British State Visit to Norway, 1981

The Norwegian Royal Family host the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh on their glittering State Visit to Norway on this day in 1981, the second of the three State Visits to Norway during the Queen’s Reign. The British and Norwegian Royal Families are very closely related through the British-born Queen Maud of Norway, a sister of the Queen’s grandfather, King George V, and Queen and Duke’s State Visit to Norway in 1955 was the first outgoing State Visit of her Reign, and following this one in 1981, they again visited Norway in 2001, as well as hosted the Norwegian Royal Family in 1959, 1962, 1988, 1994, and 2005.

Embed from Getty Images

Following an Official Welcome, the highlight of the visit was a State Banquet hosted by King Olav V (wearing the Order of the Garter) in honour of Queen (wearing the Vladimir Tiara, Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee Necklace, and the Order of St. Olav) and Duke (in the Order of St. Olav) at the Royal Palace of Oslo. Crown Prince Harald (in the Royal Victorian Order), Crown Princess Sonja (wearing the Emerald Parure Tiara and the Order of St. Olav) and Princess Astrid (in Queen Alexandra’s Turquoise Circlet and the Order of St. Olav) were also present.

The Norwegian Royal Family accompanied the British Royal Couple on their series of engagements, including joining the Queen (in Queen Victoria’s Wheat Ear Brooch) and Duke for a Gala Dinner given by the Norwegian Government at the Akershus Fortress in Oslo (where Crown Princess Sonja wore Queen Alexandra’s Diamond Chandelier Earrings).

Embed from Getty Images

The State Visit ended with a Return Banquet hosted by the Queen (wearing the Girls of Great Britain & Ireland Tiara) and Duke of Edinburgh in honour of King Olav, Crown Prince Harald, Crown Princess Sonja (wearing Queen Maud’s Pearl Tiara) and Princess Astrid (in her Vasa Tiara) on board the Royal Yacht Britannia.

6

  • Regal Events
  • 5 thoughts on “British State Visit to Norway, 1981

    1. Great post with lovely photos! The connection between the Norwegian and British Royal Families has indeed been close. In fact many of the jewels worn at the events that took place at this State Visit had British origins, like the Chandelier earrings worn by Crown Princess Sonja at the Government’s Dinner at Akershus on the third day and the Turquoise tiara worn by Princess Astrid at the State Banquet (among others).
      And not only the ladies wore British elements. As you said in your post King Olav wore the Order of the Garter. But in addition he also wore the Royal Victorian Chain which he had be decorated with in 1955 AND was dressed in the uniform of an Honourary Admiral in the British Navy 🙂
      I have posted about this State Visit on my own blog and I hope yo don’t mind me leaving the link to my post here in case anybody wants to read more about it:
      https://regalevents913271078.wordpress.com/blog-2/norway/olav-v/1981-british-state-visit-to-norway/

    2. Thank you very much. That is very kind of you. It would be nice to have some more visitors checking in on my blog.. hehe. Thanks again.

      1. I love reading your blog, it is so detailed! I’ll try to go back to old articles of mine on the same events to link it!

        1. Thank you. I try to gather as much info as I can, though the posts can get a bit too “wordy” at times. I think I need to learn how to handle images (copyrights etc) as people tend to prefer photos rather than just a whole lot of text (me included to be honest). Currently I am looking into the State Visits made by King Haakon and I will work my way through the Swedish and Danish monarchs too when I get the time. Still, I am glad that you enjoy the blog so far and I hope you will continue “popping in” from time to time 🙂

    Leave a Reply