Norwegian Official Visit to Britain, 2005

As King Felipe and Queen Letizia start their State Visit to the UK today, we are featuring the last time a European Monarch visited Britain. In 2005, the Norwegian Royal family visited the UK on an Official Visit, as part of the Norwegian Centenary Celebrations. Queen Maud, the first Queen of independent Norway and grandmother of King Harald, was a British Princess and Great-Aunt of the Queen.

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King Harald, Queen Sonja, Crown Prince Haakon, and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway were officially welcomed by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace. The Royal Family traveled on the Royal Yacht Norge, where they stayed for the duration of their visit.

 

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In the evening the Queen (wearing the Grand Duchess Vladimir Tiara) hosted a State Banquet for King Harald, Queen Sonja (in the Norwegian Emerald Parure), Crown Prince Haakon, and Crown Princess Mette-Marit (in the Amethyst Necklace Tiara) at Buckingham Palace. Also present were the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall (in the Delhi Durbar Tiara), and Princess Alexandra (in the Ogilvy Tiara).

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One of the other grand events was a Banquet hosted by the the Lord Mayor of London for King Harald and Queen Sonja (in Queen Josefina’s Diamond Tiara). Also present were Crown Prince Haakon, Crown Princess Mette-Marit (wearing the Diamond Daisy Tiara), the Duke and Duchess (in the Cartier India Tiara) of Gloucester, and Princess Astrid (in Queen Alexandra’s Turquoise Parure) .

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The following day, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh joinedKing Harald, Queen Sonja, Crown Prince Haakon, Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Princess Astrid as they unveiled a statue of Queen Maud at the Norwegian Ambassador’s Residence in London.

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