80th Birthday Celebrations of King Harald V and Queen Sonja

[GrammaSueSue]

Originally Posted by kingen

thanks for all your posts, with translated articles, historical flashbacks and facts, information about the celebrations and the live feed these days.

It has been truly wonderful and invaluable!

amen!!!!!!

[loonytick]

Originally Posted by Mbruno

There is a difference between dressing up (with tiaras and orders) for an official state function (e.g. a state visit) and doing so for events like birthdays. In some countries like the UK or maybe Spain, the latter would probably attract a considerable amount of criticism, whereas the former is not only acceptable, but actually expected.

As far as weddings are concerned, the tradition in the English-speaking countries is to have weddings in the morning , which requires morning suit as dress code. White-tie attire is simply incompatible with English weddings.

Oh, I wasn't referring to dressing up and wearing tiaras, although I know someone else on this thread has mentioned that they wished the British royals held with more of a tiara dress code than a hat one. I'm talking more about how the BRF does things like send a single family ambassador to continental royal events that will be glitzy (such as this birthday celebration) when so many other royal families treat those events as a family gathering and send 5 or 6. Or how the BRF keep many events like birthday celebrations or christenings rather private, while the Scandinavians let cameras in (such as the way we have been able to watch last night's dinner and hear the speeches). There's a different decision about where the wall is between private and public, and I'm just saying that where that wall is built must be at least in part a reflection of a nation's culture and how much the general public wants to see of their royals living a royal lifestyle.

[xenobia]

Originally Posted by ANNIE_S

This is a lovely picture:
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images...pg?w=600&h=995

Thanks for linking! I love that picture - it's so nice to se Mabel here, with all the other royals, and so close to her mother-in-law.

[AdmirerUS]

Originally Posted by Lady Nimue

Every single one is a winner imo. Mary's is a standout. But they are all beautiful. Who is that in the gorgeous green gown? And Sofia looks so cute in the lacy wedding-cake gown. Wonder if it's a girl?

This is a group fashion comment, so apologies. Mr Stewart seemed to group the lades with floral sprinkle gowns and with tiered gowns here. It makes on believe there was a memo of some sort...

[QueenPenny]

Originally Posted by xenobia

Thanks for linking! I love that picture - it's so nice to se Mabel here, with all the other royals, and so close to her mother-in-law.

It's a lovely picture, isn't it? Beatrix looked a little wan in the pictures I saw at the banquet and I was worried that she was ill. Nice to see both her & Mabel looking happy and well.

[rominet09]

What a pleasure to see all these wonderful outfits.... the best being Maxima's I think !

[camelot23ca]

I've enjoyed watching the royal celebrations in Norway this weekend, and the ones in the Netherlands a short time ago, in part because I can't shake the feeling that we're at the tail end of the time period in which these sorts of grand, all out celebrations will occur. As even the most beloved, seemingly secure monarchies start having to account to the public for every penny they spend, (and this will happen to all of the European monarchies, IMO, Monaco maybe being the exception), I think that royal families will start to be seen as a more functional apparatus of the state, with all the limitations that entails. Some of them won't survive the transition. Others will adapt successfully and that means things will look very different in the coming years.

I also think the generation of royals who are now new monarchs or will be soon have always demanded much more of a private life and fought for less and less public exposure as students, as young adults, and now as middle aged parents of school aged children themselves. They've also almost all made a point of how they want to be "normal" in every way they can - the normal school life they had, the normal people they married, the normal way they supposedly function in their private lives, the normal childhood they want for their kids. On a personal level, I sympathize with them very much. On an institutional level, it's difficult to justify any sort of tax payer funded grandeur for a person a country firstly doesn't feel they know well and secondly wants to be, and more and more really is, just like a normal, albeit, wealthy citizen.

[polyesco]

Royals leaving the dinner
Danes and Swedes
http://imultimedia.ctk.cz/storage/fo...101924801.jpeg
http://imultimedia.ctk.cz/storage/fo...101924901.jpeg
http://imultimedia.ctk.cz/storage/fo...101924601.jpeg

watching the Fireworks
http://2.t.cdn.belga.be/belgaimage:1...a84&m=jhbccboa
http://1.t.cdn.belga.be/belgaimage:1...a84&m=klbhgajl
http://1.t.cdn.belga.be/belgaimage:1...a84&m=ophcbobk
http://2.t.cdn.belga.be/belgaimage:1...a84&m=logoakon
http://1.t.cdn.belga.be/belgaimage:1...a84&m=gninmccp

Wonderful King and Queen
http://3.t.cdn.belga.be/belgaimage:1...a84&m=odcolikg

[LadyFinn]

Points for the outfits on both evenings from Expressen (5 is the best)
Sonja och Haralds kalas*– getingbetyg på kungligheter _ Kungligt _ Expressen
Getingbetyg på kungliga gästerna i Oslo _ Kungligt _ Expressen

From Svensk Damtidning from yesterday evening
Se alla bilder! Här anländer kungligheterna till Operan _ Svensk Damtidning
Bästa bilderna från kungliga festkvällen i Oslo _ Svensk Damtidning
http://www.svenskdam.se/wp-content/u...a-breed-tt.jpg

Lots and lots of photos at Robin Utrecht's gallery from Wednesday
The King Harald and Queen Sonja celebration day 2 - Images _ Robin Utrecht _ Photoshelter

Victoria and Daniel on Tuesday
https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net...0d&oe=59B5ACD9

[Muhler]

Someone asked whether the royal guests bring their adjutants and LiWs.
They do. I recognized Victoria's adjutant among them.

[Muhler]

Another Daily Mail article: Prince Frederik and Princess Mary attend banquet in Norway | Daily Mail Online

[LadyFinn]

Three galleries from Getty Images
King and Queen Of Norway Celebrate Their 80th Birthdays Pictures & Royalty Photos | Getty Images

More galleries
King Harald and Queen Sonja 80th birthday celebrations, Oslo 10-05-2017 - Images _ Bernard Rübsamen
IBL Bildbyrå
King Harald's and Queen Sonja's 80th birthdays, Oslo Editorial Photos, Celebrity, News, & Sports Images _ Rex

By Mark Stewart
http://markstewartphotographyltd.tum...ince-daniel-of
http://markstewartphotographyltd.tum...f-wessex-queen
http://markstewartphotographyltd.tum...e-frederick-of
http://markstewartphotographyltd.tum...incess-mary-of

[alicia]

Many thanks, Royal Norway, for the wonderful work you have done - all the links and information you provided have made following this important occasion a very enriching experience for occasional followers like myself.

[rominet09]

Wonderful.... thanks for all these infos

[Iain]

[QUOTE As far as weddings are concerned, the tradition in the English-speaking countries is to have weddings in the morning , which requires morning suit as dress code. White-tie attire is simply incompatible with English weddings.[/QUOTE]


I've never heard of such a tradition. In Scotland weddings always take place in the afternoon, usually around 3p.m. and weddings I've attended in England were also in the afternoon.

[fortimo]

Here is the queen's and the king's speech:
https://www.nrk.no/norge/les-dronnin...ale-1.13510919
https://translate.google.com/transla...919&edit-text=

[Duc_et_Pair]

Originally Posted by camelot23ca

I've enjoyed watching the royal celebrations in Norway this weekend, and the ones in the Netherlands a short time ago, in part because I can't shake the feeling that we're at the tail end of the time period in which these sorts of grand, all out celebrations will occur. As even the most beloved, seemingly secure monarchies start having to account to the public for every penny they spend, (and this will happen to all of the European monarchies, IMO, Monaco maybe being the exception), I think that royal families will start to be seen as a more functional apparatus of the state, with all the limitations that entails. Some of them won't survive the transition. Others will adapt successfully and that means things will look very different in the coming years.

I also think the generation of royals who are now new monarchs or will be soon have always demanded much more of a private life and fought for less and less public exposure as students, as young adults, and now as middle aged parents of school aged children themselves. They've also almost all made a point of how they want to be "normal" in every way they can - the normal school life they had, the normal people they married, the normal way they supposedly function in their private lives, the normal childhood they want for their kids. On a personal level, I sympathize with them very much. On an institutional level, it's difficult to justify any sort of tax payer funded grandeur for a person a country firstly doesn't feel they know well and secondly wants to be, and more and more really is, just like a normal, albeit, wealthy citizen.

Thanks for your post but I disagree. That the royals have to account every penny is nothing new. The annual reports of most monarchies are examples of transparency compared with many of these reports from Departments and State Agencies.

It is exact this openness, this transparency about the costs, which helps the institution, than being secretive and shielding about it. Yes, monarchies come with a prize tag. But the presidential palaces, guards, ceremonials, state banquets and the whole tralala come with a prize tag as well.

The grandeur of the Quirinale in Rome, the massive number of the Garde Républicaine à cheval in France (rivalling the British Queen's Household Cavalry), the imperial surroundings of the Hofburg in Vienna, all is equally paid by the taxpayer, no difference with monarchies. Yes, we see ladies in grand jewels but often these rare more than a Century old and family heirlooms.

Note that the new French President M Macron and his spouse Brigitte can go hunting in the Fôret de Marly, the presidential hunting estate. That they can enjoy the deep Provence in Borme-les-Mimosas, on an idyllic isle with a fortress overlooking the Méditerannée.

All by all, in terms of State Budgets, little will be saved by swapping monarchies. The "downward trend" in showing-off was more in the 1970's and 1980's but have since returned since people realised that every nation need some "theatre of state", grandeur and ceremony.

[Mbruno]

Originally Posted by camelot23ca

I've enjoyed watching the royal celebrations in Norway this weekend, and the ones in the Netherlands a short time ago, in part because I can't shake the feeling that we're at the tail end of the time period in which these sorts of grand, all out celebrations will occur. As even the most beloved, seemingly secure monarchies start having to account to the public for every penny they spend, (and this will happen to all of the European monarchies, IMO, Monaco maybe being the exception), I think that royal families will start to be seen as a more functional apparatus of the state, with all the limitations that entails. Some of them won't survive the transition. Others will adapt successfully and that means things will look very different in the coming years.

I also think the generation of royals who are now new monarchs or will be soon have always demanded much more of a private life and fought for less and less public exposure as students, as young adults, and now as middle aged parents of school aged children themselves. They've also almost all made a point of how they want to be "normal" in every way they can - the normal school life they had, the normal people they married, the normal way they supposedly function in their private lives, the normal childhood they want for their kids. On a personal level, I sympathize with them very much. On an institutional level, it's difficult to justify any sort of tax payer funded grandeur for a person a country firstly doesn't feel they know well and secondly wants to be, and more and more really is, just like a normal, albeit, wealthy citizen.

Royal family events aren't always funded by the taxpayers. If I am not mistaken, King Carl XVi Gustaf's 70th birthday dinner for example was paid for by the king himself.

In any case, the decision to throw a lavish, taxpayer-funded bash on a royal birthday or wedding is made by the government, which is accountable to the parliament and, ultimately, to the voters who elect the members of parliament. If the Norwegian government found it appropriate to have a big public celebration of King Harald's and Queen Sonja's birthdays and pay for it out of public funds, it was probably because they thought that was the right way to thank the royal couple for their service , and also because they thought it wouldn't be controversial, but rather, on the contrary, would actually bring the country together.

[Mbruno]

Originally Posted by Duc_et_Pair

Thanks for your post but I disagree. That the royals have to account every penny is nothing new. The annual reports of most monarchies are examples of transparency compared with many of these reports from Departments and State Agencies.

It is exact this openness, this transparency about the costs, which helps the institution, than being secretive and shielding about it. Yes, monarchies come with a prize tag. But the presidential palaces, guards, ceremonials, state banquets and the whole tralala come with a prize tag as well.

The grandeur of the Quirinale in Rome, the massive number of the Garde Républicaine à cheval in France (rivalling the British Queen's Household Cavalry), the imperial surroundings of the Hofburg in Vienna, all is equally paid by the taxpayer, no difference with monarchies. Yes, we see ladies in grand jewels but often these rare more than a Century old and family heirlooms.

Note that the new French President M Macron and his spouse Brigitte can go hunting in the Fôret de Marly, the presidential hunting estate. That they can enjoy the deep Provence in Borme-les-Mimosas, on an idyllic isle with a fortress overlooking the Méditerannée.

All by all, in terms of State Budgets, little will be saved by swapping monarchies. The "downward trend" in showing-off was more in the 1970's and 1980's but have since returned since people realised that every nation need some "theatre of state", grandeur and ceremony.

I suppose Camelot23ca was not suggesting that royal families should be evicted from the royal palaces or that the pomp and circumstance of official state dinners should be toned down (as it has been the case lately in the French Republic BTW). I guess the point he/she was trying to make is that, in the future, there will be a declining willingness to use public money to pay for celebrations of a private nature like birthdays, weddings or christenings.

Using your example, although the president of the French Republic or, for that matter, the president of the United States have many personal perks, we don't normally see dozens of foreign guests covered in diamonds and expensive ball gowns getting together to celebrate their birthdays. In that sense, kings and queens are not yet "ordinary heads of State" like a president for life.

[carlota]

always a pleasure watching these royal events drawing royals from all over together. it felt sad when WA didn't release pics of his dinner with the royals, but at least this event made up for it with not only 1 but 2 banquets with gala dresses :)

How absolutely delightful the royal ladies looked. i loved how maxima recycled those two fabulous gowns from prinsjesdag (which i adore). nice to see mabel still taking part in these events and looking radiant too! her friendship with beatrix is undeniable.

haakon shaving his beard mid-gala was a highlight! i think it may have to do with an internal joke. to me, it looks like the king and queen wanted him to shave for some time and he refused but gave them the pleasure during the festivities :) i have to admit, i think the beard looks better on him than shaven.

juan carlos looks very frail. the events in his family lately must have taken their toll on him. him and sofia look rather sad compared to the other royals too. interesting to see how the spanish RF sent their emeritus king and queen, whilst the belgians sent their current, younger king and queen. shows how different these events are seen in two different monarchies. the scandis, on the other hand, were all in full attendance, as it should be :)

ms. kogevinas indeed stole the show (not in a positive way though) on the first night. she seemed in good spirits aboard the dannebrog the day after though, so either a) she didn't see her pictures in the press or 2) she is not easily embarrassed.

did sonja's relatives, the haraldsens, attend this event? they used to be regulars in royal events, but perhaps fell out of favours of the norwegian royals. i know pia is a TV celebrity nowadays so hardly someone desirable in these circles.