Category Archives: Norwegian Royals

Funeral of Ari Behn, former husband of Princess Märtha Louise of Norway

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Crown Prince Haakon, second from the left, was one of the pallbearers at the funeral of Ari Behn; Credit – http://www.royalcourt.no/

Ari Behn’s funeral was held on January 3, 2020, at the Oslo Cathedral, with services conducted by Kari Veiteberg, Bishop of Oslo. Ari Behn died by suicide on December 25, 2019. He was 47-years-old. His manager Geir Håkonsund made an announcement on behalf of his family: “It is with great sadness in our hearts that we, the closest relatives of Ari Behn, must announce that he took his own life today. We ask for respect for our privacy in the time to come.”

In addition to his former wife Princess Märtha Louise of Norway and their three daughters Maud Angelica Behn, Leah Isadora Behn, and Emma Tallulah Behn, Ari Behn leaves his parents Olav Bjørshol and Marianne Solberg Behn and his two younger siblings Anja Sabrina Bjørshol and Espen Bjørshol.

Behn’s former brother-in-law Crown Prince Haakon was one of the pallbearers. The other pallbearers were his father Olav Bjørshol, his brother Espen Bjørshol, his brother-in-law Christian Udnæs, and his nephews Ask and Isak. During the funeral service, Behn’s parents, his siblings, and his eldest daughter 16-year-old Maud Angelica Behn shared memories of their son, brother, and father.

During her speech, Behn’s daughter addressed those with mental health issues: “I just want to say to everyone who has gone through mental illness, that there is always a way out. Although it doesn’t feel that way. There are people out there who can help. Everyone deserves love and joy. There is never weakness to ask for help but strength. “

Ari Behn was buried at the Cemetery of Our Saviour in Olso, Norway.

An article and photos in English can be seen at the official website of the Royal House of Norway at Royal House of Norway: Ari Behn’s funeral

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

First Cousins: King Harald V of Norway

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2019

King Harald V of Norway (born 1937)

(All photos credits – Wikipedia unless otherwise noted)

King Harald V of Norway was born on February 21, 1937, at Skaugum, the residence of the Crown Prince, in Asker, Norway. His parents were Crown Prince Olav of Norway (later King Olav V) and Princess Märtha of Sweden, who died before her husband became king. His paternal grandparents, who were first cousins, were King Haakon VII of Norway (born Prince Carl of Denmark, son of King Frederik VIII of Denmark) and Princess Maud of Wales, daughter of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom and Alexandra of Denmark.

Harald’s mother Princess Märtha of Sweden was the second daughter of Prince Carl of Sweden, Duke of Västergötland, and Princess Ingeborg of Denmark. Märtha’s paternal grandparents were King Oscar II of Sweden and Sofia of Nassau. Her maternal grandparents were King Frederick VIII of Denmark and Louise of Sweden. Harald married Sonja Haraldsen and had one son and one daughter.

King Harald is closely related to several European monarchs: Former King Albert II of Belgium is his first cousin, King Philippe of Belgium and Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg are his first cousins once removed, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and Queen Margrethe II of Denmark are his second cousins, and King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden is his second cousin once removed.

King Harald has no paternal first cousins because his father was an only child. He has six maternal first cousins. Harald shares his first cousins with his siblings Princess Ragnhild, Mrs. Lorentzen and Princess Astrid, Mrs. Ferner.

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Maternal Aunts and Uncles of King Harald V: Children of Prince Carl of Sweden, Duke of Västergötland and Princess Ingeborg of Denmark

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MATERNAL FIRST COUSINS

Maternal First Cousins: Children of Princess Margarethe of Sweden and Prince Axel of Denmark

Credit – https://www.findagrave.com

Prince George Valdemar of Denmark (1920 – 1986)

Prince George Valdemar was the second husband of Anne Bowes-Lyon, a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. The couple had no children. Because the prince received permission from King Frederik IX of Denmark to marry, he remained in the line of succession. However, he lost his place in the line of succession three years later because the Danish Act of Succession of 1953 restricted the throne to those descended from King Christian X of Denmark.

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Credit – https://www.findagrave.com

Count Flemming Valdemar of Rosenborg (1922 – 2002)

Born His Highness Prince Flemming Valdemar of Denmark, he lost his place in the succession when he married Ruth Nielsen without the permission of King Frederik IX of Denmark. The couple had three sons and one daughter.

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Maternal First Cousins: Children of Princess Astrid of Sweden and Leopold III, King of the Belgians

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Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg (1927 – 2005)

Princess Joséphine-Charlotte married Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg and had five children including Grand Duke Henri who succeeded his father upon his abdication in 2000. Joséphine-Charlotte worked extensively with organizations focused on children and families as well as the arts. She served as honorary president of the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra, and president of the Luxembourg Red Cross, and oversaw the five-year restoration of the Grand Ducal Palace from 1991-1996.

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Baudouin, King of the Belgians (1930 – 1993)

Baudouin, King of the Belgians reigned from July 1951, when his father abdicated, until July 1993, making him the longest-reigning Belgian monarch. He married Doña Fabiola de Mora y Aragón. Fabiola was from an aristocratic family in Spain and had a close relationship with the Spanish royal family. Despite several pregnancies, the couple never had any children, which greatly affected both of them.

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Albert II, King of the Belgians (born 1934)

Albert was the heir presumptive throughout the long reign of his childless brother King Baudouin. Upon his brother’s death in 1993, he succeeded to the Belgian throne. Albert married Paola Ruffo di Calabria who came from an Italian noble family. The couple had two sons and one daughter. In early July 2013, King Albert announced his intention to abdicate, citing health reasons. On July 21, 2013, Belgium’s National Day, he signed the formal document of abdication and was succeeded by his elder son King Philippe.

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Maternal First Cousins: Children of Prince Carl Bernadotte, born Prince Carl of Sweden, Duke of Östergötland, and Countess Elsa von Rosen

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Countess Madeleine Bernadotte, Mrs. Kogevinas (born 1938)

Madeleine first married Charles Ullens, Count de Schooten-Whetnall. The couple had three daughters and one son before they divorced after 18 years of marriage. Madeleine married again to Nicos Eletherios Kogevinas and they had one daughter.

The Peerage: Madeleine Ingerborg Ella Astra Elsa Bernadotte, Countess Bernadotte

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This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Lundy, D. (2019). Main Page. [online] Thepeerage.com. Available at: http://www.thepeerage.com/. (for genealogy information)
  • Unofficial Royalty. (2019). Unofficial Royalty. [online] Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com. (for biographical and genealogy information)
  • Wikipedia. (2019) Main Page. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/.  (for biographical and genealogy information)

Norwegian Royal Christenings

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2019

The Palace Chapel in the Royal Palace in Oslo, Norway; Photo – Kjetil Rolseth, The Royal Court

The Royal Chapel located in the Royal Palace in Oslo, Norway is the site of many events of the Norwegian royal family, especially christenings and confirmations.  After their deaths, King Haakon VII and King Olav V lay in state in the Royal Chapel

The members of the Norwegian royal family belong to the Church of Norway, an evangelical Lutheran denomination of Protestant Christianity. Until a constitutional amendment in 2012, the monarch was the supreme governor and protector of the Church of Norway. Since 2012, the Church of Norway has been self-governing but it remains the established state church.

The traditional Norwegian royal christening gown was handmade by Princess Ingeborg of Sweden (the mother of Crown Princess  Märtha of Norway) and has been worn by most descendants of King Olav V and Crown Princess Märtha, who died before her husband became king. The names of all the babies who wear the gown are embroidered on the gown.

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King Haakon VII of Norway, born Prince Carl of Denmark

Carl  (the future Haakon VII) with his mother, 1873 – Royal Court Photo Archive

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Queen Maud of Norway, Princess Maud of Wales

Embed from Getty Images 
Maud with her mother

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King Olav V of Norway, born Prince Alexander of Denmark

Olav,1905 Photo: Juncker Jensen, Royal Court Photo Archive

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Crown Princess Märtha of Norway, born Princess Märtha of Sweden

Märtha 1909 Photo: A. Blomberg, Royal Court Archive

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Princess Ragnhild, Mrs. Lorentzen

Embed from Getty Images
Princess Ragnhild with her parents

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Princess Astrid, Mrs. Ferner

Astrid 1935 Photo: G.T. Sjøwall, Royal Court Photo Archive

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King Harald V of Norway

Harald with his mother; Credit – Wikipedia

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Princess Märtha Louise of Norway

Embed from Getty Images
Märtha Louise with her parents

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Crown Prince Haakon of Norway

Haakon with his parents and sister; Credit – Royal House of Norway

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Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway

Credit – http://www.royalcourt.no

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Prince Sverre Magnus of Norway

Credit – http://www.royalcourt.no, photographer: Tor Richardsen / Scanpix

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Wedding of King Olav V of Norway and Princess Märtha of Sweden

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2018

Credit – Wikipedia

On March 21, 1929, the future King Olav V of Norway married Princess Märtha of Sweden at Oslo Cathedral in Norway. It was the first royal wedding in Norway in 340 years.

Olav’s Early Life

Olav with his parents, 1913. source: Wikipedia

Olav was born Prince Alexander of Denmark on July 2, 1903, at Appleton House on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, England. He was the only child of Prince Carl of Denmark and Princess Maud of Wales. In 1905, his father was elected King of Norway, taking the name Haakon VII. Prince Alexander took the name Olav and became Crown Prince. He attended the Norwegian Military Academy and studied law and economics at Balliol College, Oxford University. Olav also represented Norway in the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam, winning a Gold Medal in sailing. He served in the Norwegian Armed Forces – both the navy and army – attaining the rank of Admiral of the Navy and General of the Army in 1939.

For more information about Olav see:

Märtha’s Early Life

Princess Martha (right) with her mother and sisters, c1910. source: Wikipedia

Princess Märtha was born on March 28, 1901, at the Hereditary Prince’s Palace in Stockholm, Sweden. She was the second child of Prince Carl of Sweden and Princess Ingeborg of Denmark. Her siblings included an elder sister Margaretha (later Princess Axel of Denmark); a younger sister Astrid (later Queen of the Belgians); and a younger brother Carl (later Prince Carl Bernadotte). Interestingly, at birth, she was also a Princess of Norway, as Sweden and Norway were in a personal union under the Swedish sovereigns. This union ended in 1905, just before her future husband’s father was elected as the new King of Norway.

Märtha never became Queen of Norway. She died from cancer before Olav became King of Norway.

For more information about Märtha see:

The Engagement

Official engagement photo. photo: Axel Malström, The Royal Court Photo Archives

As first cousins, Olav and Märtha had known each other since childhood, and in the late 1920s, they began a romantic relationship. They managed to keep the relationship private, with Olav often traveling to Sweden in disguise to see his future bride. While both were in Amsterdam in 1928 for the Summer Olympic Games (in which Olav was competing), they became secretly engaged. The following January, after Olav again traveled to Sweden under an assumed name, the engagement was officially announced on January 14, 1929. The announcement was met with great support and excitement in both Norway and Sweden.

Pre-Wedding Festivities

Princess Märtha being greeted by Crown Prince Olav upon her arrival in Oslo. photo: Brødrene Halvorsen, The Royal Court Photo Archives

In the weeks before the wedding, Olav traveled to Sweden where he and Märtha were guests of honor at several functions. Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf hosted a ball at the Royal Palace, and the city of Stockholm hosted a reception at the Stockholm Town Hall. On the Monday before the wedding, King Gustav V hosted a State Banquet at the palace, after which the couple, along with the bride’s family, left to make their way to Norway. Prince Olav took a separate train so that he could already be in Oslo to welcome Märtha and her parents upon their arrival the following day. After they arrived, the couple traveled by carriage through the streets of Oslo on their way to the Royal Palace, where they appeared on the balcony to greet the crowds of well-wishers who had gathered in the Palace Square. King Haakon VII hosted a ball at the palace that evening, and the following night, a gala performance was held at the National Theatre.

The Wedding Attendants

The Bride and Groom with their bridal party. photo: The Royal Court Photo Archives

The Duke of York (the future King George VI of the United Kingdom), a first cousin of Crown Prince Olav and second cousin of Princess Märtha, served as the groom’s best man. The bride had eight bridesmaids, four from Sweden and four from Norway. They were led by the bride’s first cousin once removed, Princess Ingrid of Sweden, and Miss Irmelin Nansen, the daughter of famed Norwegian explorer and humanitarian, Professor Fridtjof Nansen. The rest were daughters of prominent families associated with the Swedish and Norwegian courts. The bride’s nephews, Prince George and Prince Flemming of Denmark, served as her train bearers.

The Wedding Attire

The official wedding portrait. photo: E. Rude, The Royal Court Photo Archives

The bride wore a gown of white silver lamé, made in Paris, which was a gift from her uncle, King Gustav V of Sweden. The gown had a four-meter train that was embroidered with lilies and embellished with pearls and sequins. Her veil – of Brussels lace – extended nearly the full length of her train. She held her veil in place with a tiara of orange blossoms topped with a wreath of myrtle. She carried a large bouquet of white lilies.

The groom wore a full military uniform, adorned with the Collar and Star of the Norwegian Order of Saint Olav, the Sash and Star of the Swedish Order of the Seraphim, along with numerous medals and other decorations.

The Duke of York wore full uniform adorned with the Collar and Star of the Norwegian Order of Saint Olav, the Sash and Star of the British Order of the Garter, and the Necklet of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem.

The bridesmaids wore white tea-length dresses and carried large bouquets of white flowers.

The Ceremony

photo: The Royal Court Photo Archives

Conducted by the Bishop of Oslo, Johan Lunde, the ceremony took place at 12:00 noon on March 21, 1929, at Olso Cathedral in Oslo, Norway. The 1,600 wedding guests included many government officials, foreign diplomats, and prominent citizens from both Norway and Sweden, along with numerous relatives and friends of the couple. Surprisingly, other than the Swedish and Danish royal families, there was not a large number of foreign royalty in attendance. The most prominent guests were The Duke and Duchess of York, representing King George V of the United Kingdom.

Following the groom’s arrival, the immediate members of the royal families processed into the church to the Norwegian Student Choral Society singing Stenhammar’s “Sverige”. The bride then entered with her father, followed by her bridesmaids. The ceremony was simple and traditional, with the Bishop having stated that the royal couple would have the same marriage service as any other Norwegian citizen. Loudspeakers had been set up outside the cathedral for the crowds gathered there, and there were loud cheers when the couple gave their “I Do’s”. The service ended with Händel’s “Hallelujah Chorus”, and two 21-gun salutes fired from Akershus Fortress. The couple led the carriage process back to the Royal Palace.

The Wedding Banquet and Honeymoon

photo: A.B. Wilse, The Royal Court Photo Archives

Following the ceremony, a luncheon for 200 guests was held at the Royal Palace. That evening, Olav and Märtha left Oslo and made their way to Sassnitz, Rugen Island, Prussia. From there, they made an unaccompanied trip by car through Europe to the French Riviera for the remainder of their honeymoon. Upon their return, they took up residence at the Skaugum Estate which had recently been purchased by Crown Prince Olav. Since then, the property has been the traditional residence of the Norwegian Crown Prince and his family.

Children

Olav and Märtha had three children; Credit – Wikipedia

Olav and Märtha had three children:

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

King Carl XIII of Sweden/King Karl II of Norway

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2017

Credit – Wikipedia

Born the second son of King Adolf Frederik of Sweden and Louisa Ulrika of Prussia, Carl was not destined to be king, but at the age of 60, he became King of Sweden and reigned for nine years. He would be the last Swedish monarch of the House of Holstein-Gottorp. Prince Carl of Sweden was born on October 7, 1748, at the Wrangel Palace on Riddarholmen islet in Gamla Stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Wrangel Palace was the official Stockholm residence of the Swedish royal family from 1697 until 1754 when the Royal Palace of Stockholm was completed. Carl was the first cousin of Empress Catherine II  of Russia (the Great) and the nephew of King Friedrich II of Prussia (the Great).

Prince Carl in 1758; Credit – Wikipedia

Carl had one older brother and a younger brother and sister:

The three sons of King Adolf Frederik: King Gustav III of Sweden, Prince Frederick Adolf and King Carl XIII of Sweden by Alexander Roslin, 1771; Credit – Wikipedia

During the twenty-year reign of his father King Adolf Fredrik, the King had no real power. The Riksdag (Swedish Parliament) held the power. Adolf Fredrik tried to change this twice, unsuccessfully. Because Carl was second in line to the throne, he was often used as a political tool for the opposition. In 1771, King Adolf Fredrik died and Carl’s brother succeeded to the throne as King Gustav III. In 1772, Gustav arranged for a coup d’état known as the Revolution of 1772 or Coup of Gustav III. The coup d’état reinstated an absolute monarchy and ended parliamentary rule.  Gustav imprisoned opposition leaders and established a new regime with extensive power for the king. Carl cooperated with his brother during the coup and as a reward was given the title Duke of Södermanland.

In 1766, King Gustav III married Princess Sophia Magdalena of Denmark. At the time of the coup in 1772, the marriage still had not been consummated and Gustav wanted to give the task of providing an heir to his brother. On July 7, 1774, Carl married his 15-year-old first cousin Princess Hedwig Elisabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp, daughter of Duke Friedrich August I of Holstein-Gottorp and Princess Ulrike Friederike Wilhelmine of Hesse-Kassel.

Hedwig Elisabeth Charlotte in 1774; Credit – Wikipedia

In July 1775, there were signs that Hedwig Elisabeth Charlotte was pregnant. It was hoped that the succession problem was solved and prayers were held in the churches. However, there was no pregnancy. The news of the false pregnancy made King Gustav III decide to consummate his marriage and provide an heir to the throne himself and the future King Gustav IV Adolf was born in 1778.

Their marriage was distant and both Carl and his wife had extramarital affairs. Carl and Hedwig Elisabeth Charlotte eventually had two children – one stillborn and one who lived only six days.

  • Lovisa Hedvig (stillborn 1797)
  • Carl Adolf, Duke of Värmland (born and died 1798)

In the 1780s, King Gustav III was preoccupied with foreign policy: a growing hatred of Denmark and a desire to conquer Norway. In 1788, he began a war against Russia, the Russo-Swedish War, but had to retreat because of a mutiny in the army. In 1789, he resumed the war with varying success. The war ended in 1790 with the Treaty of Värälä. The war with Russia had destroyed Sweden’s economy, and when Gustav decided to attack France, a conspiracy developed.

Carl’s brother King Gustav III, 1792; Credit – Wikipedia

The Russo-Sweden War and the implementation of the Union and Security Act in 1789, which gave the king more power and abolished many of the privileges of the nobility, contributed to the increasing hatred of King Gustav III, which had existed among the nobility since the 1772 coup. In the winter of 1791-1792, a conspiracy was formed within the nobility to kill the king and reform the government.

On March 16, 1792, King Gustav III was shot by Jacob Johan Anckarström during a masked ball at the Royal Opera House in Stockholm. Thirteen days later, on March 29, 1792, King Gustav III died of his wounds at the Royal Palace of Stockholm at the age of 46. His 13-year-old son succeeded him as King Gustav IV Adolf. Prince Carl, Duke of Södermanland, the young king’s uncle, served as regent until 1796.  Carl was not willing or not capable of managing state affairs and he entrusted the power of government to his confidant Count Gustaf Adolf Reuterholm.

In 1805, King Gustav IV Adolf joined the Third Coalition against Napoleon. His campaign went poorly and the French occupied Swedish Pomerania. In 1807, Russia made peace with France. A year later, Russia invaded Finland, which was ruled by Sweden, attempting to force Gustav Adolf to join Napoleon’s Continental System. In just a few months, almost all of Finland was lost to Russia. In 1809, Sweden surrendered the eastern third of Sweden to Russia, and the autonomous Grand Principality of Finland within the Russian Empire was established.

Carl’s nephew King Gustav IV Adolf, 1809; Credit – Wikipedia

Provoked by the disaster in Finland, a group of noblemen started a coup d’état that deposed King Gustav IV Adolf. On March 13, 1809, a group of conspirators broke into the royal apartments at Gripsholm Castle and imprisoned Gustav Adolf and his family. Prince Carl, Gustav Adolf’s uncle, agreed to form a provisional government and the Swedish parliament, the Riksdag, gave their approval for the coup. Gustav Adolf abdicated on March 29, 1809, thinking if he did so, his son would become king. However, on May 10, 1809, the Riksdag proclaimed that all members of Gustav Adolf’s family had forfeited their rights to the throne. After accepting a new liberal constitution, Prince Carl was proclaimed King Carl XIII of Sweden on June 6, 1809. In December 1809, King Gustav IV Adolf and his family were sent into exile.

Carl was 60 years old and not in good health. In November 1809, he had a stroke and was not able to participate in the government while he recuperated. Since all of King Gustav IV Adolf’s descendants had been declared ineligible to succeed to the Swedish throne and Carl was childless, a new heir had to be found. Prince Carl August of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, the 41-year-old son of Friedrich Christian I, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg and Princess Charlotte of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön, was chosen to be the Crown Prince of Sweden. The new Crown Prince arrived in Sweden in January 1810, but he died from a stroke on May 28, 1810.

The Swedes had the idea to offer the position of Crown Prince to one of Napoleon’s Marshals. Jean Baptiste Bernadotte, who had been appointed Marshal of France in 1804, was well-liked in Sweden, particularly because of his considerate treatment of Swedish prisoners during the recent war with Denmark. In addition, he was related to Napoleon through his wife Désirée Clary, whose sister Julie Clary was married to Napoleon’s brother, Joseph Bonaparte. Désirée had previously been engaged to Napoleon. Bernadotte already had a son Oscar, born in 1799, who could continue the succession. On August 21, 1810, the Swedish Riksdag of the Estates elected Bernadotte as Crown Prince. He arrived in Stockholm in November 1810 and was formally adopted by King Carl XIII, taking the name Carl Johan, and converted from Roman Catholicism to Lutheranism.

Jean Baptiste Bernadotte (King Carl XIV Johan of Sweden) as Crown Prince of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

The new Crown Prince quickly took an active role in the Swedish government, particularly in the area of foreign policy. He was actively involved in the events leading up to the Treaty of Kiel in 1814, in which Denmark was forced to cede Norway to Sweden. Norway refused to accept the treaty at first, and the Crown Prince invaded, quickly suppressing the Norwegian forces. Soon, Norway became united with Sweden at the Convention of Moss. Unlike the previous union with Denmark, this was a personal union under a single sovereign, and Norway remained an independent state with its own constitution.  King Carl XIII of Sweden also reigned as King Karl II of Norway.

King Carl III, circa 1816; Credit – Wikipedia

King Carl XIII died on February 5, 1818, at the Royal Palace of Stockholm at the age of 69 and he was buried at Riddarholm Church in Stockholm. Jean Baptiste Bernadotte ascended the throne. His coronation in Sweden took place on May 11, 1818, and he took the name King Carl XIV Johan. In September 1818, he was crowned in Norway, as King Karl III Johan. Thus began the Bernadotte dynasty in Sweden, which continues today.

Tomb of King Carl XIII of Sweden; Photo Credit – www.findagrave.com

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • En.wikipedia.org. (2017). Charles XIII of Sweden. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_XIII_of_Sweden [Accessed 25 Sep. 2017].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2017). Hedvig Elisabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedwig_Elizabeth_Charlotte_of_Holstein-Gottorp [Accessed 25 Sep. 2017].
  • Fr.wikipedia.org. (2017). Charles XIII. [online] Available at: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_XIII [Accessed 25 Sep. 2017].
  • Sv.wikipedia.org. (2017). Karl XIII. [online] Available at: https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_XIII [Accessed 25 Sep. 2017].
  • Unofficial Royalty. (2017). King Carl XIV Johan of Sweden (Jean Baptiste Bernadotte). [online] Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-carl-xiv-johan-of-sweden-jean-baptiste-bernadotte/ [Accessed 25 Sep. 2017].

Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Queen of Denmark and Norway

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Credit – Wikipedia

Born on September 4, 1729, Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel was the youngest of the six daughters and the eleventh of the thirteen children of Ferdinand Albert II, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and Antoinette of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. Juliana Maria and her siblings were first cousins of Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria, Queen of Hungary and Bohemia and brothers-in-law/sisters-in-law of King Friedrich (the Great) II of Prussia.

Juliana Maria had twelve siblings:

Juliana Maria’s father died when she was six-years-old, having had only a six-month reign as Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. The House of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel was one of the smaller German princely families and Juliana Maria had a simple, strict upbringing.

Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel; Credit – Wikipedia

On December 19, 1751, Louisa of Great Britain, the wife of King Frederik V of Denmark and Norway died while pregnant with her sixth child. Despite having parents with very strict religious beliefs, Frederik V had a very sensual nature and loved wine and women. He spent so much time visiting Copenhagen’s taverns and brothels that his father King Christian VI considered disinheriting him from the throne. When Frederik’s marriage to the youngest daughter of King George II of Great Britain was proposed, the Danish government hoped (incorrectly) that marriage would put a damper on Frederik’s affairs and drunkenness.

However, that strategy did not work as during the early years of his marriage to Louisa, Frederik had an affair with Else Hansen, known as Madame Hansen and they had five children. After Frederik became king in 1746, he took part in the government by attending council meetings, but he was afflicted with alcoholism and most of his reign was dominated by very able ministers such as Count Adam Gottlob Moltke, Count Johann Hartwig Ernst von Bernstorff, and Heinrich Carl von Schimmelmann.

King Frederik V of Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

Count Moltke thought it would be a good idea if Frederik married again as soon as possible in hopes of stabilizing his behavior. Frederik preferred another British wife, but there was no British princess at an appropriate age. Count Moltke drew Frederik’s attention to Juliana Maria. Her portrait was sent to Denmark and it pleased Frederik. 29-year-old Frederik and 22-year-old Juliana Maria were married at Frederiksborg Palace on July 8, 1752. However, many Danish people felt the marriage occurred too quickly after the death of the beloved Queen Louisa.

The couple had one child:

Hereditary Prince Frederik by Vigilius Eriksen, 1777; Credit – Wikipedia

Her marriage to Frederik V also brought Juliana Maria four stepchildren, but she had no influence in their upbringing:

Despite her efforts, Juliana Maria found it difficult to replace Queen Louisa in the hearts of the Danish people. While Louisa had learned Danish and had insisted that her children learn Danish, a rarity in an almost German-language Danish court, Juliana Maria never fully mastered the Danish language although she did try to speak and write it. She appointed Danish tutors for her son so that he could master Danish. King Frederik V continued his affairs and his drinking and as Louisa had done, Juliana Maria pretended not to notice the problems. Juliana Maria led a quiet life and had no influence in government affairs despite the expectation of her brother-in-law King Friedrich II (the Great) of Prussia that she act as his agent.

In 1760, King Frederik V broke his leg in a drunken accident, affecting his health for the rest of his life. Frederik V died on January 14, 1766, at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark at the age of 42. He was buried at Roskilde Cathedral in the Frederik V Chapel.

Frederik V was succeeded by his 17-year-old son from his first marriage, King Christian VII. Christian had been only two-years-old when his mother died. He had a nervous disposition and had been poorly educated and terrorized by a brutal governor, Christian Ditlev Reventlow, Count of Reventlow.  A few months after he became king, Christian married his first cousin Princess Caroline Matilda of Wales, the daughter of Frederick, Prince of Wales (who predeceased his father King George II) and the sister of King George III.

It was soon clear that Christian VII was not quite normal. He publicly declared that he could not love Caroline Matilda because it was “unfashionable to love one’s wife”. His symptoms included paranoia, self-mutilation, and hallucinations. Christian wandered the streets of Copenhagen visiting the city’s taverns and brothels. It was becoming clearer and clearer that Christian could not fulfill his role as king. On a trip that had been arranged because it was believed that new environments could change Christian’s behavior, Christian became acquainted with the physician Johann Friedrich Struensee. Struensee was the first person who understood that Christian was seriously ill. When Christian came home from the trip, Struensee accompanied him and was employed as Christian’s personal physician. Struensee could handle Christian’s instability, which was a great relief to the king’s advisers, and Christian developed confidence in him.

King Christian VII; Credit – Wikipedia

Because of Christian’s confidence in him, Struensee gained political power. In 1770, Struensee became Master of Requests and Minister of the Royal Cabinet. He also became the lover of the ill-treated Caroline Matilda, whose marriage was less than satisfactory. When Caroline Matilda gave birth to her daughter Louise, no one doubted that Struensee was the father of the princess. Eventually, Queen Dowager Juliana Maria maneuvered a coup that would bring about the fall of Struensee and discredit Caroline Matilda. Juliana Maria arranged for King Christian VII to sign the arrest warrant of Struensee after she had already made the arrest in the name of the king. In 1772, Struensee was executed and Caroline Matilda was exiled.

After the fall of Struensee, Juliana Maria and her son, Christian VII’s half-brother Hereditary Prince Frederik took charge of the Council of State. Christian VII was only nominally king from 1772 onward. Between 1772 and 1784, Denmark was ruled by Queen Dowager Juliana Maria, Hereditary Prince Frederik, and Cabinet Secretary Ove Høegh-Guldberg. Juliana Maria was given the responsibility of the upbringing of Christian VII’s eldest son Crown Prince Frederik, the future King Frederik VI. From 1784, Crown Prince Frederik ruled permanently as a prince regent. Crown Prince Frederik had no intention of allowing Juliana Maria and her son Frederik to continue their rule. He somehow managed to get his insane father to sign an order dismissing the supporters of Juliana Maria from the council and declaring that no royal order was legal unless co-signed by the Crown Prince, thereby deposing Queen Dowager Juliana Maria and Hereditary Prince Frederik.

Juliana Maria showing the portrait of her only child Hereditary Prince Frederik by Johann Georg Ziesenis, 1766-1767; Credit – Wikipedia

Juliana Maria lived the rest of her life quietly at court. She survived her husband by 30 years, dying on October 10, 1796, at Fredensborg Palace at the age of 67 and was buried at Roskilde Cathedral in the Frederik V Chapel.

Tomb of Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel – Photo by Susan Flantzer

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. (2017). Juliane Marie af Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel. [online] Available at: https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juliane_Marie_af_Braunschweig-Wolfenb%C3%BCttel [Accessed 7 Aug. 2017].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2017). Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juliana_Maria_of_Brunswick-Wolfenb%C3%BCttel [Accessed 7 Aug. 2017].
  • Unofficial Royalty. (2017). King Christian VII of Denmark. [online] Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-christian-vii-of-denmark/ [Accessed 7 Aug. 2017].
  • Unofficial Royalty. (2017). King Frederik V of Denmark. [online] Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-frederik-v-of-denmark/ [Accessed 7 Aug. 2017].

King Frederik V of Denmark and Norway

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2017

King Frederik V of Denmark and Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

Frederik V, King of Denmark and Norway, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein was born at Copenhagen Castle in Copenhagen, Denmark on March 31, 1723. His birthplace was demolished in 1731 to make room for the first Christiansborg Palace.  The present Christiansborg Palace stands on the site and is the seat of the Danish Parliament, the Danish Prime Minister’s Office, and the Supreme Court of Denmark. Frederik was the only son and the eldest of the three children of King Christian VI of Denmark and Norway and Sophia Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach.

Frederik had two younger sisters, but only one survived infancy:

Frederik as a child; Credit – Wikipedia

Frederik’s education was inadequate and he was far from an exemplary student. His teachers complained that he was more interested in hunting and other more pleasurable activities. Frederik was taught the basics of reading, writing, German, French, Latin, and history, but he never wanted to extend his learning. Curiously, Danish was not a subject. Frederik’s teachers were all German except for a Frenchman who taught him French. He was never really proficient in Danish. Ironically, his mother called him “Der Dänische Prinz” (The Danish Prince in German) because he spoke Danish only occasionally.

Frederik’s parents were both adherents to Pietism, a movement in Lutheranism with an emphasis on Biblical doctrine, the Reformed emphasis on individual piety, and living a vigorous Christian life. Pietism considered frugality, humility, restraint, and a sense of duty important virtues. However, Frederik had a very sensual nature and loved wine and women. He spent so much time visiting Copenhagen’s pubs and brothels that his father considered disinheriting him from the throne.

Frederik (on the left) and Louisa (on the right), then Crown Prince and Princess of Denmark, with King Christian VI and Queen Sophie Magdalene sitting, by Marcus Tuscher circa 1744; Credit – Wikipedia

On December 11, 1743, in Altona, Duchy of Holstein, now in Germany, 20-year-old Frederik married 19-year-old Princess Louisa of Great Britain, the fifth daughter and the youngest of the nine children of King George II of Great Britain and Caroline of Ansbach. Frederik’s father, King Christian VI, hoped that this marriage would cause the British government to support his or his son’s claim to the Swedish throne.  Furthermore, the Danish government hoped (incorrectly) that marriage would put a damper on Crown Prince Frederik’s affairs and drunkenness. From 1745 – 1752, Frederik had an affair with Else Hansen, known as Madame Hansen and they had five children. Nevertheless, Frederik and Louisa got along reasonably well and although Frederik continued his affairs, Louisa pretended not to notice them.  Frederik and Louisa had five children:

Louisa was popular with the Danish people and was interested in music, dance, and theater. The Danish people greatly appreciated Louisa’s efforts to learn and speak Danish and her insistence that her children learn Danish, a rarity in an almost German-language Danish court.

On August 6, 1746, King Christian VI died and Frederik became King of Denmark and Norway and Duke of Schleswig-Holstein. Although Frederik took part in the government by attending council meetings, he was afflicted with alcoholism and most of his reign was dominated by his very able ministers Count Adam Gottlob Moltke, a favorite of King Frederik V, Count Johann Hartwig Ernst von Bernstorff, and Heinrich Carl von Schimmelmann.

Queen Louisa by court painter C.G. Pilo, 1751; Credit – Wikipedia

While pregnant with her sixth child, 27-year-old Louisa died on December 19, 1751, at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark due to complications from a miscarriage. She was buried in Roskilde Cathedral, the burial place of the kings and queens of Denmark, in Roskilde, Denmark.

Queen Juliana Maria; Credit – Wikipedia

Count Moltke thought it would be a good idea if Frederik married again, as soon as possible, in the hope of stabilizing his behavior. Moltke arranged a marriage with 22-year-old Princess Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, the youngest of the six daughters and the eleventh of the thirteen children of Ferdinand Albert II, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and Antoinette of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. Frederik and Juliana Maria were married at Frederiksborg Palace on July 8, 1752.

The couple had one child:

In 1760, Frederik broke his leg in a drunken accident, which affected his health for the rest of his life. King Frederik V died on January 14, 1766, at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark at the age of 42. He was buried at Roskilde Cathedral in the Frederik V Chapel.

Tomb of King Frederik V – Photo by Susan Flantzer

Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. (2017). Frederik 5.. [online] Available at: https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederik_5. [Accessed 5 Aug. 2017].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2017). Frederick V of Denmark. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_V_of_Denmark [Accessed 5 Aug. 2017].

Wedding of Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2017

 

Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby were married on August 25, 2001, at the Oslo Cathedral in Oslo, Norway.

Haakon’s Early Life

Left to right: Crown Princess Sonja of Norway, King Carl XVI Gustav of Sweden, Princess Märtha Louise of Norway, King Olav V of Norway, Crown Prince Harald holding Prince Haakon and Princess Astrid of Norway, 1974; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Crown Prince Haakon Magnus of Norway was born on July 20, 1973, at the Rikshospitalet in Oslo, Norway. Haakon is the son of King Harald V and Sonja Haraldsen and has an older sister, Princess Märtha Louise. He was born during the reign of his grandfather, King Olav V of Norway.

Haakon was raised at the Skaugum Estate in Asker, which is the traditional home of the Crown Prince, and attended primary and secondary school in Oslo. He enrolled in the Royal Norwegian Naval Academy, graduating in 1995. The following year, he moved to the United States to attend the University of California at Berkeley, graduating in 1999 with his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. He served as a member of Norway’s third delegation to the United Nations General Assembly in 2000 and then enrolled in a program for diplomats at the Foreign Ministry. He completed his education in 2003, graduating from the London School of Economics and Political Science with a Master’s Degree in development studies, specializing in International Trade and Africa.

Mette-Marit’s Early Life

Mette-Marit as a child; Photo Credit – http://www.adressa.no

Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby was born August 19, 1973, in Kristiansand, Norway, the daughter of Sven Høiby, a journalist, and Marit Tjessem. Mette-Marit has an older sister Kristin and two older brothers, Espen and Per. Her parents divorced when she was 11-years-old and they both remarried. After her parents’ divorce, Mette-Marit lived with her mother, stepfather, and siblings and visited her father regularly on weekends.

Mette-Marit attended secondary school in Kristiansand and Australia, followed by some courses at Agder University College. She later (in 2012) went on to gain her Masters Degree in Executive Management. She has a son from a previous relationship, Marius Borg Høiby, born in 1997.

The Engagement

 

Crown Prince Haakon and Mette-Marit first met in the mid-1990s at a garden party during the Quart Festival, Norway’s largest music festival, in her hometown of Kristiansand. The two met at the Quart Festival again in 1999 and began a relationship. On December 1, 2000, the couple’s engagement was announced, but it was not without controversy. Mette-Marit was a commoner, had a child born out of wedlock, and was surrounded by rumors of a party-girl past and alleged drug use. The couple was also living together which did not sit well with the Church of Norway. Surveys at that time reported that most Norwegians did not mind the couple had lived together or that she was a single mother. However, public support for the monarchy suffered as the details emerged about Mette-Marit’s drug past and there were calls for Haakon to relinquish his place in succession if he chose to marry Mette-Marit. The couple did, however, have the support of the King and Queen, and after a series of public interviews, they also regained the support of the Norwegian people.

The diamond and ruby ring that Haakon gave to Mette-Marit originally belonged to his paternal grandmother Crown Princess Märtha, who died before her husband became King Olav V. It was the same ring Haakon’s father King Harald V gave to his fiancée Sonja Haraldsen. Queen Sonja continued the tradition, giving the ring to her son when he proposed to Mette-Marit. The ring is composed of diamonds and two crescent-shaped rubies set in yellow gold.

The engagement ring; Photo Credit – http://lovelolaheart.com

Pre-Wedding Festivities

 At the private party at the Skaugum Estate: Bridesmaid Linda Tånevik, Queen Sonja, Crown Prince Haakon, King Harald, and Princess Märtha Louise

 

On August 23, 2001, Crown Prince Haakon and Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby held a private party at the Skaugum Estate in Asker near Oslo attended by many of the royal guests. King Harald gave the estate as a wedding gift to his son Haakon, and his soon-to-be wife Mette-Marit and the estate became their family home.

Guests on the boat trip around the Oslo Fjord: Máxima Zorreguieta, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands; Sophie, Countess of Wessex and Princess Märtha Louise of Norway

 

In the afternoon of August 24, 2001, Haakon and Mette-Marit invited royal, Norwegian, and foreign guests for a boat trip around the Oslo Fjord on the Royal Yacht Norge. Later in the evening, the Norwegian government held a dinner for the bride and groom at the Akershus Castle in Oslo attended by 300 guests including many royal guests, heads of state, and Norwegian politicians.

The Wedding Guests

Approximately 800 guests attended the wedding ceremony at Oslo Cathedral.

 King Harald and Queen Sonja, the groom’s parents, arrive for the wedding

 

Crown Prince Haakon’s Family

  • King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway, parents of the groom
  • Princess Märtha Louise of Norway, sister of the groom
  • Princess Ragnhild, Mrs. Lorentzen and Erling S. Lorentzen, aunt and uncle of the groom
  • Princess Astrid, Mrs. Ferner and Johan Martin Ferner, aunt and uncle of the groom

Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby’s Family

  • Marit Tjessem and Rolf Berntsen, mother of the bride and her second husband
  • Sven O. Høiby, father of the bride and his partner Jorunn Wold who was a singing star in the 1960s
  • Espen Høiby and Hege Skatvig Høiby, brother of the bride and his wife
  • Per Høiby and Wenche Lindal Høiby, brother of the bride and his wife
  • Kristin Høiby Bjørnøy and Per Olav Bjørnøy, sister of the bride and her husband

 Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden arrives with her siblings Prince Carl Philip and Princess Madeleine

 

Royal Guests

  • King Albert II and Queen Paola of the Belgians
  • Prince Philippe of Belgium, Duke of Brabant
  • Queen Margrethe II of Denmark
  • Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark
  • Prince Joachim and Princess Alexandra of Denmark
  • Princess Benedikte of Denmark and Prince Richard zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
  • Princess Alexandra zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and Count Jefferson-Friedrich von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth
  • Hereditary Prince Gustav zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
  • Princess Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
  • Count Flemming and Countess Ruth of Rosenborg
  • King Constantine II and Queen Anne-Marie of Greece
  • Princess Alexia of Greece and Carlos Morales Quintana
  • Prince Nikolaos of Greece
  • Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg
  • Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg
  • Grand Duke Jean and Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxembourg
  • Prince Guillaume and Princess Sibilla of Luxembourg
  • Willem-Alexander, The Prince of Orange and his fiancée Máxima Zorreguieta
  • Hereditary Prince Albert of Monaco
  • Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands
  • Queen Sofia of Spain
  • Felipe, Prince of Asturias
  • King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden
  • Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden
  • Prince Carl Philip of Sweden
  • Princess Madeleine of Sweden
  • Prince Carl and Princess Kristine Bernadotte
  • The Prince of Wales
  • The Earl and Countess of Wessex

Other guests

  • President Ólafur Ragnar Grimsson of Iceland and his fiancée Dorrit Moussaieff
  • President Tarja Halonen of Finland and her husband Pentti Arajärvi

The Wedding Attendants

http://nrk.no/nyheter

Best Man

  • Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, third cousin and friend of the groom

 The Best Man, Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark on left, waits for the bride’s arrival with the groom

 

Bridesmaid

  • Linda Tånevik, a close friend of the bride

Bridesmaid Linda Tånevik assists the bride as she enters the cathedral with her groom; Photo Credit – http://www.seher.no/

Flower Girls

  • Betina Swanstrøm, age 8, twin of Emilie, daughter of Queen Sonja’s nephew Dag Swanstrøm
  • Emilie Swanstrøm, age 8, twin of Betina, daughter of Queen Sonja’s nephew Dag Swanstrøm
  • Kamilla Bjørnhøy, age 12, niece of the bride
  • Anniken Bjørnhøy, age 7, niece of the bride
  • Tuva Høiby, age 4, niece of the bride

 Marius Borg Høiby, the bride’s son

 

Pageboy

  • Marius Borg Høiby, age 4, son of the bride

The Wedding Attire

 

Mette-Marit’s wedding gown was designed by the Norwegian designer Ove Harder Finseth and sewn by seamstress Anna Bratland. The gown was a simple and romantic full-length ecru-colored silk crepe dress with fitted long sleeves, a modest neckline, a corset waist and a 6 1/2 foot/2 meter train. The gown was nearly an exact replica of the dress that Queen Maud, Prince Haakon’s great-grandmother, wore at her wedding to King Haakon VII.

The bride’s hair was pulled back in a simple chignon. Mette-Marit wore a 20 foot/6 meter long veil of silk tulle and a diamond tiara dating back to 1910, a gift from King Harald and Queen Sonja. Instead of a traditional bouquet, Mette-Marit carried a long garland of green leaves woven with purple and white flowers, which was also similar to the bouquet Queen Maud carried on her wedding day.

Crown Prince Haakon wore the gala uniform of the Norwegian Army with the sash of the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav with star, the star of the Swedish Order of the Seraphim and the star of the Danish Order of the Elephant. Around his neck, he wore the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit.

The Crown Prince wore the following medals:

  • The Knight’s Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav
  • The Knight’s Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit
  • The Defence Service Medal with Laurel Branch
  • Olav V’s Commemorative Medal
  • Olav V’s Jubilee Medal
  • The National Service Medal (Navy)

The Wedding Ceremony

 

The Lutheran wedding ceremony was held on August 25, 2001, at 5:00 pm in the Oslo Cathedral (Oslo-Dom), the main church for the Church of Norway Diocese of Oslo, and conducted by Gunnar Stålsett, Bishop of Oslo.

The music was provided by:

  • Organist: Kåre Nordstoga
  • Choir: Oslo Dom-Choir, conductor Terje Kvam
  • Trumpets: Arnulf Naur Nilsen, Jonas Haltida, Hans Petter Stangnes and Terje Mitgård
  • Trombones: Thorbjørn Lønmo and Ola Rønnow
  • Tuba: Arild Ovrum

Order of service

  • Introductory organ music by L.M. Lindeman, Oscar Borg, J. Haarklou and J. G. Wernicke
  • Entrance – Bridal March, Composer: Nils Henrik Aasheim
  • Psalm, Norwegian Psalmbook nr. 698
  • Introductory speech
  • God’s word about marriage
  • Jan Garbarek, Norwegian jazz musician, plays «Eg vil binda blomekransa» on his saxophone
  • Speech by the Bishop
  • Exchanging of the vows
  • Mari Boine sings «Mitt hjerte alltid vanker» (My heart always wanders) in the Samish language, the language of Sami people, the indigenous people traditionally known in English as Lapps or Laplanders, accompanied by Roger Ludvigsen on guitar
  • Reading from Isaiah, chapter 58, verse 5-8 by Princess Märtha Louise of Norway
  • The Lord’s Prayer
  • Psalm, Norwegian Psalmbook nr.710
  • Crown Princess Victoria reads the prayer of Francis of Assisi (in Swedish)
  • Choir: Versikkel for choir and organ, Composer: Trond Kverno
  • Psalm, Norwegian Psalmbook nr. 733
  • Blessings
  • Departure: Utmars Gamal wedding march from northern Gudbrandsdal, performed and arranged for saxophone by Jan Garbarek, arrangement for organ by Kåre Nordstoga

In a break with tradition, Haakon did not wait for his bride at the altar. Instead, he waited outside the door of the church because Mette-Marit wanted to walk down the aisle alongside Haakon instead of on her father’s arm. After bowing to Haakon’s parents, the couple took their seats and the Bishop of Oslo welcomed not just the guests in the cathedral, but also the Norwegian people. During his speech, Bishop Stålsett moved Mette-Marit to tears when he said, “You are beginning a new chapter, with pages still unwritten. You do this with dignity. Today you are better equipped to understand others, young and old, who are in pain. Your love for your son shows both tenderness and determination. As a single mother, you have set an example in the way you have cared for your child.”

Photo Credit – http://www.seher.no

Tears could be seen on Haakon’s face just before the moment he had to say “I do” to Mette-Marit and slip the wedding band onto her finger. When he finally did say, “I do,” the crowd outside the cathedral cheered. The newlyweds left the cathedral around 5:55 pm. In front of the cathedral, they kissed several times, watched by a very enthusiastic crowd. Then the couple left in an open limousine and drove back to the Royal Palace, slowly passing thousands of cheering people along the route.

The Wedding Reception

 

At 6:45 pm, Haakon and Mette-Marit appeared on the balcony of the Royal Palace and to the delight of the thousands of people in the square below, kissed each other several times. Also appearing on the balcony were the parents of the couple and the wedding party.

Four hundred of the guests were divided into two groups: the royal guests had dinner with other important guests at the Royal Palace while the others ate at the Oslo Militære Samfund (Oslo Military Society). After dinner, the guests who had been at the Oslo Militære Samfund joined the other guests at the Royal Palace.

At 11:00 pm, the bride, groom, and their families appeared on the balcony of the Royal Palace to watch the fireworks. The other guests watched from the windows of the Royal Palace. At 11:15 pm, Haakon and Mette-Marit cut the wedding cake and then they opened the ball with the bridal waltz, “Around the World.”

Menu

  • Grilled scallops on Norwegian bacon
  • Truffle honey vinaigrette
  • Rucola salad and toasted pumpkin seeds
  • Peregrine pie
  • Oven-baked turbot with soy and ginger
  • Cauliflower purée sprinkled with finely chopped chives
  • Lamb fillet and creamy cantaloupe
  • Baked mini-squash
  • Snowy yogurt ice parfait with raspberry, blueberries, and blackberries

The Honeymoon

Haakon and Mette-Marit spent their honeymoon in the United States and were in the USA on September 11, 2001, when a series of four coordinated terrorist attacks with airplanes by Islamic terrorists occurred. The couple had left for the United States shortly after their wedding but fortunately were not in New York City at the time of the attacks on the World Trade Center. Haakon and Mette-Marit had spent time in New York City with Mette-Marit’s son Marius and were photographed in a Manhattan sidewalk café on August 29. Then they went to stay at Gurney’s Inn, a luxury spa-hotel in Montauk, New York on Long Island, just over 100 miles outside of New York City. It was at Gurney’s Inn that they first heard the news about the terrorist attacks. Haakon and Mette-Marit, along with thousands of other dazed, shocked and stranded travelers (including the author of this article), waited several days until the United States opened its airports and allowed air travel to resume.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • En.wikipedia.org. Wedding of Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway, and Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedding_of_Haakon,_Crown_Prince_of_Norway,_and_Mette-Marit_Tjessem_H%C3%B8iby [Accessed 2 Jul. 2017].
  • Gibbs, W. Uncommon Royal Couple Exchange Vows in Norway. [online] Nytimes.com. Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/26/world/uncommon-royal-couple-exchange-vows-in-norway.html [Accessed 2 Jul. 2017].
  • Hoge, W. (2017). Norway’s Thoroughly Modern Royal Pair. [online] Nytimes.com. Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/05/world/norway-s-thoroughly-modern-royal-pair.html [Accessed 2 Jul. 2017].
  • Kongehuset.no. Kongeleg bryllaup 2001. [online] Available at: http://www.kongehuset.no/artikkel.html?tid=29240 [Accessed 2 Jul. 2017].
  • Nettyroyal.nl. Netty Royal. [online] Available at: http://www.nettyroyal.nl/en/non_pro/specials_weddings_2001_haakon_mettemarit.html [Accessed 2 Jul. 2017].
  • Unofficial Royalty. Crown Prince Haakon of Norway. [online] Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/crown-prince-haakon-of-norway/ [Accessed 2 Jul. 2017].
  • Unofficial Royalty. Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway. [online] Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/featured-royal-date-august-19-1973-birth-of-mette-marit-tjessem-hoiby-crown-princess-of-norway/ [Accessed 2 Jul. 2017].
  • Us.hellomagazine.com. A MODERN FAIRYTALE AS CROWN PRINCE HAAKON MARRIES HIS METTE-MARIT. [online] Available at: http://us.hellomagazine.com/royalty/2001/08/25/norwegianmarriage/ [Accessed 2 Jul. 2017].
  • Us.hellomagazine.com. PRINCE HAAKON AND HIS BRIDE WELCOMED HOME AFTER HONEYMOON IN U.S.. [online] Available at: http://us.hellomagazine.com/royalty/2001/09/18/haakon/ [Accessed 2 Jul. 2017].

Wedding of King Haakon VII of Norway and Princess Maud of Wales

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Painting by Laurits Tuxen, 1897; Credit – Wikipedia

King Haakon VII of Norway, Prince Carl of Denmark at the time, and Princess Maud of Wales were married in the Private Chapel at Buckingham Palace in London, England on July 22, 1896.

Carl’s Early Life

Standing, left to right: Crown Prince Frederik (King Frederik VIII), Princess Louise, Prince Carl King Haakon VII) Sitting, left to right: Princess Ingeborg,  Crown Princess Louise (Queen Louise), Princess Thyra, Prince Harald and Prince Christan (King Christian X); 1886; Photo Credit – http://glucksburg.blogspot.com

Born Prince Carl of Denmark (Christian Frederik Carl Georg Valdemar Axel) at the Charlottenlund Palace on August 3, 1872, he was the second son of the four sons and the second of the eight children of King Frederik VIII of Denmark and Princess Louise of Sweden. At the time of his birth, his paternal grandfather King Christian IX of Denmark sat upon the Danish throne and his maternal grandfather King Carl XV of Sweden and Norway sat upon the Swedish throne. Carl was related to many European royals via his paternal uncles and aunts and had many royal first cousins including King George V of the United Kingdom, King Constantine I of Greece, Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, and his future wife Princess Maud of Wales. Carl’s elder brother was King Christian X of Denmark who reigned from 1912 – 1947.

Prince Carl grew up with his seven siblings at his parents’ residence Frederik VIII’s Palace at Amalienborg in Copenhagen and in the family’s summer residence Charlottenlund Palace, north of Copenhagen. As a younger son, it was expected that he would have a career in the military and he trained as a naval officer at the Royal Danish Naval Academy in Copenhagen. He served as a lieutenant and participated in several sailing expeditions with the Royal Danish Navy from 1893 until 1905. In 1905, Carl became King of Norway, taking the name Haakon VII.

Maud’s Early Life

Standing, left to right: Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence; Princess Maud (Queen Maud of Norway), Alexandra, Princess of Wales (Queen Alexandra); Princess Louise (Princess Royal); Edward, Prince of Wales (King Edward VII); Sitting, left to right: Prince George (King George V); Princess Victoria; 1889

 

Princess Maud of Wales (Maud Charlotte Mary Victoria) was born on November 26, 1869, at Marlborough House in London, England. She was the third and youngest daughter and the fifth of the six children of the Prince and Princess of Wales (the future King Edward VII of the United Kingdom and Princess Alexandra of Denmark, daughter of King Christian IX of Denmark). Princess Maud had five siblings including the future King George V of the United Kingdom. Maud’s mother was a paternal aunt of her future husband. At the time of her birth, Maud’s grandmother Queen Victoria sat upon the British throne.

Growing up, Maud was the most exuberant of the three sisters and was known as Harry in the family. She developed a one-sided romance with Prince Francis of Teck, the brother of her future sister-in-law Mary of Teck. Maud and Francis exchanged a couple of letters, but it was soon apparent that Francis was not interested in Maud.

The Engagement

Engagement photograph with the bride’s parents, Queen Alexandra and King Edward VII (Photo: W&D Downey, London, The Royal Court Photo Archive); Photo Credit – http://www.royalcourt.no

Because Maud’s mother was a Danish Princess, Maud visited her Danish relatives often and was familiar with her first cousin Prince Carl of Denmark, who was three years younger than her. They had played together with their other cousins at family reunions held in Denmark at Fredensborg Castle and Bernstorff Castle. There had been family gossip that Maud and Carl might marry, so it was not all that surprising when Carl proposed to Maud during a family reunion at Fredensborg Castle and Maud accepted. On October 29, 1895, the couple’s engagement was announced. Maud’s mother had some concerns about the age difference, but Maud realized Carl would make a good husband for her. She loved the sea and sailing, so a husband who was in the navy would be quite appropriate.

Maud’s grandmother Queen Victoria was delighted. Marie Mallet, who served as Maid of Honour and Extra Woman of the Bedchamber to Queen Victoria from 1887-1900 wrote in her diary that Maud’s engagement “…caused much excitement at Balmoral…and has been the cause of much telegraphing…The Queen is delighted and healths were drunk at dinner.” The Prince of Wales (future King Edward VII) gave his daughter Appleton House on the Sandringham Estate for Maud to use on her visits to England.

Carl had responsibilities to the Danish Royal Navy. He was due to go on a five-month assignment to the West Indies, so the wedding was scheduled for the next summer, on July 22, 1896.

Earlier in 1896, Prince Henry of Battenberg, the husband of Maud’s paternal aunt Princess Beatrice, had died. Henry had persuaded Queen Victoria to allow him to go to West Africa to fight in the Anglo-Ashanti Wars. He arrived in Africa on Christmas Day of 1895. By January 10, 1896, Henry was sick with malaria and it was decided to send him back to England, but Henry died aboard the ship HMS Blonde off the coast of Sierra Leone on January 20, 1896. There were conflicts in the family over whether the marriage should take place during the mourning period. Finally, it was decided that the wedding should go on as planned and that Princess Beatrice and her children would not attend.

Wedding Guests

Family of the Groom

Princess Frederick of Schaumburg-Lippe, born Princess Louise of Denmark, sister of the groom and first cousin of the bride, 1895; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

  • Crown Prince Frederik (father of the groom, uncle of the bride, the future King Frederik VIII of Denmark)
  • Crown Princess Louise of Denmark (mother of the groom, born Princess Louise of Sweden)
  • Prince Christian of Denmark (brother of the groom, first cousin of the bride, the future King Christian X of Denmark)
  • Princess Frederick of Schaumburg-Lippe (sister of the groom, first cousin of the bride, born Princess Louise of Denmark)
  • Prince Frederick of Schaumburg-Lippe (brother-in-law of the groom)
  • Prince Harald of Denmark (brother of the groom, first cousin of the bride)
  • Princess Ingeborg of Denmark (sister of the groom, first cousin of the bride)
  • Princess Thyra of Denmark (sister of the groom, first cousin of the bride)
  • Prince Gustav of Denmark (brother of the groom, first cousin of the bride)
  • Princess Dagmar of Denmark (sister of the groom, first cousin of the bride)

Family of the Bride

Queen Victoria, grandmother of the bride, 1897; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

  • Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom (grandmother of the bride)
  • The Prince of Wales (father of the bride, the future King Edward VII of the United Kingdom)
  • The Princess of Wales (mother of the bride, aunt of the groom, born Princess Alexandra of Denmark)
  • The Duke of York (brother of the bride, first cousin of the groom, the future King George V of the United Kingdom )
  • The Duchess of York (sister-in-law of the bride, born Princess Victoria Mary of Teck)
  • Princess Louise, Duchess of Fife (sister of the bride, first cousin of the groom)
  • Alexander Duff, 1st Duke of Fife (brother-in-law of the bride)
  • Lady Alexandra Duff (niece of the bride)
  • Princess Victoria of Wales (sister of the bride, first cousin of the groom)
  • Prince Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duke of Edinburgh (uncle of the bride)
  • The Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duchess of Edinburgh (born Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia)
  • Hereditary Prince Alfred of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (first cousin of the bride)
  • Princess Beatrice of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (first cousin of the bride)
  • Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein (aunt of the bride, born Princess Helena)
  • Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein (husband of Princess Helena)
  • Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein (first cousin of the bride)
  • Princess Helena Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein (first cousin of the bride)
  • Princess Aribert of Anhalt (first cousin of the bride, born Prince Marie Louise of Schleswig-Holstein)
  • Princess Louise, Marchioness of Lorne (aunt of the bride)
  • John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne (husband of Princess Louise, the future 9th Duke of Argyll)
  • Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught (uncle of the bride)
  • The Duchess of Connaught (born Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia)
  • Prince Arthur of Connaught (first cousin of the bride)
  • Princess Margaret of Connaught (first cousin of the bride)
  • Princess Patricia of Connaught (first cousin of the bride)
  • Prince Charles Edward, Duke of Albany (first cousin of the bride)
  • Princess Alice of Albany (first cousin of the bride)
  • The Duchess of Albany (widow of Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, born Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont)

Other Relatives

Crown Prince Constantine I of Greece, first cousin of both the bride and the groom, 1890s; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

  • Crown Prince Constantine of Greece (first cousin of the bride and the groom, the future King Constantine I of Greece)
  • Crown Princess Sophie of Greece (first cousin of the bride, born Princess Sophie of Prussia)
  • Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark (first cousin of the bride and the groom)
  • Prince Heinrich of Prussia (first cousin of the bride, representing his brother Wilhelm II, German Emperor)
  • Grand Duke Ernst of Hesse and by Rhine (first cousin of the bride)
  • Grand Duchess Victoria Melita of Hesse and by Rhine (first cousin of the bride, born Princess Victoria Melita of Edinburgh)
  • Grand Duchess Elisabeth Feodorovna of Russia (first cousin of the bride, born Princess Elisabeth of Hesse and by Rhine)
  • Grand Duke Serge Alexandrovich of Russia (husband of Princess Elisabeth of Hesse and by Rhine)
  • Prince Friedrich Karl of Hesse
  • Princess Friedrich Karl of Hesse (first cousin of the bride, born Princess Margarete of Prussia)
  • Prince George, Duke of Cambridge (Queen Victoria’s first cousin)
  • The Duchess of Teck (Queen Victoria’s first cousin, mother of the Duchess of York, born Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge)
  • The Duke of Teck (father of the Duchess of York)
  • Prince Adolphus of Teck (brother of the Duchess of York)
  • Princess Adolphus of Teck (born Lady Margaret Grosvenor)
  • Princess Victor of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (widow of the son of Queen Victoria’s half-sister Princess Feodora of Leiningen)
  • Count Edward Gleichen (son of Princess Victor of Hohenlohe-Langenburg)
  • Countess Feodora Gleichen (daughter of Princess Victor of Hohenlohe-Langenburg)
  • Countess Valda Gleichen (daughter of Princess Victor of Hohenlohe-Langenburg)
  • Countess Helena Gleichen (daughter of Princess Victor of Hohenlohe-Langenburg)

Other Royals

  • Crown Prince Gustaf of Sweden (the future King Gustaf V of Sweden)
  • Prince Philipp of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
  • Princess Philipp of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (born Princess Louise of Belgium)
  • Princess Elisabeth of Waldeck and Pyrmont
  • Princess Edward of Saxe-Weimar (born Lady Augusta Gordon-Lennox)

Wedding Attendants

 

Bridesmaids

  • Princess Victoria of Wales (sister of the bride)
  • Princess Ingeborg of Denmark (sister of the groom)
  • Princess Thyra of Denmark (sister of the groom)
  • Princess Helena Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein (first cousin of the bride)
  • Princess Margaret of Connaught (first cousin of the bride)
  • Princess Patricia of Connaught (first cousin of the bride)
  • Princess Alice of Albany (first cousin of the bride)
  • Lady Alexandra Duff (the bride’s niece)

Supporters of the Groom

  • Prince Christian of Denmark (brother of the groom)
  • Prince Harald of Denmark (brother of the groom)

Prince Christian and Prince Carl arrive at Buckingham Palace; Credit – Illustrated London News

Wedding Attire

 

Princess Maud wanted to dress in a simple fashion. Her dress, designed by Miss Rosalie Whyte of the Royal Female School of Art, had a long train and was made of pure white English satin that had been woven in Spitalfields, a section of London known for its weaving. Maud wore her mother’s veil and instead of a tiara, she wore flowers in her hair. Her jewelry was simple, a choker necklace and several bracelets, and she carried a bouquet of orange blossoms, German myrtle, and a mixture of white jessamine.

The bridesmaids wore white dresses trimmed with red geraniums while Carl wore his Royal Danish Navy uniform.

Wedding Ceremony

 The Private Chapel at Buckingham Palace

 

The wedding was held in the Private Chapel at Buckingham Palace in London, England at 12:30 PM on July 22, 1896, a sunny and pleasant day. It was a family affair, rather than a state occasion. Queen Victoria was already at Buckingham Palace, so she made no public appearance during the wedding procession. The streets of London were decorated with British and Danish flags and flowers. Two military units, the Life Guards and the Coldstream Guards, lined the short distance from Marlborough House, the home of Maud’s parents, and Buckingham Palace. Crowds gathered near the Palace in anticipation of the procession.

Early arrivals to the Palace included minor members of the British royal family and foreign royals. First in the carriage procession was the groom with his parents Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Louise and his brothers Prince Christian and Prince Harald. The Princess of Wales and the children of Queen Victoria, accompanied by their children, came next. When the royals, with the exception of the bride’s procession, had gathered at the palace, Queen Victoria led the family into the Private Chapel, accompanied by two of her grandsons, Prince Arthur of Connaught and Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein. Then Prince Carl and his brothers entered the chapel, heading up to the altar to wait for the bride. Maud accompanied by her father The Prince of Wales and her eight bridesmaids were the last to leave Marlborough House.

The wedding ceremony was conducted by Edward White Benson, Archbishop of Canterbury assisted by Frederick Temple, Bishop of London and Randall Thomas Davidson, Bishop of Winchester. The musicians and choir of the Chapel Royal of St. James’s Palace provided the music during the ceremony. The newlyweds left the chapel the famous wedding march by Felix Mendelssohn from his suite of incidental music to Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The wedding march had become popular after it was used at the wedding of Maud’s aunt Victoria, Princess Royal and the future Friedrich, German Emperor. After signing the wedding registry with 50 other royals, chatting animatedly for several minutes, and embracing the bride and groom, Queen Victoria left and did not attend the wedding luncheon.

Wedding Luncheon

 The State Dining Room at Buckingham Palace

 

Two luncheons were held at Buckingham Palace: one in the State Dining Room for the royal guests and one in the State Ballroom for everyone else. After that, the newlyweds and The Prince and Princess of Wales greeted guests in a receiving line in the Picture Gallery. Later in the afternoon, The Prince and Princess of Wales hosted a garden party at Marlborough House.

Carl and Maud’s wedding cake; Photo Credit – http://www.edwardianpromenade.com

A publication of the day described the wedding cake: “…the separate tiers were encircled with white satin ribbon bordered with pearls, trimmed with bridal buds and tied in true lovers’ knots: a triumphant god of love surmounting the whole structure bore aloft a delicate nautilus shell, from which fell festoons of silver bullion and fragile seaweed.”

At 2:45 PM, the bridal party departed Buckingham Palace and went the long way around via Piccadilly and St. James Street. The streets were beautifully decorated with bunting, flags, and flowers. People lined the streets and the windows of clubs and other buildings along the route were filled with cheering people.

The Honeymoon

Later, Maud and Carl left Marlborough House for St. Pancras Station to board a special train for the railway station in Wolferton, Norfolk, the nearest station to Sandringham House. The newlyweds were to spend a short honeymoon at Appleton House on the Sandringham Estate, the house that Maud’s father had given her as a wedding gift. However, the short honeymoon turned a five-month honeymoon. Some family members had been concerned that Maud would have difficulty leaving England, and that was proving to be true.

Three weeks after the wedding, the Danish Royal Family all met at Bernstorff Castle, ready to welcome the newlyweds to Denmark. Maud’s mother and sister, The Princess of Wales and Princess Victoria, arrived at Bernstorff Castle at the end of August. Maud wrote to her grandmother Queen Victoria that they were going to Denmark in the beginning of September. Family members began arriving in Denmark, expecting to see Carl and Maud. King George I of Greece (Maud and Carl’s uncle) arrived at Berstorff Castle in early September. Within a few days, Tsar Nicholas II of Russia (Maud and Carl’s first cousin) and his wife Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna (Maud’s first cousin) arrived and there was still no sign of Maud and Carl in Denmark. Maud and Carl were still in England on December 14 when the family gathered at Frogmore for the annual remembrance ceremony for Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s late husband.

Carl’s leave from the navy was nearly over and it was imperative they leave for Denmark, which they did on December 21, 1896. Maud never did get used to the harsh Danish winters and visited her England as often as she could.

Children

Haakon and Maud had one son:

Postscript

King Haakon VII, Queen Maud, and Crown Prince Olav, July 17, 1913; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1905, upon the dissolution of the Union between Sweden and Norway, the Norwegian government began searching for candidates to become King of Norway. Because of his descent from prior Norwegian monarchs, as well as his wife’s British connections, Carl was the overwhelming favorite. Before accepting, Carl insisted that the voices of the Norwegian people be heard in regards to retaining a monarchy. Following a referendum with a 79% majority in favor, Prince Carl was formally offered and then accepted the throne. He sailed for Norway, arriving on November 25, 1905, and took the oath as King two days later. He took the name Haakon VII and Maud became Queen of Norway. The couple’s only child Prince Alexander of Denmark, born in 1903, took on the name Olav, became Crown Prince of Norway, and succeeded his father on the throne in 1957. Because of their mutual descent from King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, the Norwegian Royal Family is the most closely related royal family to the British Royal Family.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Holland, E. (2017). Royal Wedding #2: Princess Maud of Wales & King Haakon VII of Norway. [online] Edwardian Promenade. Available at: http://www.edwardianpromenade.com/weddings/royal-wedding-2-princess-maud-of-wales-king-haakon-vii-of-norway/ [Accessed 24 Jun. 2017].
  • Kay, E. (2017). Norwegian Royal Weddings: King Haakon VII and Queen Maud. [online] Thecourtjeweller.com. Available at: http://www.thecourtjeweller.com/2016/01/norwegian-royal-weddings-king-haakon.html [Accessed 24 Jun. 2017].
  • Query.nytimes.com. (2017). PRINCESS MAUD A BRIDE; MARRIED IN STATE TO PRINCE CHARLES OF DENMARK. The Archbishop of Canterbury Performs the Ceremony at the Buckingham Palace Chapel — The Queen and All the Royal Family Except Princess Beatrice Present — Profuse, Decorations — Vast Crowds Line the Streets.. [online] Available at: http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9801EFDC123BEE33A25750C2A9619C94679ED7CF [Accessed 24 Jun. 2017].
  • Unofficial Royalty. (2017). King Haakon VII of Norway. [online] Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/september-21-1957-death-of-king-haakon-vii-of-norway/ [Accessed 24 Jun. 2017].
  • Unofficial Royalty. (2017). Maud of Wales, Queen of Norway. [online] Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/queen-maud-of-norway/ [Accessed 24 Jun. 2017].
  • Van der Kiste, J. (2013). Edward VII’s Children. Stroud: The History Press.

Wedding of King Harald V of Norway and Sonja Haraldsen

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Crown Prince Harald of Norway (the future King Harald V of Norway) and Sonja Haraldsen were married on August 29, 1968, at the Oslo Cathedral in Oslo, Norway.

Photo Credit – (Foto: NTB / Scanpix) – http://www.royalcourt.no

King Harald V’s Early Life

Harald in his mother’s arms with his family; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

King Harald V of Norway was born on February 21, 1937, at Skaugum, the residence of the Crown Prince, in Asker, Norway. His parents were Crown Prince Olav of Norway (later King Olav V) and Princess Märtha of Sweden. At the time of Harald’s birth, his grandfather, King Haakon VII (born Prince Carl of Denmark, son of King Frederik VIII of Denmark) was the monarch and his grandmother, Queen Maud (born Princess Maud of Wales, daughter of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom) was his consort. King Harald is closely related to several European monarchs: King Philippe of Belgium and Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg are his first cousins once removed, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and Queen Margrethe II of Denmark are his second cousins, and King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden is his second cousin once removed. King Harald has two older sisters: Princess Ragnhild (1930 – 2012) and Princess Astrid (born 1932).

In 1940, when Harald was just three years old, Germany invaded Norway. To avoid being taken into custody by the Germans, the Norwegian Royal Family along with many members of the Government and the Storting (legislature) left Norway. Crown Princess Märtha and her three children, Princess Ragnhild, Princess Astrid, and Prince Harald, fled to Sweden, Märtha’s native country. King Haakon VII (Queen Maud had died in 1938) and Crown Prince Olav fled to London where they stayed with the Norwegian government in exile for the duration of World War II.

After staying in Sweden for several months, Crown Princess Märtha and her three children traveled to the United States by ship. President Franklin Roosevelt offered refuge to Crown Princess Märtha and her children. They stayed briefly at Roosevelt’s Hyde Park estate in New York State and then at the White House. Eventually, they settled into a Tudor-style mansion in Bethesda, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, DC. Crown Princess Märtha worked quietly behind the scenes to support the war effort. The family members were special favorites of President Roosevelt and when he took his fourth and final oath of office at the White House, an 8-year-old Prince Harald was standing behind him.

Harald returned to Norway in June 1945 with his mother and his sisters. That autumn, he began to attend Smestad School in Oslo. In 1955, Harald graduated from the Oslo Cathedral School. He then entered the Norwegian Cavalry Officers’ Training School and went on to finish his military education at the Norwegian Military Academy in 1959. After Harald finished his compulsory military service, he studied social science, history, and economics at Balliol College, Oxford University in Oxford, England from 1960 – 1962.

Harald’s mother Crown Princess Märtha died of cancer in 1954 at the age of 53. On September 21, 1957, when Harald’s grandfather King Haakon VII died, Harald’s father became King Olav V, and Harald became Crown Prince. Thereafter, Harald attended the Council of State and acted as Regent in the King’s absence. He worked closely alongside his father and carried out an increasing number of official tasks, such as traveling with trade delegations to promote the Norwegian industry abroad.

When he was Crown Prince of Norway, Harald’s father King Olav V had won an Olympic Gold Medal for Sailing Mixed 6 Meters in the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam. Although he did not win a medal, Harald followed in his father’s footsteps and represented Norway in Sailing events in three Summer Olympics: 1964/Tokyo, 1968/Mexico City, 1972/Munich.

Harald became King of Norway upon the death of his father on January 17, 1991.

Unofficial Royalty: King Harald V of Norway

Sonja Haraldsen’s Early Life

Sonja Haraldsen 1941; Photo Credit – Sturlason, The Royal Court Photo Archives

Sonja Haraldsen was born on July 4, 1937, in Oslo, Norway, the youngest of the four children of Karl August Haraldsen (1889 – 1959) and Dagny Ulrichsen (1898 – 1994). Her three siblings were Haakon Haraldsen (1921 – 2016), Gry Henriksen (1924 – 1971) and Karl Herman Haraldsen (1929 – 1936, who died in a boating accident).

Sonja grew up at 1B Tuengen Allé in Vinderen, Oslo, Norway, one of the wealthiest areas of Oslo. After receiving her elementary education, Sonja received her secondary education at Oslo Vocational School where she studied dressmaking and tailoring. This was a useful course of study as her family owned a clothing store. Sonja then attended a finishing school in Lausanne, Switzerland, École Professionelle des Jeunes Filles, where she studied social science, accounting, and fashion design. When she returned to Norway, Sonja attended the University of Oslo where she studied French, English, and Art History and received an undergraduate degree.

Unofficial Royalty: Queen Sonja of Norway

The Engagement

Engagement Photo; Photo: ATF

In June 1959, Crown Prince Harald attended a party hosted by a friend, Johan Stenersen. It was at this party that he met another friend of Johan Stenersen, Sonja Haraldsen. In August 1959, when the Crown Prince graduated from the Norwegian Military Academy, he invited Sonja to attend the graduation ball and the couple was photographed together.

Crown Prince Harald of Norway and Sonja Haraldsen at the Norwegian Military Academy Graduation Ball in August of 1959; Photo source: ATF

The relationship between the Crown Prince and Sonja was controversial as many people including politicians and journalists, felt the Crown Prince should marry a princess and not a Norwegian commoner. The controversy continued for years as did the relationship despite the media’s attempts to promote a royal marriage with either of the Greek princesses Sophia and Irene. Apparently, Crown Prince Harald made it clear to his father, King Olav V, that he would remain unmarried if he could not marry Sonja. This would have resulted in a succession crisis as Harald was the sole heir to the throne. At that time, Norway did not allow female succession, so his two sisters Ragnhild and Astrid were not in the line of succession.

Finally, in 1968, when King Olav felt the position of the Norwegian people had changed to favor Sonja, he consulted with parliamentary leaders and other government leaders and gave his consent for the Crown Prince to marry a commoner. The engagement of the couple was announced on March 19, 1968, with this announcement from King Olav V: “It is with pleasure that I inform you, Mr. President and Members of the Storting, that I, after seeking advice from the Prime Minister, members of the Government, you, Mr. President, and the parliamentary leaders of the political parties, have today given my consent to my dear son, Crown Prince Harald, to take as his wife Miss Sonja Haraldsen, daughter of the late Mr. Karl August Haraldsen and Mrs. Dagny Haraldsen née Ulrichsen.”

Harald gave Sonja an unusual diamond and ruby ring that belonged to his late mother, Crown Princess Märtha. Queen Sonja carried on the tradition, giving the ring to her son Crown Prince Haakon when he proposed to Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby.

The engagement ring; Photo Credit – http://lovelolaheart.com

Pre-Wedding Festivities

The day before the wedding there was a gala dinner at Akershus Castle in honor of the bride and groom. Here Sonja picks up the handkerchief that Magnhild Borten, Prime Minister Per Borten’s wife, has dropped; Photo Credit – http://www.arkivverket.no/eng/Using-the-Archives/Online-Exhibitions/Royal-weddings-in-Norway-in-1929-and-in-1968

Unfortunately, two sad events put a damper on the wedding celebrations. On the night of August 20-21, 1968, the Soviet Union invaded Czechoslovakia. Then, on August 27, 1968, Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, a close friend of King Olav V, and born a Princess of Greece and Denmark, suddenly died. The previous month, Princess Marina spent several days in the hospital, where it was discovered that she was suffering from an inoperable brain tumor. Sadly, her condition diminished very quickly. It was only several hours before her death that the severity of her condition became public when Kensington Palace issued a statement that her condition “was giving rise to anxiety.” When the news of the death of Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, arrived in Oslo, some press questioned whether King Olav would decide to postpone the wedding due to his closeness to the British Royal Family. Princess Marina was the widow of Prince George, Duke of Kent. a first cousin of King Olav. Olav’s mother Queen Maud and George’s father King George V of the United Kingdom were siblings. However, it was decided that the scheduled event for August 27, 1968, would be canceled in protest of the Soviet invasion and in memory of Princess Marina. The first day’s event, a grand ball, was instead, a smaller dinner held at the Royal Palace for the royal guests that had arrived during the day.

On August 28, 1968, King Olav, Crown Prince Harald, Sonja Haraldsen, and their guests attended a modern art exhibition in the Høvikodden Art Center in Bærum, outside Oslo. Next, ship-owner Niels Werring and his wife, the Mistress of the Robes, Else Werring hosted a luncheon for the members of the European royal families that had gathered to celebrate the wedding. In the evening, the Government of the Kingdom of Norway hosted a gala state banquet for 350 guests in honor of the Crown Prince and Miss Haraldsen at Akershus Castle.

Wedding Guests

850 guests attended the wedding ceremony. Queen Elizabeth The Queen-Mother of the United Kingdom was set to attend the wedding. However, the unexpected death of Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent on August 27, 1968, made the attendance of any member of the British Royal Family impossible. Six heads of state attended the wedding: four monarchs and two presidents. Below is a partial guest list.

  • Princess Ragnhild of Norway, the groom’s sister, and her husband Mr. Erling Lorentzen
  • Princess Astrid of Norway, the groom’s sister, and her husband Mr. Johan Martin Ferner
  • Mrs. Dagny Haraldsen, the bride’s mother
  • King Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid of Denmark
  • Princess Margrethe of Denmark (the future Queen Margrethe II) and her husband Prince Henrik
  • King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden
  • King Baudouin of the Belgians
  • Grand-Duke Jean and Grand-Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxembourg
  • Prince Claus of the Netherlands, representing his mother-in-law Queen Juliana of the Netherlands
  • Princess Margaretha of Denmark, born Princess of Sweden, maternal aunt of the groom
  • Prince George of Denmark, maternal first cousin of the groom and his wife Princess Anne
  • Countess Ruth of Rosenborg, wife of Count Flemming (younger son of Princess Margaretha of Denmark), supporter to Crown Prince Harald
  • Prince Carl Bernadotte, maternal uncle of the groom
  • Countess Madeleine Ullens de Schooten, maternal first cousin of the groom, and her husband Count Charles Ullens de Schooten
  • President Urho Kekkonen of Finland and Mrs. Kekkonen
  • President Kristján Eldjárn of Iceland and Mrs. Eldjárn
  • The Government of the Kingdom of Norway and the Diplomatic Corps

Wedding Attendants

 Count Flemming of Rosenborg (standing on the right), Mrs. Dagny Haraldsen, the bride’s mother and King Olav V, the groom’s father (sitting)

  • Groom’s Supporter: Count Flemming of Rosenborg, son of Princess Margaretha of Denmark, sister of the groom’s mother, and the late Prince Axel of Denmark
  • Maid of Honor: Miss Ilmi Riddervold
  • Bridesmaids: Miss Ian Henriksen, Miss Anita Henriksen, Miss Ingeborg Lorentzen, and Miss Lis Haraldsen

Wedding Attire

The future King Harald V and Queen Sonja; Photo: Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor

Crown Prince Harald wore the black gala uniform of the Norwegian Army, with the sash of the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav with star, the Star of the Swedish Order of the Seraphim, and the Star of the Danish Order of the Elephant. The Crown Prince’s supporter, his first cousin, Count Flemming of Rosenborg, wore his Danish naval uniform with the sash of the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav with star and the Star of the Danish Order of the Elephant.

Sonja Haraldsen’s bridal gown, created by Oslo clothing store Molstad, was simple and classically styled, with three-quarter length sleeves and a long train, and was decorated with white pearls and embroidery. She wore a long tulle veil and carried a bouquet in shades of white, with white roses, freesias, lilies of the valley, and orchids. The bride chose not to wear a tiara.

Wedding Ceremony

Wedding at Oslo Cathedral; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

The wedding was held on August 29, 1968, at 5:00 PM at the Oslo Cathedral in the presence of 850 guests. Crown Prince Harald, accompanied to the cathedral by his supporter Count Flemming of Rosenborg, was loudly cheered as he traveled from the Royal Palace to the cathedral. Because the bride’s father was deceased and to show his support for his soon-to-be daughter-in-law, King Olav accompanied the bride to the cathedral and then escorted her down the aisle to Henry Purcell’s “Trumpet Tune and Air.”

King Olav V escorting the bride down the aisle; Photo: Royal House of Norway

Dr. Fridtjov Birkeli, Bishop of Oslo conducted the traditional, brief Lutheran wedding ceremony. The ceremony began with the psalm “Herre Gud, ditt dyre navn og ære” (Our Lord God, Your Precious Name and Honor) sung by the “Den Norske Studentersangforening” (The Norwegian Student Choir) and continued with the congregation singing Bernt Støylen’s psalm “Til kjærleik Gud oss skapte, til kjærleik hjarta trår” (In Love God Created Us).  Next, the Bishop of Oslo gave his sermon where he said that “a new and very strong link has been created between the royal family and the Norwegian people,” referring to the bride and future queen being a Norwegian commoner.

The exchanging of vows came next. The couple knelt to exchange rings and receive the bishop’s blessing. The new Crown Princess of Norway curtseyed to her father-in-law, King Olav of Norway, and returned with her husband to their seats. The ceremony continued with a reading from the Bible and a prayer. The Norwegian opera singer Aase Nordmo Løvberg then sang Grundtvig’s psalm “Alt står i Guds Faderhånd” (Everything Rests in God the Father’s Hand) which concluded the ceremony.

Photo Credit – Wikipedia

The bride and groom exited the cathedral to Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Prelude in E Major” and were met with jubilation and cheers of congratulations by the large crowds waiting outside. Two 21-gun salutes were fired from Akershus Fortress. King Olav V and Mrs. Dagny Haraldsen followed their children down the aisle and watched, with the royal guests, as the couple left the cathedral in an open car, driving through the streets of Oslo and being cheered by large crowds lining the streets.

The Wedding Reception

King Olav V, Crown Princess Sonja, Crown Prince Harald on the Royal Palace balcony; Credit – Wikipedia

King Olav V hosted 225 guests at a wedding banquet and dance in the Oslo Royal Palace. The newlyweds arrived at 7:00 PM and appeared on the balcony of the Royal Palace, delighting the enormous crowd. King Olav V joined the couple on the balcony, again to the great pleasure of the crowd. The banquet took place in the grand dining room. The Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Norway sat at the main table, decorated with pink roses, with the King of Norway on the right of the new Crown Princess and Princess Margaretha of Denmark on the left of Crown Prince Harald. The six heads of state and their spouses joined them at the main table. During the banquet, King Olav V, Crown Prince Harald, and Bernt Ingvaldsen, President of the Storting (legislature) all gave speeches.

After the end of the banquet, the guests moved to the beautiful ballroom. To the music of a waltz specially composed for the occasion, Crown Prince Harald and Crown Princess Sonja opened the wedding ball while their guests looked on. Moments later, their guests joined them in the dance.

The newlyweds dance their waltz; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Children

Left to right: Crown Princess Sonja, King Carl XVI Gustav of Sweden, Princess Märtha Louise, King Olav V of Norway, Crown Prince Harald holding Prince Haakon and Princess Astrid of Norway, 1974; Credit – Wikipedia

Harald and Sonja had two children:

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Works Cited

  • Arkivverket – Riksarkivet, statsarkivene og Samisk arkiv. “1968 – Crown Prince Harald And Sonja Haraldsen – Arkivverket”. Arkivverket.no. N.p., 2017. Web. 30 Apr. 2017.
  • “King Harald V Of Norway”. Unofficial Royalty. N.p., 2017. Web. 30 Apr. 2017.
  • “Norway’s Prince Harald Weds Commoner In Oslo”. Timesmachine.nytimes.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 30 Apr. 2017.
  • “Queen Sonja Of Norway”. Unofficial Royalty. N.p., 2017. Web. 30 Apr. 2017.
  • “The Royal Wedding In 1968”. Royalcourt.no. N.p., 2017. Web. 30 Apr. 2017.
  • “The Wedding Of HRH Crown Prince Harald Of Norway And Miss Sonja Haraldsen”. Angelfire.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 30 Apr. 2017.