King Harald’s 75th Birthday

Today, King Harald turns 75 years old. He was born on February 21st, 1937 at his parents’ home, the country estate of Skaugum, near Oslo. He has two elder sisters, Princess Ragnhild and Princess Astrid, but at that time the Norwegian Constitution of 1814 stipulated that only male heirs could inherit the Throne, therefore he acceded to the Throne when his father passed away on January 17th, 1991.

He became the first Norwegian king who was born in Norway in 567 years. Like his father and grandfather before him, King Harald adopted the motto ‘We give our all for Norway’.

On August 29th, 1968 then Crown Prince Harald married Miss Sonja Haraldsen in Oslo Cathedral. The couple had known each other for nine years before their marriage was approved by the Presidium of the Storting and the King. They have two children, Princess Märtha Louise, born on September 22nd, 1971, and Crown Prince Haakon, born on July 20th, 1973.

King Harald has taken a free-week in connection with his birthday and went abroad together with Queen Sonja. “I will not celebrate. I will not sail either. I am not very concerned about birthdays anymore”, he said. Public celebrations of his and Queen Sonja’s birthday, who also turns 75 on July 4th this year, will be held on May 31st, 2012.

Last week King Harald and Queen Sonja were presented their birthday present from the government, the exhibition ‘Royal Journeys 1905-2005’. The Norwegian Postal Service has issued a special stamp with portraits of the Royal Couple and Norges Bank gave out an anniversary coin on the occasion of their birthdays.

Filed under Norway
Tagged Biography, Birthday, Harald V of Norway, Queen Sonja of Norway, Royal Souvenirs.

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