The Norwegian Royal House has shared the special gifts Princess Ingrid Alexandra received for her 18th birthday, and they range from jewellery to a new bunad and her first foreign order.
King Harald and Queen Sonja added to their granddaughter’s jewel vault, gifting her with a diamond bracelet that previously belonged to the King’s late sister Princess Ragnhild and a pearl ring that the Queen had received upon her own confirmation in 1953.
Prior to the gala dinner, Crown Prince Frederik (one of Ingrid Alexandra’s godfathers) and Crown Princess Mary presented Ingrid Alexandra with a gift from Queen Margrethe: her first foreign order, that of the Order of the Elephant.
The Danish Royal House shared a photo on their social media, writing: “The Order of the Elephant is the oldest and noblest Danish order of knights and has roots dating back to the 15th century. The order is given mainly to royalty and heads of state. An Order of the Elephant is—in principle—only on loan and must therefore be returned to the Chapter of the Order when an elephant knight has passed away. This means that most elephants have been in use several times. The concrete elephant has undergone a minor restoration for the occasion, where it has, among other things, been affixed to the Queen’s monogram, as an elephant always wears the sitting monarch’s monogram when awarded.”
In the future, Princess Ingrid Alexandra will wear the sash and badge of the Order of the Elephant while attending formal events that relate to Denmark.
From King Felipe, another godfather, Princess Ingrid Alexandra received a painting of stunning blues and whites that appears to mimic the scenery of Norwegian fjords.
Princess Ingrid Alexandra’s maternal grandmother, Marit Tjessem, gifted her with a bunad (a traditional form of rural dress in Norway that differs based on the region that the wearer lives in).
From Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant, Princess Ingrid Alexandra received a beautiful pair of earrings with a moon base and drop diamonds, while the Dutch Royal Family gifted her a pair of gold and diamond hoop earrings.
The National Council of Norway’s children and youth organisations gifted the future Queen with a beautiful pearl necklace on a gold band; the Sami Parliament Youth Policy Committee gifted her with a necklace and matching earrings, and the Sami Parliament gifted her with a suite of jewels and a handbag.
