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Norway Princess to Join New Wave of European Queens
OSLO (Reuters) - Norway's day-old royal princess was given the names Ingrid Alexandra on Thursday, and could be joined by other queens on European thrones in the 21st century as monarchies change centuries-old laws of male succession.
Ingrid Alexandra, born on Wednesday to Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit, is in line to be the first queen to rule Norway in more than six centuries, and a poll showed her birth had lifted popular backing for Norway's modern monarchy.
"The new princess's name is Ingrid Alexandra," Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik, standing in the snow outside the royal palace, announced after a cabinet meeting at which Haakon, 30, told the government his daughter's names.
Even some republicans were enthusiastic, saying there was hope for a monarchy that can move with the times. Had Ingrid been born before the law of succession was changed in 1990, any younger brother would have replaced her in line for the crown.
Among European royals Britain's Queen Elizabeth, Denmark's Queen Margrethe and Dutch Queen Beatrix all head monarchies, but changes in the law of succession and a new generation of royal princesses may place more women on the throne in future.
"It is exciting that there will be a new generation of female reigning monarchs in Europe -- if the world wants it that way," Norway's Queen Sonja told NRK television, pointing to newly born princesses in Belgium and the Netherlands.
In Norway's neighbor Sweden, Crown Princess Victoria is heir to her father, King Carl XVI Gustaf, thanks to a change in the law of succession in 1977. In Monaco, Princess Caroline is heir to her father's principality.
The birth of Ingrid, a great great great great granddaughter of Britain's Queen Victoria, means the numbers two, three and four in line to the Norwegian throne are women. Haakon's sister Martha, 32, is third and her baby Maud Angelica fourth.
A poll by Opinion in the daily Aftenposten, taken just after Ingrid was born, showed 75 percent of Norwegians supported the monarchy, up from 68 percent a week ago. Backing for a republic fell to 17 percent from 25 percent.
Ingrid, originally a Norse name, was the ninth most common name in Norway in 2003, with precedents in both Haakon's and Mette-Marit's families. Alexandra is rare in Norway but has a long tradition among European royalty.