Gala dinner celebrates Ingrid Alexandra

Princess is moved to tears as she talks about her family

KENNETH KANDOLF HAUG
NTB

Princess Ingrid Alexandra had to wipe away a few tears during a gala dinner at the Royal Palace in Oslo, when she talked about what her family means to her.

“Mom, we can talk about everything. Thank you for allowing us to lie on the couch and watch series together, such as Sex and the City. I really appreciate everything you do for me,” said Princess Ingrid Alexandra to Crown Princess Mette-Marit. There was  great laughter from the more than 200 guests at the gala dinner on June 17 in connection with her 18th birthday earlier this year. The celebration of the princess had been  postponed because of the coronavirus restrictions in place in January.

In here speech, Princess Ingrid Alexandra thanked her grandparents for their humor, stories, funny stories, and hours of babysitting, Crown Prince Haakon for his stoic calm, and her brother, Prince Sverre Magnus, and half-brother, Marius Borg Høiby, for being such good siblings.

Other family members were also clearly moved during their speeches. Notably, a  proud crown prince couple reminded their daughter that she should be allowed to make mistakes and find her own way.

“Even in duty, it is possible to find a sense of freedom. At the same time, I understand that this is a little too harsh to say to an 18-year-old. At least I did not have a great understanding of it when I was 18. But I think there might be something in it, and that’s why I wanted to make mention of it  today,” said Crown Prince Haakon.

King Harald looked back on the princess’ actual 18th birthday on January 21, and when she also became a minister of parliament on the same day.

“Fortunately without a veto,” he said, “since you never know what can come from a committed young lady like you,” the king said to the audience’s laughter.

The monarch also had a laugh when he said, “You have to put up with me for a while longer.”

Not a goal to be perfect

“Hold on to who you are, Ingrid. Dare to think in a new and open way, to do things your own way. And remember, being perfect is not an end in itself. You have all the prerequisites to make wise choices and have a life that will be good for you, your loved “ones, and those you will one day be queen of, said Queen Sonja in her speech.

Praise of democracy

In front of representatives of royal families from all over Europe, Norwegian politics, large parts of Norwegian organizational life, and family and friends, the Princess Ingrid Alexandra also reflected on the country she will one day serve as  head of state.

“One of the best things about Norway is our democracy. That you can believe what we want. That we can say what we want. And that we can love those we want,” said Princess Ingrid Alexandra.

“We are lucky to live in a country that is constantly evolving. Where we trust each other and our authorities. In Norway, we are concerned about climate. We are concerned about diversity. We are concerned with freedom of expression. And most importantly, we are concerned with continuing to find better solutions than the ones we already have,” said the princess, who also came up with a number of warm words about Norwegian nature.

The gala dinner continued into the late hours of the night, with dancing, and a festive program.

This article originally appeared in the July 8, 2022, issue of The Norwegian American. To subscribe, visit SUBSCRIBE or call us at (206) 784-4617.