King Harald And Queen Sonja Current Events: July 2004 - June 2005

[Mandy]

Thank you. Now, do you mind if I post the pictures on the Crown Princess Mary Board? I can put them in my photobucket too, to make it easier and not steal your bandwidth. Thanks again.

You're welcome. I don't mind if you copy the pictures to your photobucket account. Enjoy!

 

[norwegianne]

The art of being Sonja.

GUNNAR HULTGREEN
26.02.2005, 10:47

NEW YORK (Dagbladet): Dronning Sonja tok seg tid til selv å vise Dagbladet rundt i utstillingslokalene til Scandinavia House i New York i går.

NEW YORK: Queen Sonja took the time to show Dagbladet around in the gallery of Scandinavia House in New York yesterday.

On Monday the Queen will open the unique exhibit in Manhattan. Paintings from her own private collection of art will for the first time be shown for the public overseas. Only once before have these paintings been shown publicly in Norway. At the same time the Queen is also making her debut as an artist. Her own photographs, taken on trips in the mountains of Sunnmøre, is being shown.

IN SPITE OF the last hectic work, it is a brilliant beaming queen being met by Dagbladet.

"Clearly I'm excited. You would probably be so, too, if your pictures were being exhibited," Queen Sonja says.

19 photographs adorn one of the exhibit-walls in the gallery of Scandinavia House. Together with the Queen's pictures, work of the artist Ørnulf Opdahl is also exhibited.

"It is an honour to be able to exhibit with the Queen. But it is even more fun to be on a trip with her. She's a real mountain goat. You need to be in good shape to keep up with her on the mountain, you know," Ørnulf Opdahl says to Dagbladet.

THE EXHIBIT is divided in two. While the Queen's photographs and Ørnulf Opdahl's pictures hangs on a floor of their own, Scandinavia House have cleared space on another floor for the Queen's unique art collection.

"These are paintings I have collected myself. Art that is hanging on the walls of the Palace in everyday life. The paintings that accompany us to New York, I have picked out myself."

"All the paintings mean something special to me. I can't point out just one favourite," the queen says.

THE THEME FOR THE EXHIBIT is nature. Norwegian nature. The queen naturally hopes that the exhibits will generate interest for Norway in the United States.

There is no doubt that the painting "Stone and Moss" by Jakob Weidemann means something special for the queen.

"It was the first large picture I bought, in 1961, actually. For years it hung over my bed. I remember that my mother was afraid that it would fall down and hurt me," the Queen tells Dagbladet.

"It's going to be very personal to show paintings from my own private collection. And the photographs I have taken myself doesn't make it less personal," Queen Sonja says to Dagbladet.

 

[norwegianne]

http://www.dagbladet.no/kultur/2005/02/26/424564.html Article in Norwegian, plus some of the pictures.

 

[Mandy]

Here is the thread where you will find the pictures and articles about King Harald and Queen Sonja's trip to the United Nations and the United States. Enjoy posting!

 

[HMQueenElizabethII]

Will Their Majesties have any visits for the next time?I mean before June.

 

[GrandDuchess]

King Harald was in Holmenkollen today to enjoy the classic skiing competitions together with his sister Princess Astrid. Here are a few pictures, posted by Lisa on the Scandinavian Royals Message Board:

 

[Lyonnaise]

from Polfoto.. King Harald at the skiiing competition

 

[Josefine]

press conference at the royal castle in about 45 minutes the topic is unknown

 

[KikkiB]

The court have issued a pressconference real soon today.

Just read on tv that the Norwegian court has issued a speedy pressconference!! It said that it isn't common that the court does this, so it must be something important! And since I don't know what it is yet I post my message here I'll keep you posted as soon as the pressconference is on!

 

[KikkiB]

The king has to undergo heart surgery!

The king has to undergo heart surgery. It is not serious! He has had troubles with his heart for some time. One of his heart flaps doesn't work properly, there is a narrowness in his heart making the blood flow slower. It is not an uncommon with men in the kings age. He will be operated after easter, so that he still can participate in some of the centennial celebrations. He will be on sick leave for about two months.

 

[Mandy]

From www.bt.dk (Translation summary please)

Borgmester-medalje til Sonja
Norges dronning Sonja fik en flot medaljepåskønnelse fra Washingtons borgmester, da hun besøgte »Thomson Elementary School«, hvor sjetteklasse-elever har haft travlt med et projekt om Norge i anledning af, at Norge i år har været selvstændigt kongedømme i 100 år. Dronning Sonja var mere end tilfreds med elevernes præstation og også med det minde, hun fik om besøget. cath/Foto: Reuters

 

[HMQueenElizabethII]

The king has to undergo heart surgery. It is not serious! He has had troubles with his heart for some time. One of his heart flaps doesn't work properly, there is a narrowness in his heart making the blood flow slower. It is not an uncommon with men in the kings age. He will be operated after easter, so that he still can participate in some of the centennial celebrations. He will be on sick leave for about two months.

Oh that so sad.I'm really sorry for the Royal Family,and the Norwegians at the beginning of their Centennial year.I hope he can recover the sick.

 

[HMQueenElizabethII]

The king has to undergo heart surgery. It is not serious! He has had troubles with his heart for some time. One of his heart flaps doesn't work properly, there is a narrowness in his heart making the blood flow slower. It is not an uncommon with men in the kings age. He will be operated after easter, so that he still can participate in some of the centennial celebrations. He will be on sick leave for about two months.

That really sad.I'm really sorry for his family and the Norwegian.It's so sad at their respectable King get sick and surgery at the beggining of their centennial year.But i really hope that The king's health will be better.

 

[Larzen]

Queen Sonja was present for the inaguration of the new bishop, together with Haakon and Mette-Marit, they were also present for "church coffe" at Oslo Town Hall after the ceremony in the church (colourpress.com)

 

[HMQueenElizabethII]

According to GREMB,Queen Sonja and PM Bondevik will attend the funeral of Pope John Paul II on Friday.

 

[norwegianne]

Queen Sonja and Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik will represent Norway at the funeral of his Holiness Pope John Paul II. Bishop Finn Wagle from Nidaros will represent the Norwegian Church.

 

[HMQueenElizabethII]

Queen Sonja at Pope's funeral:

1.Queen Sonja talking to President Hamid Karzai
2.Queen Sonja tands next to Queen Silvia

 

[Genevieve]

Queen Sonja at Pope's funeral:

1.Queen Sonja talking to President Hamid Karzai
2.Queen Sonja tands next to Queen Silvia

Why did Queen Sonja wear a hat at the Pope's funeral while the other women (royal and otherwise) wore the lace coverings?

It sure has been a rollar coaster of a week for Queen Sonja: attending the Pope's funeral, a second surgery for her husband plus the birth of her third granddaughter.

 

[GrandDuchess]

Queen Sonja today, Monday 11 April, as she attended the International Donor Country Conference on Sudan in Oslo. Pictures from Imagine:

 

[GrandDuchess]

Queen Sonja to Prince Rainier's funeral!

A press release from the Royal Court today annouced that Queen Sonja will represent the Royal Family and Norway at the funeral of Prince Rainier in Monaco on Friday, 15 April. It has also been decided that the flag at the palace balcony will fly at half mast during the funeral.

 

[GrandDuchess]

A few more of Queen Sonja today, Monday 11 April, as she attended the International Donor Country Conference on Sudan in Oslo. Here she is with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and his Swedish wife Nane. Pictures from AAP:

 

[Larzen]

Thanks for the pictures Grandduchess , here are some future events for Queen Sonja, there might be changes and additions


Today there was also a medal ceremony, which I suppose either the Queen or the Crown Princess precided over as Haakon is in Japan, there is another one on wednesday.

Friday the 15 The Queen will attend the funeral of Prince Rainier in Monaco

Wednesday 20th The Queen will be present when Vega becomes a UNESCO world heritage site

Friday 22 The Queen will be in Ullensvang for a Festival called "food and cultural landscape"

Saturday 23 The Queen is in Bergen for the opeing of of the exhibition "Havland"

Thursday 28th The Queen and Crown Princess are present for the exhibiton called "Norwegians and Swedes" in Oslo

Friday 29 The Queen will be on the go again, this time to Haugesund for the opeing of a historical center

May

Monday 2 The Queen wll be present when the parade street Karl Johan reopens after beeing under renvation for a long time, its the stree leading up to the palace

Monday 9th The Queen and CP couple will be present for the opening of the visitors center at Eidsvoll, that is where our constitution was written

10-13 Statevisit from Japan, Two days in Oslo and two days in Trondheim

Friday 13 The Queen will open Hardange music fetival in Ullensvang

Saturday 14 The Queen opens Folgefonn nationalpark

Quite a busy scheduel for a woman closing on 70 and with a husband that has had two major operations in a year

******
Princess Astrid Mrs Ferner will be present for a jubileum at Oslo Townhall on the 21 of April, dont know how to translate "Rederiforening"

 

[GrandDuchess]

And here are two bigger pics without any annoying marks on, of Queen Sonja today, Monday 11 April, as she attended the International Donor Country Conference on Sudan in Oslo. Here she is with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and his Swedish wife Nane. Pictures from Fotomarktplatz:

Thursday 28th The Queen and Crown Princess are present for the exhibiton called "Norwegians and Swedes" in Oslo

Hm, I wonder if this exhibition will be a neutral one - and not playing on our friendly competitiveness, we wouldn't want to have a whole exhibition full of Norway and Sweden jokes (you know the ones about a Dane, a Norwegian and a Bellman )

 

[HMQueenElizabethII]

Thanks Larzen for the future events.

 

[HMQueenElizabethII]

So this year Norway only have the"State Visit" of the Japanese Emperor?Does anybody know how many State Visits Norway often have a year?

 

[Larzen]

There are usually two incomming and two outgoing statevisits a year, this year might be a little different because of all the celebrations of the centennial with a lot of travelling, though mostly labeled official visits, and not statevisits. However many if the visits will be quite grand, during the Swedish visit in June the King(or CrownPrince) is supposed to host a grand ball at the palace, and it seems the visit to Queen Elizabeth will now be a statevisit, albeit I have not seen any official confirmation on that. There will also be a ball at the palace in November as well as a gala dinner at Akershus the day before. And the King and Queen will also make official visits to Sweden, Denmark and one more to Amerika, at least those were the plans before the King got sick again.

The royal court has continued to publish pictures from all the official events, even the low key ones, hopefully they will keep up this good trend

Here is Queen Sonja who presided over a medal ceremony on Monday

 

[Anita]

One more pic of Queen Sonja during the Conference on Sudan in Oslo, April 11, 2005 :

 

[HMQueenElizabethII]

Lovely!Thanks lot.

 

[Josefine]

what is Kongsseteren

 

[norwegianne]

Kongseteren is a villa lying in Voksenkollen, near Holmenkollen, in Oslo. It was a gift to King Haakon and Queen Maud when they came to the country, and built to look like traditional Norwegian "stabbur" (Food house). It's one of the royal family's private properties.

The King and Queen lives there during most of the winter, as their predecessors also did.