A commoner who became Queen of Norway
Sonja Haraldsen was born on 4 July 1937 at Red Cross Clinic in Oslo,
the daughter of clothing merchant Karl August Haraldsen (1889–1959)
and Dagny Ulrichsen (1898–1994).
Family
She had three siblings, Haakon Haraldsen (1921–2016),
Gry Henriksen (1924–1971)
and Karl Herman Haraldsen (1929–1936, who died in a boating accident).
Childhood
She grew up at Tuengen Allé 1B in the district of Vinderen in Oslo and
completed her lower secondary schooling in 1954. She received a
diploma in dressmaking and tailoring at the Oslo Vocational School,
and a diploma from École Professionnelle des Jeunes Filles
(a finishing school) in Lausanne, Switzerland.
There, she studied accounting, fashion design, and social science.
She returned to Norway for further studies and received an undergraduate
degree (French, English and Art History) from the University of Oslo.
Love and Marriage
at a party hosted by Johan H. Stenersen. Later in August the Crown Prince
invited her to his graduation ball, where they were photographed together
for the first time.
secret because she was a commoner.
remain unmarried for life unless he could marry her.
to the monarchy in Norway, as Harald was the sole heir to the throne.
Faced with having to choose one of his relatives from the Danish
royal family, the Dukes of Schleswig-Holstein or even the Grand Dukes
of Oldenburg as his new heir in place of his son, Olav V consulted
the government for advice; as a result, Sonja became engaged to
Crown Prince Harald on 19 March 1968.
acquired the style of Royal Highness and the title of
Crown Princess of Norway.
Duty
which provides assistance to disabled children in Norway. She has
taken active part in large-scale initiatives to raise funds for international
refugees and spent time in the 1970s visiting Vietnamese boat refugees
in Malaysia.
of the Norwegian Red Cross. She was responsible for the organisation's
international activities. She took part in a Red Cross delegation to
Botswana and Zimbabwe in 1989.
to schools who have "demonstrated excellence in its efforts to promote
inclusion and equality".
King Harald V when he swore his oath to uphold the Constitution in
the Storting on 21 January 1991.
and his son Olav V was then crown prince when his wife Princess
Märtha of Sweden died in 1954 before he became king three years later.
present in the Storting. Since his accession, Queen Sonja has accompanied
the King to the formal opening of the autumn session of the Storting
and the reading of the Speech from the Throne.
Travels
as the hostess when foreign heads of state officially visit Norway.
The Queen was there to open the Norwegian Troll research station in
the country's Antarctic dependency, Queen Maud Land.
Interests
Hercules transport aircraft, landing at Troll Airfield.
She is the first woman to ever receive the award.
function as a scene for arts and culture. Together with King Harald,
the queen has for decades attempted to establish a palace museum
in Oslo.
for her 80th birthday as a gift from the Norwegian Trekking Association.
and a Brigadier in the Norwegian Army. She has undergone a basic officer
training course and has participated in exercises.
to sell works by artists that she has given her prestigious prizes to.
Queen consort.
the post of Princess Märtha of Sweden and her role during
WWII on this link.
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