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01-30-2016, 01:22 PM
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Former Administrator
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Thanks for posting this article! In just a few words, Hans Petter Sjøli has summed up how many monarchists feel and he explained beautifully his feelings.
In fact I couldn't think of a better way to explain the emotional bond that people often feel for an institution they might not understand or approve of - or even know why they feel it!
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JACK
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02-04-2016, 11:55 AM
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Heir Apparent
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One more of the many articles/comments written on the occasion of the jubilee. This was written by Hanne Skartveit, VG's Political editor:
Sonjas erobring av Norge - Kongehuset - VG
Translated by me:
Quote:
Sonja's conquest of Norway
Queen Sonja had to spend time to conquer Norway. Now she is about to be the people Queen.
In her time, the Palace has gone from being a reactionary military barrack for men, to be an inclusive housing for people of different faiths and different social backgrounds. A monarchy where a single mom has been welcomed into the family.
It is 25 years since King Olav died. Harald and Sonja were both well over fifty when they began the mission they had prepared themselves for in a long time. A cold January day in 1991, they went from being the Crown Prince couple to become Norway's King and Queen.
Much to prove
It takes time to become royal. Not formally, of course. When the King dies, the Crown Prince becomes King and the Crown Princess becomes Queen. But it takes time to grow into the role of the people's King and Queen. And Sonja, for her part, had a difficult starting point.
King Harald was easy to love. Despite the fact that he's born royal, he's folksy as type. He is one of us. For Sonja the challenge was the opposite, and much harder. She was one of us, but in one way or another she had to become royal. Not only in title but in our consciousness.
She had to pull back a little. Create a distance. She was long seen as remote, some meant she was cold. Sonja had a lot to prove. She had to be clever, she had to mastering all the codes, convince that she was worthy the role she had received.
In particular, she had to convince her father in law, King Olav. He did not want the Crown Prince to marry an ordinary woman. Sonja was not a good future Queen in Olav's eyes. She was by birth not good enough.
Nor was she good enough for the Norwegian power elite. Both the political Norway and the upper class thought that Harald had to marry a real princess. Politicians feared that the monarchy's position in the people would deteriorate. The upper class in Norway asked each other about Sonja, and when she now thought she was better than them.
The Colonel
But Crown Prince Harald stood up against his father, and against the established Norway. He threatened to remain unmarried if he could not marry the woman he loved.
When Sonja eventually became part of the royal family, after nine years as the Crown Prince's secret lover, she came to something that looked more like a military barrack than a castle. It was then 20 years ago since Olav's wife, Crown Princess Märtha, had died. The royal household had lost its female power. After that the King surrounded himself largely with officers and other tight men.
Sonja became colonel and shoved herself uniformed with soldiers and officers. Quietly, behind the scenes, she must have fought. Literally. King Olav would not even want her to have her own office, but she eventually managed to get the room she needed. A writing desk and a chair, where she could sit in peace and work.
The family business
She has slowly transformed the palace. During her leadership, the palace opened up for a new age. Queen Sonja has simply waged a campaign for gender equality who few have seen and appreciated.
The palace is a big business - a kind of family business where the top job is hereditary. Although today's Crown Prince couple have taken over much of the tasks, the King and Queen still works hard. In an age where most elderly couples have retired, they still travels around in Norway and in the world, and welcomes all kinds of people at the Palace.
I met the Queen for the first time this fall. When she and the King invited various people of faiths to dinner at the Royal Palace. They wanted to give their contribution so people of different faiths and backgrounds could talk together, understand each other and live side by side.
The Queen was visibly touched. Warm, engaged and sincere. In her speech she said that she and the King wants to build bridges between people. Her wish is that the two can play a role in the new Norway, be unifying in a troubled time.
A Norway for all
This is the royal family's most important role: Being a unifying symbol in a diverse society. The State Church
is gone, the church and Christianity plays a lesser role than it did a generation or two ago.
The media image is fragmented, the selection is huge. Not like in my childhood, when there was one TV channel and one radio channel. At that time, Norwegians had a common agenda, and the lunch chat was quite similar to most places.
Today there are many more agendas. Norway is more exciting, more complex. Many more can much more about many more topics. But it also means that there is less that binds us together. Fewer things everyone can talk about. We have sports; especially at major international championships. We have election campaigns every two years. And we have the royal family.
The King and Queen manages to be the glue in a society where people live increasingly different. When the Queen travels to Svalbard to show her sympathy with the victims of the landslide or when the King speaks to terror victims in Oslo Spektrum, then they represent us. They show compassion on behalf of all of us. They allow us to show our compassion through them.
King Harald and Queen Sonja lives up to the King's slogans; "Everything for Norway". They might add, in a new era: In a Norway for everyone.
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Norwegians are girls who love girls, boys who love boys, and girls and boys who love each other. King Harald V speaking in 2016.
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02-10-2016, 01:26 PM
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Heir Apparent
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Kongeparets store jubileumsreise | Kongebloggen - Kjell Arne Totland
Translated by me:
Quote:
The King and Queen's big anniversary trip
Harald and Sonja will meet the people!
King Harald and Queen Sonja will in the period 18th - 29th of June this year, go on an anniversary trip with the royal yacht along the coast of Norway.
The journey is part of the jubilee celebrations.
The royal yacht will visit six cities, as the royal couple also did on their signing mission in 1991 and 1992.
But this time the royal couple will start their voyage in the north.
The journey starts in Tromsø on Saturday 18 June and then continues to Bodo Sunday 19 June, Trondheim on Wednesday 22 and Thursday June 23, Bergen Saturday June 25, Stavanger Monday 27 June and Kristiansand Wednesday June 29 .
The royal yacht will lie in the sea the days without city visits- and give the royal couple the opportunity to rest between the visits.
The program for each city is not yet determined, but it will consist of a large public event for the public in each city. The royal couple will also at each city invite to a garden party for local guests - all selected in cooperation with the County.
On June 23 there will be a big service at Nidaros Cathedral - in memory of the Enthronement in the same place and date 25 years ago. The rest of the royal family will also be in place - and sail from Trondheim with the royal yacht together with the royal couple.
So three generations together can experience a traditional Norwegian Midsummer Eve from the sea!
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Norwegians are girls who love girls, boys who love boys, and girls and boys who love each other. King Harald V speaking in 2016.
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04-07-2016, 04:16 PM
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Heir Apparent
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I've already posted some picture-articles in this thread, but not this one. Highlights from the King and Queen's 25 years on the throne:
Konge og dronning i 25 år - Aftenposten
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Norwegians are girls who love girls, boys who love boys, and girls and boys who love each other. King Harald V speaking in 2016.
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05-10-2016, 01:04 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: -, France
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Quote:
Their Majesties King and Queen's jubilee journey
Their Majesties the King and Queen will in the period 18 to 29 June 2016 carry out an anniversary trip with visits to the towns of Tromsø, Bodø, Trondheim, Bergen, Stavanger and Kristiansand.
The journey is part of the commemoration of the King and Queen's 25th birthday. Kongeskipet "Norway" will be used throughout the trip.
In Trondheim will royal family be present at the celebration worship service in Nidaros Cathedral on 23 June 2016 to commemorate the consecration 25 years ago.
The program for each city is not finally determined, but it will be a people event at each location, and the King and Queen will invite 300 guests to a garden party. Guests are from the respective region and they are picked out in cooperation with the local county governor. Costs associated garden parties covered by the King and Queen.
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Click here to read more on www.kongehuset.no
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05-10-2016, 03:35 AM
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Imperial Majesty
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Eastern Jutland, Denmark
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Thanks for keeping us updated on the schedule. 
I must say that when the Norwegians party, they go all the way!!
90 years of celebrations! Wow. 
(Look at the title of the thread. And delete this post if you wish). 
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05-19-2016, 02:48 PM
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Royal Highness
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That rabbit head thing is enough to give small children nightmares...
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05-20-2016, 01:59 AM
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Heir Apparent
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Let your heart guide you. It whispers, so listen closely. - The Land Before Time
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05-20-2016, 03:33 AM
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Administrator
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**** Welcome aboard! ****
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06-07-2016, 10:16 AM
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Heir Apparent
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Right at the moment, King Harald and Queen Sonja attend the presentation of Stortinget's gift for Their Majesties' 25th anniversary at Oscarshall. Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit are also in attendance.
live stream https://www.nrk.no/nyheter/#1.129867...65308448967000
photo https://twitter.com/fermariello/stat...84232618774529
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Let your heart guide you. It whispers, so listen closely. - The Land Before Time
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06-07-2016, 12:52 PM
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Imperial Majesty
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06-07-2016, 03:59 PM
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Heir Presumptive
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As far as I know Oscarshall is no private property of the RF, is it? So the government made rather a "gift" to the public or itself than to the King and Queen if we want to be fair...I´d prefered something that was really for them and only them!
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06-07-2016, 04:19 PM
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Heir Apparent
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wartenberg7
As far as I know Oscarshall is no private property of the RF, is it? So the government made rather a "gift" to the public or itself than to the King and Queen if we want to be fair...I´d prefered something that was really for them and only them!
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Oscarshall is owned by the state, but it was the King and Queen who wanted this gift from the parliament.
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Norwegians are girls who love girls, boys who love boys, and girls and boys who love each other. King Harald V speaking in 2016.
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06-14-2016, 06:29 AM
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: An Iarmhí, Ireland
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fairy tale
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Here are some additional photos from PPE
PPE Agency
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06-14-2016, 12:31 PM
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Heir Apparent
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__________________
Let your heart guide you. It whispers, so listen closely. - The Land Before Time
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06-14-2016, 01:48 PM
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Heir Apparent
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__________________
Let your heart guide you. It whispers, so listen closely. - The Land Before Time
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06-14-2016, 02:01 PM
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Heir Apparent
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Quote:
Originally Posted by An Ard Ri
Here are some additional photos from PPE
PPE Agency |
Not to be nitpicking, but there seem to be a lot of pics of slighty grumpy faces... did the photographers capture the wrong moments or were they not really enjoying themselves?
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Wisdom begins in wonder - Socrates
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Tags
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crown prince haakon, crown princess mette-marit, haakon, haakon magnus, harald, harald v, ingrid alexandra, jubilee, jubilee celebration, king harald, mette-marit, oslo, prince sverre, prince sverre magnus, princess ingrid alexandra, queen sonja, sonja, sverre magnus  |
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