History, diamonds and pearls for Norway’s future queen on a glittering night out at the palace

King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway hosted French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron at the Royal Palace in Oslo.

Queen Sonja and the women of the Norwegian royal family understood the assignment and chose several historic tiaras for the evening. 

Queen Sonja wore one of the oldest Norwegian royal tiaras for the State Dinner, Queen Josefina’s Diamond Tiara. Set on a white and yellow gold frame, the diamond tiara features both laurel and floral leaves. While historians suspect it may date to the early nineteenth century, its first confirmed appearance was in 1849 when Queen Josefina wore the tiara for a state portrait. 

King Harald’s sister, Princess Astrid, also went for a historic diadem – Queen Alexandra’s Turquoise Tiara. The delicate diamond and bright turquoise tiara was originally a birthday gift to Queen Alexandra from her husband, King Edward VII. Upon her death in 1925, her daughter, Queen Maud of Norway inherited the piece. 

Crown Princess Mette-Marit reached for a personal favourite with her Diamond Daisy Bandeau. King Harald and Queen Sonja purchased the slender floral tiara for their new daughter-in-law as a wedding gift, and it has clearly become one of her favourites. The sparkly Edwardian piece has proven to be incredibly versatile for the Crown Princess of Norway. 

As Princess Ingrid-Alexandra made her State Dinner debut in April, she is a practiced professional now. The second-in-line to the throne wore Princess Ingeborg’s Boucheron Tiara, a delicate but impressive pearl and diamond circle tiara. Princess Ingrid Alexandra received the tiara as an eighteenth birthday gift from her family in 2022.