Princess Ingrid Alexandra
The future queen of Norway
Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB
Princess Ingrid Alexandra signs the guest book during an official visit to the Norwegian parliament.
DAVID NIKEL
Trondheim, Norway
New official photographs were released of Princess Ingrid Alexandra as she prepared to turn 18 on Jan. 21, 2022. The photographs show the princess in her new office as she prepares to start royal duties.
Ingrid Alexandra is second in line to the throne behind her father, Crown Prince Haakon. Her grandfather, Harald V, is currently the king of Norway.
When she ascends to the throne, she will become Norway’s second woman monarch but the first in more than 600 years. Queen Margaret of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden ruled from 1387 to 1412 and founded the Kalmar Union.
An 18th birthday celebration
The day before her birthday, Ingrid Alexandra visited the Norwegian parliament, where she was introduced to their work by Parliament President Masud Gharahkhani. She also visited Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and the Supreme Court.
Photo: Ida Bjørvik / Det kongelige hoff
Princess Ingrid Alexandra is the eldest child of Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit and next in line to the throne after her father.
An increasing role for the princess
The royal court announced that Ingrid Alexandra will “carry out an increasing number of official tasks” on behalf of the royal family now that she is 18. She now has office space in the royal palace.
However, Ingrid Alexandra is currently studying at Elvebakken videregående (high school) in Oslo. The royal court stressed that education would remain her primary focus in the years to come.
Her story so far
Born on Jan. 21, 2004, at Rikshospitalet University Hospital in Oslo, Ingrid Alexandra is the eldest child of Crown Prince Haakon. She has a brother, Sverre Magnus, born about two years after her.
Her mother, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, has an older son, Marius Borg Høiby, from a previous relationship.
Ingrid Alexandra was christened in the palace chapel on April 17, 2004 and was presented by the king for the baptism.
Among those in attendance were royalty from Spain, Denmark, and Sweden, and Ingrid Alexandra’s aunt, Princess Märtha Louise.
Photo: Julia Naglestad / Det kongelige hoff
Prince Sverre Magnus and Princess Ingrid Alexandra were photographed together on the occasion of her 18th birthday.
Following Ingrid Alexandra’s birth, the well-regarded Norwegian royal family experienced a surge in popularity.
Ingrid Alexandra has attended Jansløkka Skole (elementary school), Oslo International School, Uranienborg School, and now Elvebakken. Her parents chose Jansløkka–a state school–to give her as ordinary a childhood as possible.
The princess is known to be a keen surfer. She won a gold medal at the Norwegian surfing championship for juniors in 2020.
Princess Ingrid Alexandra Sculpture Park
One of the popular sculpture parks in Oslo, this fairy-tale-inspired section of the Royal Palace Gardens was opened as part of the king and queen’s 25th anniversary celebrations in 2016.
The park wasn’t just named after the princess. She also actively participated in its planning, by choosing designs from sculpture ideas submitted by schoolchildren from across Norway.
Royal duties to date
Although the princess will begin to undertake more royal duties now that she has turned 18, she has already taken part in numerous events.
She participated with her grandfather in the opening ceremony of 2016 Winter Youth Olympics in Lillehammer. She has also christened some vessels, including the Norwegian Rescue Company’s new lifeboat in her first royal engagement.
This article first appeared on the Life in Norway blog and was reprinted with permission. Visit lifeinnorway.net.
This article originally appeared in the April 15, 2022, issue of The Norwegian American. To subscribe, visit SUBSCRIBE or call us at (206) 784-4617.
