She once stood in as a ‘first lady’ when her country was without a consort and one of the oldest princesses in Europe has admitted seeing a future queen in a tiara for the first time made her emotional.
Norway’s Princess Astrid, now 92, was often at the side of her father, King Olav, during the early years of his reign as he had no queen. Princess Martha, Olav’s wife, and Astrid’s mother, died before he took the throne in 1957 and it was Astrid who accompanied him to many official events. Princess Astrid still carries out engagements today. And when her royal family marked a special milestone, it was Astrid who revealed how emotional the event had been.
(NRK screen grab/ fair use)
In June 2022, Astrid’s great niece, Ingrid Alexandra, celebrated her coming of age. As she celebrated her 18th birthday, she was given a grand gala dinner at which she wore a tiara in public for the first time. And it was Astrid who shared why the piece chosen by this queen in waiting was so important for the family.
The tiara, made of diamond loops that merge together, was bought for Astrid’s maternal grandmother, Princess Ingeborg, by her husband, Prince Carl, who was concerned that his wife’s existing collection was dominated by heavy pieces. He found it at the World Fair in Paris in 1900.
The tiara provides many links with Ingrid’s family tree. Princess Ingeborg was a sister of King Christian X of Denmark and King Haakon VII of Norway while her father was a brother of King Gustav V of Sweden.
Ingeborg often lent the tiara to her daughters. Princess Astrid’s mother, Crown Princess Martha of Norway, wore it during a famous trip to the United States in 1939.
As the princess was photographed wearing a tiara for the first time, her great aunt, Astrid, said ‘’ It means a lot to me that Princess Ingrid Alexandra has been given this jewellery.’’
(Ida Bjørvik, Royal Court0
And there was a poignant moment, too, as Princess Astrid recalled the final time that Princess Ingeborg wore the tiara, saying ‘’ The last time my grandmother used it was for my brother’s 21st birthday and government day in 1958.’’
The diadem was inherited by Astrid’s older sister, Princess Ragnhild, who left it to her own children on her death in 2012. They have now given the diadem to Princess Ingrid Alexandra.
It’s a choice filled with history and family links.
