Foto: Ida Bjørvik

NORWAY’s Royal Family is celebrating the first female heir to the throne in centuries by releasing three new stunning portraits.

Her Royal Highness Princess Ingrid Alexandra’s 18th birthday was celebrated 16 and 17 June 2022.

Thursday 16 June the Norwegian Government hosted a celebratory dinner at Deichman Bjørvika in Oslo. On 17 June Their Majesties The King and Queen hosted a gala dinner at the Royal Palace.

At the gala dinner in honour of her 18th birthday, Her Royal Highness Princess Ingrid Alexandra is wearing a tiara that has been passed down from Princess Ingeborg of Sweden. Princess Ingeborg was the grandmother of His Majesty The King, and thus is Princess Ingrid Alexandra’s great-great-grandmother.

Foto: Ida Bjørvik

Princess Ingeborg received the diamond and pearl tiara as a gift from her husband, Prince Carl of Sweden, more than 120 years ago. “It means a great deal to me that the tiara has now been given to Princess Ingrid Alexandra,” said Her Highness Princess Astrid Mrs Ferner.

“It is a beautiful tiara made of interlocking diamond circles set in platinum. The button-style diamond and pearl elements are later additions. Grandfather purchased the tiara for Grandmother when they were attending the Paris Exposition in 1900,” Princess Astrid explained.

Princess Ingeborg’s husband, Prince Carl, was aware that his wife had several tiaras that were heavy to wear. At the Paris Exposition the Prince saw the tiara on display by the jeweller Boucheron, and purchased it. “Grandfather bought this for my grandmother because it was lighter to wear on important occasions,” says Princess Astrid.

Wanted the Princess to inherit the tiara

When Princess Ingeborg died, Her Highness Princess Ragnhild Mrs Lorentzen inherited the tiara. Princess Ragnhild’s children gave the tiara to Princess Ingrid Alexandra as their gift on her 18th birthday. “Princess Ragnhild wanted Ingrid Alexandra to have Grandmother’s tiara,” said Princess Astrid.

Princess Ingeborg, the great-great-grandmother of Princess Ingrid Alexandra, often let her three daughters borrow her jewellery. In photographs from Crown Prince Olav and Crown Princess Märtha’s extensive tour in 1939, Crown Princess Märtha can be seen wearing her mother’s tiara at a gala dinner at the Waldorf Astoria in New York. “Grandmother let Mother borrow her tiara when Mother and Father travelled to the USA,” said Princess Astrid.

“Grandmother used the tiara often throughout her life. The last time she wore it was at my brother ‘s celebration of his 21st birthday in 1958,” Princess Astrid concluded.