Norway

The death of King Olav V

On 17 January 1991, King Olav of Norway suffered a fatal heart attack, following nearly a year of health problems, and passed away at the age of 87. He was succeeded by his son, Harald, who marks 30 years on the Norwegian throne today. Though he’d been born Prince Alexander of Denmark at Sandringham in the United Kingdom, once his father was named king of a newly independent Norway…
Read more
European RoyalsNorway

Norway's modern consorts

Queen Maud Queen Maud never had designs on becoming a queen when she was born, a daughter of the future King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom, in 1869. As a granddaughter of Queen Victoria, she was raised in splendour, and well-travelled, having…
FashionNorway

Norway's most glittering tiaras

As Norway’s first queen consort since 1938, Queen Sonja brought back the spectacle and glamour of a queen when her husband, King Harald, came to the throne in January 1991. As a major representative of Norway, both home and abroad, Queen Sonja has many majestic tiaras…
European RoyalsNorway

'Alt for Norge': the motto that unites three kings

Alt for Norge is the motto that has united the three modern kings of Norway and one that serves as a rallying cry for the nation. When Prince Carl of Denmark was nominated as a potential monarch for the newly independent Norway, before he took the throne, he insisted on a plebiscite so that the people could decide if they even wanted a monarchy, let alone a Danish prince as monarch. The…
Read more
FeaturesNorwayRoyal Weddings

The Royal Wedding of Princess Astrid of Norway

When the leading princess of a royal court marries, it’s usually a grand affair with tiaras, sparkle and endless celebrations. But when Astrid, then the de facto first lady of Norway, said her ‘I dos’ in 1961, it was a low key affair that changed the rules of royal romance. Her marriage to Johan Martin Ferner was controversial but the fact that it took place at all signalled a…
Read more