On Sunday, the Norwegian royal family joined in the celebrations of the country’s national holiday, with bejeweled appearances in Oslo, Asker—and Australia.
Princess Ingrid Alexandra, who is second in line to the throne after her father, Crown Prince Haakon, kicked off this year’s Constitution Day celebrations in Australia, where she is studying at the University of Sydney. This portrait of the princess was posted on the royal family’s website and social media accounts, accompanied by a personal message: “Today I’m a little extra homesick. It’s so nice that we have a day where everyone can dress up a little extra, take the train, and celebrate our Constitution. I myself will be celebrating May 17th here in Sydney, and I hope everyone has a great day whether they are in Norway or abroad. Happy birthday, Norway!”
Ingrid Alexandra’s parents and younger brother continued the celebrations at Skaugum, their estate in Asker. Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit were joined by Prince Sverre Magnus (and the family dog) as they greeted the children’s parade passing by their home.
Both Haakon and Sverre Magnus wore traditional dress for the outing, but Mette-Marit opted to wear a dress and coat instead of bunad. She was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018, and in March (amid a whole lot of negative press from a pair of scandals) the royal court described her condition as having “deteriorated.” She used supplemental oxygen during both of the family’s public appearances on May 17.
Mette-Marit did wear traditional patriotic red, white, and blue ribbons, which were secured to her coat with an heirloom diamond and pearl drop brooch. The brooch originally belonged to her husband’s great-grandmother, Queen Maud of Norway.
For many years, the jewel was worn by the King’s sister, Princess Ragnhild, who wears it on the bodice of her gown in 1980. Ragnhild used the piece as a lifetime loan, and in 2012, it was returned to the royal collection in Norway.
The brooch is now worn by Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who has used it on various occasions in recent years. She wore it last year on Constitution Day, and we saw it more recently pinned to her jacket during the Belgian state visit to Norway.
The crown princely family headed next to the Royal Palace in Oslo, where they joined King Harald V and Queen Sonja for the children’s procession there. Crown Prince Haakon and Prince Sverre Magnus changed into modern suits and top hats, echoing the King’s attire, while both Sonja and Mette-Marit wore elevated daywear and hats.
Mette-Marit wore the same diamond and pearl brooch with her ribbons in Oslo. Queen Sonja also brought out a favorite antique brooch with connections to Queen Maud: the diamond and sapphire jewel she received as a wedding present in 1896 from her cousins, Emperor Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia.
Here’s an illustration of the brooch the August 1, 1896 edition of The Queen. The jewel earned public acclaim, so much so that an exact replica was showcased at an industrial fair in Toronto that September.
The jewel was one of the pieces allotted to King Harald when Queen Maud’s jewels were divided up in the late 1960s. Queen Sonja also wore it for Constitution Day last May. That appearance is pictured above.
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