false);
+          'Error':
+            if TryStrToErrorValue(sv, err) then
+              sheet.WriteErrorValue(ARow, ACol, err);
+        end;
+      end;
+      node := node.NextSibling;
+    end;
+end;
+
+{@@ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  Reads a "Worksheet/Table/Row" node
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------}
+procedure TsSpreadExcelXMLReader.ReadRow(ANode: TDOMNode;
+  AWorksheet: TsBasicWorksheet; ARow: Integer);
+var
+  nodeName: String;
+  s: String;
+  c: Integer;
+begin
+  c := 0;
+  while ANode <> nil do begin
+    nodeName := ANode.NodeName;
+    if nodeName = 'Cell' then begin
+      s := GetAttrValue(ANode, 'ss:Index');
+      if s <> '' then c := StrToInt(s) - 1;
+      ReadCell(ANode, AWorksheet, ARow, c);
+      inc(c);
+    end;
+    ANode := ANode.NextSibling;
+  end;
+end;
+
+{@@ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  Reads the "Worksheet/Table" node
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------}
+procedure TsSpreadExcelXMLReader.ReadTable(ANode: TDOMNode;
+  AWorksheet: TsBasicWorksheet);
+var
+  nodeName: String;
+  s: String;
+  r: Integer;
+begin
+  r := 0;
+  while ANode <> nil do begin
+    nodeName := ANode.NodeName;
+    if nodeName = 'Row' then begin
+      s := GetAttrValue(ANode, 'ss:Index');
+      if s <> '' then r := StrToInt(s) - 1;
+      ReadRow(ANode.FirstChild, AWorksheet, r);
+      inc(r);
+    end;
+    ANode := ANode.NextSibling;
+  end;
+end;
+
+{@@ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  Reads the "Worksheet" node
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------}
+procedure TsSpreadExcelXMLReader.ReadWorksheet(ANode: TDOMNode;
+  AWorksheet: TsBasicWorksheet);
+var
+  nodeName: String;
+  s: String;
+begin
+  while ANode <> nil do begin
+    nodeName := ANode.NodeName;
+    if nodeName = 'Table' then
+      ReadTable(ANode.FirstChild, AWorksheet)
+    else if nodeName = 'WorksheetOptions' then
+      ReadWorksheetOptions(ANode, AWorksheet);
+    ANode := ANode.NextSibling;
+  end;
+end;
+
+{@@ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  Reads the "Worksheet/WorksheetOptions" nodes
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------}
+procedure TsSpreadExcelXMLReader.ReadWorksheetOptions(ANode: TDOMNode;
+  AWorksheet: TsBasicWorksheet);
+begin
+  // to do
+end;
+
+{@@ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  Reads the "Worksheet" nodes
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------}
+procedure TsSpreadExcelXMLReader.ReadWorksheets(ANode: TDOMNode);
+var
+  nodeName: String;
+  s: STring;
+begin
+  while ANode <> nil do begin
+    nodeName := ANode.NodeName;
+    if nodeName = 'Worksheet' then begin
+      s := GetAttrValue(ANode, 'ss:Name');
+      if s <> '' then begin   // the case of '' should not happen
+        FWorksheet := TsWorkbook(FWorkbook).AddWorksheet(s);
+        ReadWorksheet(ANode.FirstChild, FWorksheet);
+      end;
+    end;
+    ANode := ANode.NextSibling;
+  end;
+end;
+
+
+{@@ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  Reads the workbook from the specified stream
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------}
+procedure TsSpreadExcelXMLReader.ReadFromStream(AStream: TStream;
+  APassword: String = ''; AParams: TsStreamParams = []);
+var
+  doc: TXMLDocument;
+begin
+  try
+    ReadXMLStream(doc, AStream);
+    ReadWorksheets(doc.DocumentElement.FindNode('Worksheet'));
+  finally
+    doc.Free;
+  end;
+end;
+
+
+
 {@@ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Constructor of the ExcelXML writer
 
@@ -929,7 +1141,7 @@ initialization
 
   // Registers this reader / writer in fpSpreadsheet
   sfidExcelXML := RegisterSpreadFormat(sfExcelXML,
-    nil, TsSpreadExcelXMLWriter,
+    TsSpreadExcelXMLReader, TsSpreadExcelXMLWriter,
     STR_FILEFORMAT_EXCEL_XML, 'ExcelXML', [STR_XML_EXCEL_EXTENSION]
   );