Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway made her way to the northernmost reaches of the country this week for a special county visit, wearing silver jewels linked to the heritage of the Sámi people.
On Sunday, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, second-in-line to the Norwegian throne after her father, Crown Prince Haakon, arrived in the county of Finnmark for her first official visit to the region. Finnmark shares boundaries with Finland and Russia, and its residents include the indigenous Sámi people.
On her first night in Finnmark, Ingrid Alexandra stayed in a traditional shepherd’s hut owned by the Sara family in Anárjohka National Park. She paired warm layers, including a sweater with a graphic pattern, with modern gold earrings as she arrived at the park.
On Monday, the Princess headed to the village of Karasjok. The day’s program included a visit to the Sámi Parliament of Norway, which was opened by her great-grandfather, King Olav V, in 1989, and a stop at the village’s sports hall.
In Karasjok, Ingrid Alexandra wore a shirt dress, which photographed as either dark green or blue, depending on the lighting. It coordinated beautifully with a traditional plaid shawl that she received as a gift during her visit to the Sámi Parliament.
She accessorized with earrings that also have important ties to Sámi culture. The earrings feature silver Komsekule pendants, which I believe may have been sourced from Juhls Silver Gallery, which is located in the village of Kautokeino in Finnmark.
The gallery sells silver Komsekule earrings, made by the brand Historiske, that appear to be the same ones worn by Ingrid Alexandra in Finnmark. The gallery’s website explains, “The Komsekule is today a beloved and meaningful object, closely tied to Sámi heritage. Originally brought to the Sámi through trade from the south and west, these small silver amulets were used in the Middle Ages as protection against illness – especially during the time of the plague in the 1300s. They came in many variations, often hollow or with small openings so that herbs or even moldy bread could be placed inside, believed to hold healing power.”
On Tuesday, when she arrived in Kirkenes to visit a local school, Ingrid Alexandra wore the same silver amulet earrings with an ensemble in shades of berry and navy. She also added a matching necklace, which I think might be the jewel that you can see in a gift box above during her visit to parliament.
Later, the Princess changed into cold-weather gear for an exciting final moment in Finnmark: driving a dogsled in Grensefjellet, a mountain ridge just north of the Norwegian border with Russia.
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