Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway

Princess Ingrid Alexandra
Princess Ingrid Alexandra in 2018
Born	(2004-01-21) 21 January 2004 (age 20) The National Hospital, Oslo, Norway
House	Glücksburg
Father	Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway
Mother	Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby

Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway (born 21 January 2004) is the eldest child of Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit, and the grandchild of King Harald V. She is second in line of succession to the Norwegian throne after her father. She is expected to become the country's second female monarch, after the 15th-century Queen Margaret.

She represents the fifth generation of the sitting Norwegian royal family of the House of Glücksburg. ^[1]

She has a younger brother, Prince Sverre Magnus, whom she ranks above in the line of succession after the implementation of absolute primogeniture in 1990. ^[2]

Birth and baptism

Princess Ingrid Alexandra with her father in 2007

Born on 21 January 2004 at 9:13 am in The National Hospital, part of the Oslo University Hospital in Oslo, Princess Ingrid Alexandra is the first child and only daughter of Crown Prince Haakon, heir apparent to the throne, and the second granddaughter of King Harald V and Queen Sonja. Her mother, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, has a son named Marius Borg Høiby, born in 1997 from a previous relationship. ^[3] Following Ingrid Alexandra's birth, the already well-regarded royal family experienced an upsurge of popularity. ^[4]

Ingrid Alexandra was baptised by Bishop Gunnar Stålsett in the chapel of the Royal Palace on 17 April 2004. Her grandfather the King, her aunt Princess Märtha Louise, King Frederik X of Denmark, the Crown Princess of Sweden, King Felipe VI of Spain, and her maternal grandmother Marit Tjessem were her godparents. ^[3] The then-Crown Prince of Denmark and then-Prince of Asturias were unable to attend the christening due to their respective weddings scheduled to occur within a month of the christening. ^[5]

On 31 August 2019, Ingrid Alexandra was confirmed in the Palace Chapel in Oslo with all her godparents present. ^{[6] [7]}

Education

Ingrid Alexandra started her first day of school on 19 August 2010 at Jansløkka elementary school, a local state school attended by her half-brother. Her parents chose the school because they wanted her to have as ordinary a childhood as possible. Newspaper reports said Princess Ingrid Alexandra would walk to school with her half-brother, and local citizens could expect to see her occasionally out in the community with her classmates on school outings. School officials hoped to make the school a place where the princess could make friends and enjoy some relief from public scrutiny. ^[8]

On 17 June 2014, the Norwegian royal family announced that from the start of the 2014–2015 school year, Ingrid Alexandra would transfer to the private English-language Oslo International School, reportedly because her parents wanted her to be fluent in English. ^[9] Ingrid Alexandra was transferred to Oslo's Uranienborg School to complete her lower secondary education. She was part of the student council at Uranienborg School. ^[10] In the fall of 2020, she began further schooling at Elvebakken Upper Secondary School in Oslo. ^[11] She graduated in April 2023. ^[12] In June 2023, Norwegian Royal Court announced that the Princess will work as a school assistant and environmental worker at Uranienborg School. In 2024, she will undertake military training for 12 months at the Engineer Battalion in Brigade Nord. ^[13]

Activities

On 19 June 2010, Ingrid Alexandra served as a bridesmaid at the wedding of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and Daniel Westling. ^[14] In December 2012, the Princess attended an interview with her father by a Norwegian television programme in aid of Environmental Agents, the children's environmental organization. Her mother was supposed to attend, but the Crown Prince attended instead as the Crown Princess was ill. ^[15] She has taken part in traditional celebrations of the Constitution Day, as well as the traditional ski jumping tournament at Holmenkollen in Oslo. ^[3]

On 4 May 2015, Ingrid Alexandra christened the Norwegian Rescue Company's new lifeboat, Elias, in her first royal assignment. Accompanied by her grandfather the King, she was made godmother of the boat. ^[16] On 19 May 2016, the Princess Ingrid Alexandra Sculpture Park opened in the Palace Park, as part of the celebration of the King and Queen's 25th anniversary. ^[17] It features sculptures made for children and by children. She takes active part in choosing the designs from among the contributions to the sculpture park from school children all over Norway. In 2018, she gave a guided tour of the park to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, on the occasion of their official visit to Norway. ^[18]

On 12 February 2016, Ingrid Alexandra and her grandfather participated in the opening ceremony of the II Winter Youth Olympics in Lillehammer: the King, as he previously did in 1994 Winter Olympics, declared the Games opened, while the Princess, like her father Crown Prince Haakon did 22 years before, lit the cauldron. ^[19] On 17 November 2018, Princess Ingrid Alexandra christened the research vessel Kronprins Haakon , which was named after her father. The vessel was christened at its home port of Tromsø. The princess spoke of her interest in the ocean and climate change, which motivated her in christening the ship. She stated that the ship will bring "new and crucial knowledge about the polar areas, about the oceans and about climate change." ^[20] Ingrid Alexandra won a gold medal in the Norwegian surfing championship for juniors in October 2020. She is known as an avid surfer, and she also trains at skiing and kickboxing. ^[21]

On 20 January 2022, Ingrid Alexandra visited the three branches of the Norwegian government; the Storting, the Supreme Court and the office of the prime minister. These visits were part of a series of activities Princess Ingrid Alexandra undertook ahead of her 18th birthday the next day. Her father, Crown Prince Haakon, did the same on his own 18th birthday in 1991. ^[22] On the day of her birthday on 21 January, she attended a meeting of the Council of State alongside Crown Prince Haakon and King Harald. ^[23] This was followed by a series of congratulatory deputations from Norwegian officials at the Royal Palace. The Princess received congratulations from representatives of the governmental branches as well as the Sámi Parliament, county governors, the diplomatic corps, the Norwegian Armed Forces and the Church of Norway. Cannon salutes were fired at noon to mark Ingrid Alexandra's birthday. ^[24] On 16 June, the government held a dinner to mark her 18th birthday at the Oslo Public Library. On 17 June, a gala dinner was hosted by her grandparents, the King and Queen, at the Royal Palace. Guests from many European royal houses attended. ^[25]

In October 2022, Ingrid Alexandra visited Norwegian Army's Setermoen camp in Indre Troms. ^[26]

Constitutional status

The Constitution of Norway was altered in 1990 to introduce absolute primogeniture, ensuring that the crown would pass to the eldest child regardless of sex but keeping the Crown Prince ahead of his elder sister, Princess Märtha Louise; the change was to apply for the first time to their children. ^{[2] [27]} Princess Ingrid Alexandra has thus been second in the line of succession since birth, preceded only by her father. Because of the reform, her status was not affected by the subsequent birth of her brother, Prince Sverre Magnus, in 2005. ^[3] The Princess is expected to become Norway's first female monarch since Queen Margaret, who reigned over Norway, Denmark and Sweden from the late 1380s until her death in 1412. ^[28]

Along with her parents and grandparents – but unlike her younger brother Sverre, her older maternal half-brother Marius, and other relatives – Princess Ingrid Alexandra is a member of the Norwegian Royal House. The family belongs to the House of Glücksburg. ^[29]

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

• 21 January 2004 – present:
  • Her Royal Highness Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway
  • Her Royal Highness The Princess ^[30]

Honours

See also: List of honours of the Norwegian royal family by country

National honours

• Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav (21 January 2022) ^{[31] [32]}
• Dame of the Royal Family Decoration of King Harald V (21 January 2022) ^[32]
• Recipient of the Royal House Centennial Medal (25 November 2005) ^[31]
• Recipient of King Harald V's Jubilee Medal 1991-2016 (17 January 2016) ^{[33] [34]}

Foreign honours

•   Denmark:
  • Knight of the Order of the Elephant (21 January 2022) ^[35]

Arms

Royal monogram

Coat of arms of princes and princesses of Norway

Princess Ingrid Alexandra's monogram was designed by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, ^[36] her grandfather's second cousin who is known for her artistic talents.

References

1. "Ingrid Alexandra", Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian Bokmål), 21 January 2022, archived from the original on 11 March 2022, retrieved 25 January 2022
2. "Order of succession". royalcourt.no. Norwegian Royal Court. 12 February 2013. Archived from the original on 29 September 2018. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
3. "Her Royal Highness Princess Ingrid Alexandra". Royal House of Norway. Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
4. Hayford O'Leary, Margaret (2010). Culture and Customs of Norway. ABC-CLIO. p. 16. ISBN   978-0313362484. .
5. "THE CHRISTENING OF NORWAY'S BABY PRINCESS - HELLO!". www.hellomagazine.com. Archived from the original on 17 September 2021. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
6. Princess confirmed Archived 1 September 2019 at the Wayback Machine The Royal House of Norway, 31 August 2019
7. Princess Ingrid Alexandra's confirmation: The Princess' speech of thanks Archived 17 December 2019 at the Wayback Machine The Royal House of Norway, 31 August 2019
8. Nilsen, Helle; Stalsberg, Trine (19 August 2010). "Historisk skolestart" [Historic start of school]. Nettavisen (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 12 January 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
9. "Princess Ingrid of Norway starts first day at new school on proud mum Mette-Marit's birthday". Hello. 19 August 2014. Archived from the original on 20 August 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
10. "Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway has been helping her classmates during home-schooling sessions". Hello. 27 April 2020. Archived from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
11. "Prinsesse Ingrid Alexandra begynner på Elvebakken videregående skole" [Princess Ingrid Alexandra starts at Elvebakken upper secondary school]. NRK (in Norwegian). 6 July 2020. Archived from the original on 6 July 2020. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
12. "Prinsessens hilsen til russen". Kongehuset (in Norwegian). 28 April 2023. Archived from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
13. "Ny hverdag for Prinsesse" [New everyday life for the Princess]. Kongehuset (in Norwegian). 26 June 2023. Archived from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
14. Yorke, Yvonne (20 June 2010). "Princess Victoria's Wedding & The Triumph Of Style In Sweden (UPDATED PHOTOS, POLL)". Huffpost. Archived from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
15. N/A, Gunhild (23 December 2012). "Se prinsessen i Julemorgen!". NRK Super (in Norwegian). NRK. Archived from the original on 18 February 2018. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
16. "Døpte RS Elias". Kongehuset (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 21 September 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
17. "The statues in the Palace Park". Norwegian Royal Court. Archived from the original on 29 June 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
18. "Official visit from the United Kingdom". royalcourt.no. Norwegian Royal Court. 1 February 2018. Archived from the original on 29 June 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
19. "Princess Ingrid Alexandra lit the Olympic fire". Norway Today. 12 February 2016. Archived from the original on 19 March 2016. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
20. "The Princess christened the Kronprins Haakon". royalcourt.no. Norwegian Royal Court. 17 November 2018. Archived from the original on 29 June 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
21. Hjellen, Bjørnar (24 October 2020). "Prinsesse Ingrid Alexandra tok NM-gull" [The princess surfed to NM gold]. NRK (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 29 June 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
22. "Visited the branches of government". royalcourt.no. Norwegian Royal Court. 20 January 2022. Archived from the original on 29 June 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
23. "The Princess observed the Council of State". royalcourt.no. Norwegian Royal Court. 21 January 2022. Archived from the original on 29 June 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
24. "Congratulated the Princess on her 18th birthday". royalcourt.no. Norwegian Royal Court. 21 January 2022. Archived from the original on 29 June 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
25. Davies-Evitt, Dora (17 June 2022). "Princess Ingrid Alexandra joins glamorous procession of European royals for first 18th birthday bash". Tatler. Archived from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
26. "Prinsesse Ingrid Alexandras «drømmedag» på Setermoen" [Princess Ingrid Alexandra's "dream day" at Setermoen]. Forsvarets Forum. 25 October 2022. Archived from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
27. "Her Highness Princess Märtha Louise". royalcourt.no. Norwegian Royal Court. 7 November 2012. Archived from the original on 27 April 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2013. A constitutional amendment adopted in 1990 established the right of eldest born child to succeed to the Throne regardless of gender; however, as the amendment entered into force long after the Princess and Crown Prince were born, it was decided that males would continue to take precedence over females for children born prior to 1990.
28. Thompson, Wayne C. (2013). Nordic, Central, and Southeastern Europe 2013. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN   978-1475804898. .
29. "The Royal Family". royalcourt.no. Norwegian Royal Court. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
30. "Her Royal Highness The Princess". The Royal House of Norway. Archived from the original on 20 January 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
31. "H.K.H. Prinsessens dekorasjoner". Kongehuset. Archived from the original on 17 October 2022. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
32. "Appointment to the Order of St. Olav". The Royal House of Norway. Archived from the original on 21 January 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
33. "Tildeling av Kong Harald Vs jubileumsmedalje 1991-2016". Kongehuset. Archived from the original on 25 January 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
34. "Kongehuset". Archived from the original on 9 January 2017. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
35. "H.K.H. Prinsesse Ingrid Alexandra af Norge tildeles Elefantordenen" [HRH Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway is awarded the Order of the Elephant]. Kongehuset (in Danish). 17 June 2022. Archived from the original on 3 July 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
36. "Logoer - Logos and monograms". rauset.no. Archived from the original on 17 August 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2022.

External links

• Official website of Her Royal Highness Princess Ingrid Alexandra

Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway House of Glücksburg Born: 21 January 2004
Lines of succession
Preceded by The Crown Prince of Norway	Succession to the Norwegian throne 2nd position	Succeeded by Prince Sverre Magnus
Olympic Games
Preceded by Chen Ruolin	Final Youth Olympic torchbearer Lillehammer 2016	Succeeded by Santiago Lange
		Succeeded by Paula Pareto
Preceded by Egon Zimmermann	Final Winter Youth Olympic torchbearer Lillehammer 2016	Succeeded by Gina Zehnder
Preceded by Franz Klammer