General News & Information for King Harald V and Queen Sonja: 2006 -

[ROYAL NORWAY]

Originally Posted by Tatiana Maria

I wasn't aware that Sonja was trained to take over her father's business. As her father died before she was married, did she actually administer the business for several years? In any event, I'm sure it gave her an appreciation of hard work and enriched her talents as crown princess and queen.

No, she didn't! - After her father died in 1959, the family-business (which now mainly consists of renting out properties, I think) was run by her late brother Haakon Haraldsen (1921-2016), and since by his children.

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Originally Posted by Tatiana Maria

It is interesting that Queen Sonja hopes Maud Behn will become an artist "for [Maud's] sake"; is it simply because of the queen's admiration for artists or does she perhaps see it as a particularly appropriate vocation for a member of the royal family?

Let's go through what she said:

But this evening there is a party for one of her five grandchildren. Are any of them artistic? I ask.

‘My children, no,’ she replies. ‘But some of the grandchildren, I think. Especially the eldest [Maud]. She’s 15, and I think she may be an artist. I hope so, anyway. For her sake!’

Well, having seen a lot of TV-interviews with the Queen, I'm pretty sure she meant it in a humorous way (without thinking that long before she said it), like: ''For her sake, because she would REALLY miss out of a lot of fun-stuff, if she doesn't goes for it.''

[Tatiana Maria]

Originally Posted by ROYAL NORWAY

No, she didn't! - After her father died in 1959, the family-business (which now mainly consists of renting out properties, I think) was run by her late brother Haakon Haraldsen (1921-2016), and since by his children.

Perhaps the beginning of her relationship with Harald was involved in the family's decision to hand the business to her brother? I imagine some traditionalists would have been critical of a future crown princess having a career.

Originally Posted by ROYAL NORWAY

Let's go through what she said:

Well, having seen a lot of TV-interviews with the Queen, I'm pretty sure she meant it in a humorous way (without thinking that long before she said it), like: ''For her sake, because she would REALLY miss out of a lot of fun-stuff, if she doesn't goes for it.''

Thanks! Humor is lost in translation from time to time.

[ROYAL NORWAY]

Originally Posted by Tatiana Maria

Perhaps the beginning of her relationship with Harald was involved in the family's decision to hand the business to her brother?

I don't know, have unsuccessfully been trying to find some information about it.

Originally Posted by Tatiana Maria

I imagine some traditionalists would have been critical of a future crown princess having a career.

Well, the ''women staying at home stuff'' was starting to change here during the 1960s, so I don't think many would've had a major problem with that. - And Sonja being in charge of her family's then renowned clothing business would just have made her case even more to the critical voices, I think. I.e. King Olav V, the court, politicians and last but not least, the press.
But she would have had to give it up anyway, when she became Crown Princess, so perhaps both she and her family thought it was easier to just hand it over to her brother.



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In other news. - Those of you who follow The NRF-website, will already know this: King Harald and Queen Sonja to Seefeld.

I for one thought CP Haakon (or perhaps even The Queen by herself) would be the one going, but again, the sports-mad King clearly feels up to it, although it can't be that easy for a frail 82-year-old (as he will be then) to sit out on that cold stadium watching all those competitions.

[Tatiana Maria]

Originally Posted by ROYAL NORWAY

I don't know, have unsuccessfully been trying to find some information about it.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by ROYAL NORWAY

Well, the ''women staying at home stuff'' was starting to change here during the 1960s, so I don't think many would've had a major problem with that.

That makes the position clearer. But I wonder if the same side who held it necessary to restrain the crown prince from marrying a commoner (were they a majority or minority in Norway in the 1960s?) really would be "modern" enough at the same time to agree with the changes to women working outside the home.

Originally Posted by ROYAL NORWAY

- And Sonja being in charge of her family's then renowned clothing business would just have made her case even more to the critical voices, I think. I.e. King Olav V, the court, politicians and last but not least, the press.

In light of your comments here and in the Marius thread, it gives the impression that Norwegians, with respect to their royal family, are refreshingly unconcerned with whether jobs are suitably "royal" and admire a durable work ethic first and foremost.

Originally Posted by ROYAL NORWAY

But she would have had to give it up anyway, when she became Crown Princess, so perhaps both she and her family thought it was easier to just hand it over to her brother.

An interesting thought, as that line of thinking would signify their regard for Sonja's future acceptance into the Royal House as more likely than not. In light of what you said above, though, perhaps it would have been more astute to enact their original plan.

Originally Posted by ROYAL NORWAY

In other news. - Those of you who follow The NRF-website, will already know this: King Harald and Queen Sonja to Seefeld.

I for one thought CP Haakon (or perhaps even The Queen by herself) would be the one going, but again, the sports-mad King clearly feels up to it, although it can't be that easy for a frail 82-year-old (as he will be then) to sit out on that cold stadium watching all those competitions.

My guess is that he is too passionate of a sports enthusiast to willingly give it up.

[ROYAL NORWAY]

Originally Posted by Tatiana Maria

That makes the position clearer. But I wonder if the same side who held it necessary to restrain the crown prince from marrying a commoner (were they a majority or minority in Norway in the 1960s?) really would be "modern" enough at the same time to agree with the changes to women working outside the home.

Well, there wasn't really a side, since almost every politician (from all parties) and a unanimous press were against it (the marriage, I mean). - And Sonja had in fact already helped out her brother by working period-wise for the family-business in the years leading up to the wedding.

''Were they a majority or minority in Norway in the 1960s?''
Good question! - And with the word ''they,'' I assume you mean ordinary Norwegians? Hmm, most were probably skeptical at first, but there is broad agreement among living politicians and journalists from the time (and those who have been alive until recently) that a large majority were happy that CP Harald would finally get the chance to marry his Sonja.

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Originally Posted by Tatiana Maria

In light of your comments here and in the Marius thread, it gives the impression that Norwegians, with respect to their royal family, are refreshingly unconcerned with whether jobs are suitably "royal" and admire a durable work ethic first and foremost.

Yes, but there are exceptions, such as Märtha standing in a room teaching paying-people to speak with angels.

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Originally Posted by Tatiana Maria

An interesting thought, as that line of thinking would signify their regard for Sonja's future acceptance into the Royal House as more likely than not. In light of what you said above, though, perhaps it would have been more astute to enact their original plan.

They were most likely thinking about the stability of the business.

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Originally Posted by Tatiana Maria

My guess is that he is too passionate of a sports enthusiast to willingly give it up.

Yes, and today (as you know), he began his two-day stay attending the Norwegian Championships in Cross-country skiing in Meråker.
And as people can see in the current-event thread, he was in great spirit.

[Tatiana Maria]

Originally Posted by ROYAL NORWAY

Well, there wasn't really a side, since almost every politician (from all parties) and a unanimous press were against it (the marriage, I mean). - And Sonja had in fact already helped out her brother by working period-wise for the family-business in the years leading up to the wedding.

''Were they a majority or minority in Norway in the 1960s?''
Good question! - And with the word ''they,'' I assume you mean ordinary Norwegians? Hmm, most were probably skeptical at first, but there is broad agreement among living politicians and journalists from the time (and those who have been alive until recently) that a large majority were happy that CP Harald would finally get the chance to marry his Sonja.

It's quite interesting that, in a democratic constitutional monarchy, the beliefs of the politicians and press in respect to the monarchy diverged so substantially from the beliefs of the ordinary people. Of course that seems to be a commonplace event in many democratic monarchies, not only Norway, but it is especially remarkable in this case seeing that the possibility of the monarchy losing popularity with the public was an argument used against allowing the marriage.

Originally Posted by ROYAL NORWAY

Yes, but there are exceptions, such as Märtha standing in a room teaching paying-people to speak with angels.

Is it the payment or the angels which discomfits Norwegians the most?

Originally Posted by ROYAL NORWAY

They were most likely thinking about the stability of the business.

I can understand that. But it would have been interesting if the business had been inherited by Sonja as planned - I think she would have been the first modern queen consort in Europe to have run her own business.

[JR76]

Originally Posted by ROYAL NORWAY

Good question! - And with the word ''they,'' I assume you mean ordinary Norwegians? Hmm, most were probably skeptical at first, but there is broad agreement among living politicians and journalists from the time (and those who have been alive until recently) that a large majority were happy that CP Harald would finally get the chance to marry his Sonja.

My impression from all the programs done around the time of their Gold wedding was that initially the Norwegians were against the mere thought of their Crown Prince marrying a commoner, but that public opinion changed as the romance went on especially after it reached the critical stage and became a political matter.

[JR76]

Originally Posted by Tatiana Maria

I think she would have been the first modern queen consort in Europe to have run her own business.

Business or not, she is the only queen I know of that has a gold record

[ROYAL NORWAY]

Originally Posted by Tatiana Maria

It's quite interesting that, in a democratic constitutional monarchy, the beliefs of the politicians and press in respect to the monarchy diverged so substantially from the beliefs of the ordinary people. Of course that seems to be a commonplace event in many democratic monarchies, not only Norway, but it is especially remarkable in this case seeing that the possibility of the monarchy losing popularity with the public was an argument used against allowing the marriage.

As I wrote in the previous post, most ordinary people ''were probably sceptical at first,'' since they were not used to that royals married commoners. Although Princesses Ragnhild & Astrid did it to much criticism from politicians/media in 1953 and 1961 (especially the latter one, since she married a divorcee), but neither of them was the heir, which made it a bit easier.
And remember that Sonja was a proper woman who came from a good family - and that she and the CP had been waiting for 9 years.

And the politicians/commentators who were against it at the time, have later said that while they first feared that public-support for the monarchy would ''go down-hill'' in the event of The Crown Prince marrying Sonja, they finaly realised that most people would indeed accept it, yes, even support it. - And that was before they heard about CP Harald's so-called ''I will remain unmarried'' ultimatum to his father in 1967, although they still meant that the heir should marry a foreign royal, because ''she would be used to royal-life'' and last but not least, it was what ''one used to do.''
But after the wedding, when they saw how the then CP Sonja handled her new role and how happy the once grumpy Crown Prince had become, they ''regretted'' their previous thoughts.

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Originally Posted by Tatiana Maria

Is it the payment or the angels which discomfits Norwegians the most?

I will say both! And then I mean the media/church, since it is difficult to know exactly what ordinary Norwegians think about it, although some polls conducted in the late 2000s showed that a majority believed it ''weakened the monarchy.''

But let's take both issues:

Talking to angels: The opinion of media-commentators (most of them pro-royal) is that it ridicules the monarchy, which I very much agree with. - Because although she's no longer a member of The Royal House, she is still a titled daughter of the monarch.
While The Church of Norway (as some of you already know from Ingrid's confirmation thread), of which Märtha is still a member, has accused her of going against Evangelical-Lutheran teaching. - A religion, which the monarch is dictated by the constitution to ''at all times profess.''

Taking money to teach others to do the same: Some commentators (again, most of them pro-monarchy) have accused her of ''exploiting vulnerable people for money,'' while others have called it ''pure fraud.''



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Originally Posted by JR76

My impression from all the programs done around the time of their Gold wedding was that initially the Norwegians were against the mere thought of their Crown Prince marrying a commoner, but that public opinion changed as the romance went on especially after it reached the critical stage and became a political matter.

Although, it was very much a ''political matter'' from the rumors of a relationship began and until they were allowed to marry, I think it probably was (as several politicians/commentators from the time have said) because people felt sorry for The Crown Prince having had to wait all those years. - And the fact that ''they finally realized that royals were human too,'' as the now 90-year-old former Prime Minister, Kåre Willoch said it some years ago.

People can read more about it in this post: Golden Wedding Anniversary of King Harald V and Queen Sonja.

[ROYAL NORWAY]

Kjell Arne Totland @TV2KjellArne
50 YEARS AGO... #CrownPrincessSonja of #Norway poses for new official pictures in her husband’s office at #RoyalPalace in #Oslo. - dressed in the same gown that she wore at #Akershus the day before her wedding. And for the first time she wears the big diamond tiara & earrings (link).

And with ''the big diamond tiara & earrings,'' he meant (as most of you will know when you click on the picture) Queen Josephine's Diamond Tiara (link) and The Diamond Pendant Earrings (link).