1905-2005: The future. Maud, Ingrid, Leah and Sverre

[norwegianne]

And so, we've come to a complete circle in our project. We started January, 2005, by publishing a profile of Queen Maud. Since then we've followed suit with the rest of the Norwegian royals - and now, in 2006, the time has come to think about the future for the Norwegian monarchy. After a year dedicated to remembering the 100 years of monarchy in Norway as an independent nation - it is time to consider the future.

In 2003 Maud Angelica Behn was born, as the first female with equal rights to the Norwegian throne. In 2004 her cousin, Princess Ingrid Alexandra was born, and Maud Angelica's sister, Leah Isadora Behn, followed in April 2005. And Prince Sverre Magnus was born in the final days of the year celebrating the centennial of independence - effectively marking it as a year of jubilee for the past the present and the future.

Two of them are born royal - two aren't - but they are all in line to the Norwegian throne. HRH Princess Ingrid Alexandra and her brother Prince Sverre Magnus as second and third, Maud Angelica fifth, and Leah Isadora as the sixth and last person, for the moment, in the line.

We'll take you on a brief trip down memory lane, remembering the moments we've shared while waiting for their births, baptisms, or birthdays.

We sincerely hope you've enjoyed the year now behind us, and that you'll enjoy the years to come.

Mandy and Norwegianne
Norwegian Forum Moderators.

 

[norwegianne]

Maud Angelica Behn.

Claim to fame: Daughter of Princess Märtha Louise of Norway and Ari Behn. 5th in the succession to the Norwegian throne.

Date of birth: 29 April 2003
Place of birth: Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway.
First picture: Taken by Daddy, Ari Behn.
Named for: Queen Maud of Norway. Angelica was a name both Märtha and Ari quite liked.

Interesting trivia: First female born with a right to the Norwegian throne.

Christened on the 100th anniversary of her Great Grandfather, King Olav's birth, in the Royal Chapel. Sponsors were Crown Prince Haakon, Princess Alexandra of Berleburg, Kaare Conradi,Trond Giske, Marianne Ulrichsen, Anja Sabrina Bjoershol.


At the photoshoot that Christmas, Maud Angelica was the star. In the new year she moved with her parents to New York.

But the family returned to Norway for Christmas, and "Cousin" Marius took good care of Maud Angelica at the annual photo shoot. But that Christmas she had to share the spotlight with the recent addition to the family, cousin Ingrid Alexandra. There was also a new addition to the Behn family on the way, and in April, 2005, Maud Angelica became a big sister. By that time, the family had moved back to Norway - and into the Summer House at Bloksbjerg, while waiting for the renovations at their house in Lommedalen to finish.

Maud Angelica is currently attending a nature Kindergarten, spending much time around animals. Attendance at events such as Føling i Fjæra and Oslo Horse Show, suggests that her parents are eager to share their favourite things with their children.

 

[norwegianne]

Her Royal Highness Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway.

Claim to Fame: Daugher of Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and Princess Mette-Marit. 2nd in the succession to the Norwegian throne and future queen of Norway.

Date of birth: 21 January 2004
Place of birth: Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
First picture: By Haakon.
Named for: Queen Ingrid of Norway, Ingrid Svendsdatter, spouse of king Olav Kyrre. She lived from 1069 to 1093. Ingrid is named for her, as well as Mette-Marit's paternal grandmother, Ingrid. Alexandra was chosen as a tribute to King Olav, who was called Alexander for the first years of his life.

Interesting trivia: Unless something drastic happens, in time she will be the first reigning Norwegian queen since 1412, and the first one born with a right to the throne.

Christened on April 17, 2004 in the Royal Chapel. Sponsors were King Harald, Princess Märtha Louise, Crown Prince Frederik, Prince Felipe, Crown Princess Victoria and Marit Tjessem.

Ingrid Alexandra was quite the jet-setting baby, and stole the spotlight at her parents' visit to Iceland. She also accompanied them to Denmark for Frederik and Mary's wedding, to Spain for Felipe and Letizia's wedding and to (what wedding was after that?).

Nowadays, Ingrid has settled down a bit, and is currently attending daycare close to home for some time every week.

 

[norwegianne]

Leah Isadora Behn.

Claim to Fame: Daughter of Princess Märtha Louise of Norway and Ari Behn. 6th in the succession to the Norwegian throne.

Date of birth: 8 April 2005
Place of birth: Bloksbjerg, Hankø
First picture: By Ari Behn.
Named for: Princess Leia in the Star Wars movies, and Isadora Duncan, famous dancer.
Interesting trivia: News about her went around the world, after mother Märtha Louise let it slip that she was named for Princess Leia of Star Wars.

Christened 16 June 2005 at the Palace Chapel. She was carried to the baptismal font by her grandmother Queen Sonja. Sponsors were Queen Sonja, Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands, Märtha Louise's friends Gry Brusletto and Katharina Salbu, Ari Behn's brother Espen Bjørshol, Didrik Vigsnæs, (the husband of Princess Märtha Louise's best friend, Marianne Ulrichsen) and Ari Behn's friend composer Jon Andreas Håtun, better known by his stage name Jono El Grande.

 

[norwegianne]

Prince Sverre Magnus of Norway

Claim to Fame: Son of Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and Princess Mette-Marit. 3rd in the succession to the Norwegian throne.

Date of birth: 3 December 2005
Place of birth: Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
First picture: By Haakon
Named for: Both Sverre and Magnus are royal Norwegian names. King Sverre was born in the Faroe Islands, and fought his way to the Norwegian throne, with a dubious claim. He is mentioned in the Norwegian national anthem. There have been several Norwegian kings named Magnus; Magnus the Good, Magnus Haraldsson, Magnus Barefeet, Magnus the Blind, Magnus Erlingsson, Magnus the Lawmaker and Magnus Eiriksson. The two combined are a solid tie-in to Norwegian history.
Interesting trivia: While being after his sister in the line of succession to the Norwegian throne, he actually precedes her in the British one. Both of them, however, are so far down in the line to the British throne, that it would take a disaster of major proportions before it would actually happen.

 

[Mandy]

Maud Angelica

Baptism Thread
Current Events Thread


Ingrid Alexandra

Birth Thread
Baptism Thread
Current Events Thread 1
Current Events Thread 2
Current Events Thread 3
Current Events Thread 4


Leah Isadora

Birth Thread
Baptism Thread
Current Events Thread 1


Sverre Magnus

Birth Thread
Baptism Thread
Current Events Thread 1
Current Events Thread 2

 

[norwegianne]

With Sverre's Christening this weekend, we bring you the last part of the 1905-2005 project. Sorry it was delayed.