ROYAL NEWS
Prince missing from celebration with royal family
Princess Ingrid Alexandra was dressed in uniform on the balcony
Members of the Norwegian royal family gathered on the balcony of the Royal Palace in Oslo on Norway’s National Day. Queen Sonja and King Harald were joined by their son Crown Prince Haakon, his wife Crown Princess Mette-Marit and their daughter Princess Ingrid Alexandra.
Noticeably absent this year was Haakon and Mette-Marit’s youngest child, Prince Sverre Magnus. The Norwegian Royal House revealed that the 18-year-old Prince, who has been a student at Elvebakken Upper Secondary School since 2021, was participating in “russ” (russefeiring, which is a traditional celebration for high school students) and celebrated the day with his graduating class.
The Prince’s parents and older sister kicked off Norway’s National Day on Friday, May 17, by greeting the children’s parade in Asker outside of their home, Skaugum. They later greeted the parade from the palace balcony with the King and Queen in Oslo.
Princess Ingrid Alexandra, who is second in line to the Norwegian throne after her father, was dressed in uniform on the balcony this year. The future Queen is currently serving in the Engineer Battalion in Brigade Nord. She began her military training this past January.
Last June, the Royal House announced (translated to English) that in 2024 the Princess would “serve 12 months of initial service at the Engineer Battalion in Brigade Nord,” adding that “after the recruitment period, the Princess is assigned a service position, and completes a professional period with more specific education followed by a departmental period of training and practice.”