Ingrid Alexandra's 18th birthday: 21 January, 2022 & birthday celebrations

[Izzie]

Post on the Danish Royal Family's Instagram about the Order of the Elephant presented to Ingrid Alexandra
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce8Hefdg...d=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Also on the DRF Instagram....a post about attending the gala
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce71A1sj...d=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

[Tatiana Maria]

Originally Posted by LadyFinn

Princess Ragnhild’s children gave the tiara to Princess Ingrid Alexandra as their gift on her 18th birthday. “Princess Ragnhild wanted Ingrid Alexandra to have Grandmother’s tiara,” said Princess Astrid.
Wearing her great-great-grandmother’s tiara - The Royal House of Norway

Originally Posted by Stefan

One wonders why Princess Ragnhild did not leave the tiara directly to the Princess if that was her wish.

As the announcement states that it was Princess Ragnhild's children (implying all three of them) who carried out her personal wish, it would seem they had instructions or a shared understanding of how their mother wanted the tiara to be given.

As to speculation: Personally, it seems more meaningful to present it to mark a special occasion for an adult princess than to leave it in a will to an 8-year-old (Princess Ragnhild passed away in 2012). Or perhaps there are different tax implications of a gift versus an inheritance?

Originally Posted by JGio

As far as I understood, Princess Astrid said so. I believe she’s a credible and reliable source.

Agreed. I see no reason for Princess Astrid to be dishonest about this matter (especially since there was no need to mention Princess Ragnhild's personal wishes at all).

[lucien]

Originally Posted by Lady Daly

Princess Ingrid Alexandra and King Harald leading royal procession to the Banqueting Hall.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Ce6rQ...d=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

HM looking frail,and in pain.Poor man.

[Duc_et_Pair]

Originally Posted by Stefan

One wonders why Princess Ragnhild did not leave the tiara directly to the Princess if that was her wish.

The late Princess Ragnhild and Princess Ingrid Alexandra are related in 4 degrees of consanguity. When she died, there was still an inheritance tax in Norway (now abolished), apart from the enforced heirship rules to her estate.

I do not know if the Princess' estate was subjected to Brazilean or Norwegian succession rules and taxes, but I can imagine leaving it to her children, with a remainder, was a better arrangement than leaving it to her great-niece (9 years old when Ragnhild passed away).

Just a guess. Any guess is as good as it is.

[W.Y.CII]

In the group photo Elisabeth is oddly standing between the Norwegians (Martha Louise’s family and Crown Princely couple's sons). Should it be: [Martha Louise and family] [Marius and Magnus (right behind their parents)] [other crown prince/ss (E, C-A, HGD)]? Now it's like Elisabeth is a member of the family (well she distantly is ). Wondering is it because W-A would block Elisabeth in the above arrangement.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce6knfcI...d=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

[Blog Real]

Speech by Princess Ingrid Alexandra:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gsGkpN...ature=youtu.be

More pictures:
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce8A9zbo...d=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

[principessa]

I wonder about the fact that none of the greek attendants had posted pictures on instagram. That is strange. Usually they are quite early with postings!

[Muhler]

Originally Posted by Izzie

Post on the Danish Royal Family's Instagram about the Order of the Elephant presented to Ingrid Alexandra
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce8Hefdg...d=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Also on the DRF Instagram....a post about attending the gala
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce71A1sj...d=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Aha, so it was an old elephant IA got. Restored and brushed up for the occasion. Because the text states that QMII's monogram was painted on the elephant and QMII has after all been Queen for quite a few years!

No new elephants are made, unless the DRF run short of elephants or some of the old ones are lost. Otherwise the elephants are put in storage when the holder dies and the elephant returned, until someone new is presented with the order - in this case IA.

There are, I understand, 72 elephants in service at present, both in circulation and in storage.
Some of them are very old!
You can literally tell, I'm informed. The more "stocky" and "square-legged" the elephant is, the older it is. Simply because the sculptors had never seen a live elephant, but only illustrations.

[Prinsara]

Originally Posted by W.Y.CII

NRF always speak American English. Harald probably got that when he's in US during WWII, and Haakon had studied in US and has AE accent as well, same for Mette-Marit.

In fact, they do not. Sonja has a pronounced non-American accent when she speaks English, as does Haakon (despite Berkeley). Harald can switch between British and US, but tends to only use his American in the US, seemingly. Don't know how MM sounds. Going back further, King Olav naturally spoke perfect royal British RP, so that's 3 generations, three different English accents, now four considering IA and Harald's are very different.

It is likely Ingrid was taught this version of English at school, but the family is a very mixed grab bag as far as English goes, especially since they don't speak it amongst themselves.

[Mbruno]

Originally Posted by tihkon2

Still wondering if there was any significance to all the Greek and Bulgarian young folks being there besides family friendship....

The Greeks are distant cousins of the Norwegian royal family in more than one line, as they all descend both from Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and King Christian IX of Denmark.

Originally Posted by Muhler

Aha, so it was an old elephant IA got. Restored and brushed up for occasion. Because the text states that QMII's monogram was painted on the elephant and QMII has after all been Queen for quite a few years!

No new elephants are made, unless the DRF run short of elephants or some of the old ones are lost. Otherwise the elephants are put in storage when the holder dies and the elephant returned, until someone new is presented with the order - in this case IA.

There are, I understand, 72 elephants in service at present, both in circulation and in storage.
Some of them are very old!

I believe that is the norm for most of the older European orders of chivalry and is also the case for the Garter or the Golden Fleece for example, i.e. the insignia (or part of it) must be returned when the knight passes away and is then presented to a new inductee, sometimes within the same family in the case of royal knights.

Originally Posted by principessa

I wonder about the fact that none of the greek attendants had posted pictures on instagram. That is strange. Usually they are quite early with postings!

Prince Achileas-Andreas was on the official guest list, but I believe he was not at the dinner yesterday. I wonder what happened for him to pull out of the event at the last minute after having confirmed his presence.

Originally Posted by Prinsara

In fact, they do not. Sonja has a pronounced non-American accent when she speaks English, as does Haakon (despite Berkeley). Harald can switch between British and US, but tends to only use his American in the US, seemingly. Don't know how MM sounds. Going back further, King Olav naturally spoke perfect royal British RP, so that's 3 generations, three different English accents, now four considering IA and Harald's are very different.

It is likely Ingrid was taught this version of English at school, but the family is a very mixed grab bag as far as English goes, especially since they don't speak it amongst themselves.

I have interacted professionally with colleagues from several regions/countries in Europe (Spain/Portugal, Benelux, Germany, France, Greece, Italy, Scandinavia, Switzerland, and, more rarely, Eastern Europe). Normally they either speak English with a foreign accent (especially people from Southern Europe and France, sometimes also from Germany), which is perfectly normal, or they speak with what I call the neutral "international English" accent that is generally closer to an American pronunciation, but not quite with the General American vowels and intonation. It is interesting that, although British spelling and vocabulary are normally taught in continental Europe, it is very rare to find a non-Brit in the continent who speaks English with a British accent. I also think that is understandable because, first, British accents, even standard RP, are more difficult to learn or acquire than other English dialects in my humble, non-expert opinion, and, second, people overseas are generally more exposed to US media (movies, TV, music, etc.) than British content.

[JR76]

Originally Posted by Prinsara

In fact, they do not. Sonja has a pronounced non-American accent when she speaks English, as does Haakon (despite Berkeley). Harald can switch between British and US, but tends to only use his American in the US, seemingly. Don't know how MM sounds. Going back further, King Olav naturally spoke perfect royal British RP, so that's 3 generations, three different English accents, now four considering IA and Harald's are very different.



It is likely Ingrid was taught this version of English at school, but the family is a very mixed grab bag as far as English goes, especially since they don't speak it amongst themselves.

No matter what variety of English they are taught to read and write in school, when it comes to pronunciation the overwhelming majority of Scandinavian children and teenagers have an American accent that they've learni from TV, films and social media. This is nothing new since most of my classmates and other friends favoured an American accent during our years in school in the 80s.

[Emmily]

Originally Posted by An Ard Ri

To be honest I don't think these gatherings are really Queen Letizia's cup of tea and add the presence of Crown Princess Marie Chantal and I assume hell will freeze over quicker.


Back to the Birthday Gala really looking forward to the photos and clips from later and could well have done without reading the comments of Shaman Durek before I eat my dinner!

There must be many things most of the Royals don't find to be their cup of tea but they get on with it. I understand how uncomfortable it would be with MC but why not be the bigger person and make an appearance at such an important occasion for a young woman who will be queen one day? Just my thoughts.

[Mbruno]

Originally Posted by Emmily

There must be many things most of the Royals don't find to be their cup of tea but they get on with it. I understand how uncomfortable it would be with MC but why not be the bigger person and make an appearance at such an important occasion for a young woman who will be queen one day? Just my thoughts.

I don't necessarily accept that Queen Letizia didn't attend solely because of Marie-Chantal as they were together not so long ago at Prince Philip's service of Thanksgiving in London.


Princess Ingrid-Alexandra's 18th birthday gala, as glamorous as it might have been, is not an event to be attended by sovereign monarchs. Unsurprisingly, the royal couple of Sweden, the grand ducal couple of Luxembourg, the Queen of Denmark, and the King of the Belgians did not attend either. And there were no representatives of the British royal family. The crown princely couples of Denmark and Sweden were present because Frederik and Victoria are I-A's godparents and are also personal close friends of Haakon and MM.



I believe King Felipe VI also attended mostly as a godfather (otherwise I wouldn't expect the King of Spain to attend such a low-level event). It was a little bit odd, however, once Felipe had confirmed his presence, that his wife would not accompany him. I didn't quite get Mathilde attending alone either when her husband as expected did not, but that is not the first time (Mathilde was also solo at Carl Philip's wedding for example).

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by Mbruno

I believe King Felipe VI also attended mostly as a godfather (otherwise I wouldn't expect the King of Spain to attend such a low-level event). It was a little bit odd, however, once Felipe had confirmed his presence, that his wife would not accompany him. I didn't quite get Mathilde attending alone either when her husband as expected did not, but that is not the first time (Mathilde was also solo at Carl Philip's wedding for example).

King Felipe certainly attended as godfather and mot likely would otherwise have not been present. As for Belgium it seems that Philippe and Mathilde are closer to Haakon and MM as one would think and perhaps Elisabeth and the birthday girl have also developed a friendship

[fortimo]

Some more pictures and videos here:

https://www.nrk.no/norge/ingrid-alex...ene-1.16007478

[principessa]

Which type of celebration will be held when Ingrid Alexandras brother Sverre Magnus turns 18?

[Prinsara]

Originally Posted by principessa

Which type of celebration will be held when Ingrid Alexandras brother Sverre Magnus turns 18?

Not one like this. Magnus is basically a private citizen and seems to prefer no spotlight. I would be surprised if he got anything more than a private party with no foreign royals attending.

His aunt and father did get semi-equal celebrations, but that was a different time and ML was the older one. But I guess we'll see how he feels, what he wants, and who the monarch is at the time.

[suztav]

I don’t want to incite an argument, but does anyone else think that Queen Sonja looks a bit “lost”? Perhaps it’s just photography.

[BriarRose]

Queen Letizia had an engagement yesterday, I believe, with Spanish lawmakers. I would guess that naturally trumped an event in Norway that was more a personal invitation, rather than an official government event.

Nor am I surprised that the Princess of Asturias did not attend, as she just finished exams the day before and had to immediately move out. I'm not sure she would have attended anyway, but the timing was just not there.

I was sad there were no British royals, but like others, I think the timing just didn't work, so close to the Jubilee, assuming there was an invitation.

It was a lovely event, and I.A. looked and spoke beautifully. It was certainly a fabulous debut for a future Queen.

[norwegianne]

Originally Posted by suztav

I don’t want to incite an argument, but does anyone else think that Queen Sonja looks a bit “lost”? Perhaps it’s just photography.

No, she seems to have aged a bit in the past year(s). Since she has dyed her hair for so long, it is hard to fathom that she turns 85 this year, and is older than Queen Margrethe, but watching the coverage yesterday, she suddenly looked a bit lost, yes.