Weddings, even those steeped in tradition, rarely run perfectly – and royal weddings are no exception. At Princess Alexandra’s marriage to Angus Ogilvy on 24 April 1963, Queen Elizabeth II found herself in a delicate situation, having to apologise to a fellow monarch.
Footage from the day shows the Queen inadvertently stepping on the foot of King Olav V of Norway as guests gathered to see the newlyweds off. The Queen quickly realised her misstep, especially as King Olav flinched slightly. Fortunately, the two monarchs were close relatives – second cousins – and the moment dissolved into shared laughter.
On this day in 1963, Princess Alexandra married Angus Ogilvy at Westminster Abbey.
— The Royal Family Channel (@RoyalFamilyITNP) April 24, 2021
Outside, the Queen was filmed accidentally standing on the foot of King Olav V of Norway. 😅 pic.twitter.com/amH6rbbOX3
Elizabeth II and Olav V were linked through King George V of the United Kingdom and Queen Maud of Norway, who were siblings. Maud married the future King Haakon VII of Norway, born Prince Carl of Denmark, making the pair aunt and uncle to King George VI, Elizabeth’s father. Haakon was even born on the Sandringham Estate in 1903, a tie that further cemented the families’ closeness.
The bonds deepened during the Second World War, when the Norwegian Royal Family lived in exile in London. King Haakon and then-Crown Prince Olav spent the years in Britain, and Elizabeth referred to Haakon as “Uncle Charles” throughout his life. When Elizabeth had her first son, Prince Charles, in 1948, she reportedly named him in honour of the King of Norway. Olav continued to visit the United Kingdom annually for Remembrance Day until his death in 1991.
Princess Alexandra’s wedding was a grand affair, attracting royals from across Europe. As the only daughter of Prince George, Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark, Alexandra was connected to nearly every royal house. Guests included Queen Ingrid of Denmark, the future Queen Anne-Marie of Greece, Queen Louise of Sweden, Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain, Queen Mother Helen of Romania, Princesses Irene and Margriet of the Netherlands, the Margrave and Margravine of Baden, and Prince and Princess Paul of Yugoslavia, among others.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, were in attendance to support their cousin. The day remains a charming reminder that even the most dignified of events can be punctuated by human – and very royal – moments of levity.
