Royal couple will tone down their gold wedding ceremony

OSLO 19680829. Royal Norwegian Wedding. Crown Prince Harald marries Sonja Haraldsen. Photo: Vidar Knai / SCANPIX

In August, it is 50 years since King Harald and Queen Sonja were married. They told NRK news that the anniversary will be calm, after two years of other somewhat frenetic anniversaries.

 

In 2016, there were celebrations the length and breadth of the land marking the occasion of the 25th year of the King’s reign. This year, the 80th birthdays of the King and Queen have been duly celebrated.

2017 was rounded off by King Harald this week by being voted the year’s ‘name’ in VGnewspaper, which he believed may be due to the attention from the celebrations. In 2018, it is the royal couple’s golden wedding anniversary.

In the NRK TV program, ‘Kongefamilien 2017’, which will be shown on Christmas Day, the royal couple will ask if they’re on again, which triggers raucous and enormous laughter, and a clear and unconventional,‘no’.

‘So big,’ said King Harald, illustrating with his fingers how small the celebration will be.

He emphasised that it is a great anniversary for them, personally, when on August 29th it is 50 years since he took Sonja Haraldsen’s hand in marriage in Oslo Cathedral in 1968.

‘It’s going to be a family anniversary, I think. A Norwegian family anniversary’, he said.

‘It will probably be very down played, I think,’ Queen Sonja added.

The reason is just that there have been so many big celebrations during the past two years.

‘Enough is enough’, the queen smiled, sure that the nation probably agrees.

But that doesn’t mean Norwegians will be starved of royal action, big time

Among the highlights of next year are a royal visits from the UK. Prince William and Duchess Kate of Cambridge will pay an official visit to Norway on the 1st and 2nd of February. The plans are not quite clear yet, but media attention will undoubtedly be almost overwhelming, whatever the program may be.

Little brother, Prince Harry, or Prince Henry of Wales, Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order,marries Meghan Markle on May the 19th, but it is not known to what extent the Norwegian Royal House will attend.

Another royal relative to celebrate in 2018 will be Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, who is 50 years old on May the 26th. He will celebrate with his Norwegian colleague, Crown Prince Haakon.

Long journey

Among the few program items known for next year is the official state visit to Argentina. This will be in early March. Additionally, it’s expected that the king and crown princes will carry out their annual trips to two counties in Norway. The royal couple also tend to host a state visit to Norway.

In June, another highlight will be when four new sculptures will be revealed in Princess Ingrid Alexandra’s Sculpture Park.

The sculptures are picked from among submitted proposals from all over the country, drawn or modelled by schoolchildren in the 5th and 6th stages. In June, the four winners’ contributions will be produced in materials and style chosen by the young designers.

 

© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today