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Norway

King Harald and Crown Prince Haakon inspect the Norwegian Royal Guard

On Friday morning, His Majesty King Harald and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon of Norway visited the Huseby Leir military camp in Oslo to perform their annual inspection of His Majesty The King’s Guard.

The Huseby Leir camp is located west in the capital of Oslo and is the headquarters of the Royal Life Guard.

Traditionally, the inspection takes place in early June each year. Hundreds of soldiers stood up when the King and Crown Prince arrived at Huseby. The King started the review with the greeting, “Good day my guards!” And he received “Good Day our good King!” as a response.

The King and Crown Prince arrive at the parade. Photo: Oskar Aanmoen

His Majesty surrenders the sword. Photo: Oskar Aanmoen

The inspection of His Majesty The King’s Guard is an open event, and like all other years, there were many school children and kindergarten children in attendance. Several hundred children had come to watch the soldiers and to see the King and Crown Prince.

After arrival, His Majesty inspected the more than 800 guards at the military camp. After handing out the watch and the sword, the guards walked in front of the King and Crown Prince in a parade before they had had a short musical performance for the Royals.

His Majesty the King. Photo: Oskar Aanmoen / Royal Central.

From the military parade. Photo: Oskar Aanmoen / Royal Central

Also during the inspection, it was sweltering. Southern Norway is now in an unusually warm period. A heat wave has hit the country and has lasted almost a month with temperatures of 30-32 degrees Celsius during the daytime. This heat wave has also affected the Norwegian Royal Guard. Now, measures have been taken to ensure that none of the King’s soldiers will suffer or are hurt during the remaining heat wave.

The Royal Guards, who stand outside the Royal Palace, do so in a black uniform made of wool. Now the General of the Royal Guard has ordered the time spent at post will be shorter, and the soldiers will be served water all the time while they are on duty.

Crown Prince Haakon during the parade. Photo: Oskar Aanmoen

The Royal Guard has an armed guard presence at the royal residences in all of Norway and is a part of the permanent defence of Oslo each day of the year. Two of the guards received a special honour during the inspection. The King awarded “The King’s Clock” to the best guard of the year, who has excellent skills in field discipline, guard and attitude. For the first time in history, it was awarded to a female guard.

The changing of the guard in front of the Royal Palace by the Royal Guard takes place daily at 13:00 hours. In the summer, the changing of the guard is also often expanded with music in the form of parades, and sometimes also with a drill show. The places that the royal guards have a permanent guard service is at the Royal Palace, Skaugum, Bygdø royal estate when in use, Akershus Fortress and Huseby military camp.

 

 

About author

Senior Europe Correspondent Oskar Aanmoen has a master in military and political history of the Nordic countries. He has written six books on historical subjects and more than 1.500 articles for Royal Central. He has also interview both Serbian and Norwegian royals. Aanmoen is based in Oslo, Norway.