Figure 1.--Here we see newly installed Queen Sonja and King Harald on an official visit in July 1972. This may have been when they visited northern Norway, but we are unsure just where the photograph was taken.

Queen Sonja was born in Oslo (July 4, 1937). She grew up in the capital. After completing lower secondary school, she took a diploma in dressmaking and tailoring at the Oslo Vocational School and a diploma in dress-making at the Ecole Professionelle des Jeunes Filles in Lausanne, Switzerland. She subsequently completed her upper secondary education and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, French and art history from the University of Oslo. She began dating the Crown Prince (1959). The fact that she was a commomner held up the marriage for several years. They were after a brief public engagement finally married (1968). She began at once to energeticlly carry out royal duties. She traveling extensively in Norway to introduce herself to the Norweahian people. She also made trips abroad. She soon launched her own royal projects. She helped found the Princess Märtha Louise’s Fund (1972). This was an effort to assist to disabled children. She also became active in high-profile international humanitarian efforts, most prominently raising funds for international refugees. She spent time with the Vietnamese Boat Peiole in Malaysia (1970s). Crown Princess Sonja served as Vice President of the Norwegian Red Cross (1987-90). She became responsible for the international activities. She participated in a Red Cross delegation to Botswana and Zimbabwe (1989). The Crown Princess launched her first personal effort an international music competition (1988). It is now known as the Queen Sonja International Music Competition. It was initially meant for pianists, but later shifted to singing (1995). King Olav died (1991). Crown Princess Sonja became Norway's first queen consort in 53 years. She accompanied her husband, now King Harald V, when he swore his oath to uphold the Constitution in the Storting. It was the first time in 69 years that a Norwegian queen entered the Storting. Queen Sonja has established a new tradition of accompaning the King for the formal opening of the autumn session of the Storting and the reading of the Speech from the Throne. The King and Queen decided to be consecrated in Nidaros Cathedral, Trondheim (1991). Immeditely after the consecration, the Royal Couple conducted a 10-day tour of Southern Norway. The next year the entire Royal Family conducted a 22-day tour of Norway’s four northernmost counties. Queen Sonja regularly accompanies the King on official state visits abroad. She also acts as the hostess when foreign heads of state visit Norway. The Queen also has been known to offering lectures on Norway while on state visits abroad. Queen Sonja visited Antarctica to open the Norwegian Troll research station in the country's Antarctic dependency, Queen Maud Land (2005). The Queen enjoys the honary sttus of Rear Admiral in the Royal Norwegian Navy and a Brigadier in the Norwegian army. She takes this seriously and has undergone a basic officer training course and has participated in exercises. She has also shown an interest in education. Queen Sonja’s School Award begun (2006). It is awarded schools who demonstrate 'excellence in its efforts to promote inclusion and equality'. There is of course nothing wrong with this, but it is interesting that Norwegians and many other Europeans focus on such social issues rather than what has made Norway and Europe so sucessful and which could make a real difference internationlly--excellence in academics. The Queen an avid photographer and has shown a great interest in art. She has dabled in printmaking and held exhibitions with artists Kjell Nupen and Ørnulf Opdahl (2011 and 2013). She has begun the Queen Sonja Nordic Art Award (2011).

Created: 1:45 PM 8/7/2016
Last updated: 1:46 PM 8/7/2016