Party clothed guests from across the country filled Dronningparken Thursday when the royal couple invited to a garden party.
King Harald and Queen Sonja attended along with the Crown Prince family and Princess Astrid, Mrs. Ferner. Princess Martha was supposed to have been present too, but she has signed a declination.
– A warm welcome to us, all together, said King Harald to its 1,500 guests who have flocked from far and wide after receiving a solemn, gilded invitation in the mail.
– Thought it was nonsense
– I thought it was nonsense, laughs a smiling Marita Vangen-Bratteteig from Laerdal in Sogn og Fjordane.
She has obtained a loan parish costume, because she did not dare wear her own from Hardanger on a day like this. The party costume has been with her in the bus throughout the night, and together with the other guests, she was greeted by the King’s Guard outside Palace Thursday. Inside the park there were new circus performances, folk and jazz bands between the trees.
Similar garden parties have been held in cities around when the royal couple were on their anniversary trip earlier this year. In his welcoming speech King Harald hailed diversity in Norway’s population.
– Norwegians are engaged
– Norwegians are engaged youth and experienced old. Norwegians are unmarried, divorced, families and old couples. Norwegians are girls who love girls, boys who like boys, and girls and boys who are fond of each other.
Norwegians believe in God, Allah, All and Nothing, he said to light chuckles from the guests.
– My greatest hope for Norway is that we are to take care of each other. That we are going to build this country forward on trust, fellowship and generosity. That we shall know that we – despite all our differences – are one people, the king said.
Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today