Princess Märtha Louise of Norway is set to celebrate her 50th Birthday tomorrow! The only daughter of King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway, and the only Princess of the Blood of her generation, Princess Märtha Louise has accumulated quite a substantial jewellery collection, which we have been featuring in the days leading up to her Birthday, finishing with the King Olav Gift Tiara!
A petite diadem of scattered ears of wheat set with small pearls and topped with six more pearls, this Tiara was a gift to Princess Märtha Louise from her grandfather, King Olav V of Norway, at the time of her 18th Birthday in 1989, 35 years ago this month. The Tiara has also been termed King Olav’s Gift Tiara.
The Pearl and Diamond Tiara was bought from Garrard, the family jeweller in London, and was earlier worn by the Duchess of Kent, whose parents-in-law were close cousins and friends to King Olav, for a Banquet in London 1982. Interestingly, an Emerald Bead Suite also worn by the Duchess of Kent now belongs to Queen Sonja.
Princess Märtha Louise first wore her Garrard Pearl and Diamond Tiara for her 18th Birthday Banquet at the Royal Palace of Oslo, along with an antique Diamond Necklace also given by King Olav.
Princess Märtha Louise wore the King Olav’s Gift Tiara on several notable occasions including Crown Prince Haakon’s 18th Birthday in 1991, Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik’s 25th Wedding Anniversary Banquet and Gala in 1992, the Swedish State Visit to Norway in 1993 and King Harald and Queen Sonja’s Silver Wedding Anniversary in 1993, all soon after the Accession of King Harald in 1991.
In 1995, for what seems to be the only instance, Princess Märtha Louise loaned the King Olav Gift Tiara to her mother, Queen Sonja, for a Reception at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City, a few months after her favourite Queen Maud’s Pearl Tiara was stolen during a robbery at Garrard.
While she sometimes loaned the Diamond Circlet, Princess Märtha Louise continued wearing her Garrard Pearl and Diamond Tiara through the 1990s, notably for the Wedding of Prince Joachim of Denmark and Alexandra Manley in 1995, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden’s 50th Birthday in 1996, and King Harald and Queen Sonja’s 60th Birthday in 1997.
While Princess Märtha Louise continued to wear the King Olav Gift Tiara for all State Banquets, other notable appearances in the 2000s included Queen Margrethe’s 60th Birthday Gala and Banquet in 2000, the British State Banquet in Norway in 2001, the Wedding of Crown Prince Haakon of Norway in 2001, the Wedding Gala and the Wedding of Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark in 2004, the Norwegian Centenary Ball at the Royal Palace of Oslo in 2005, King Harald’s 70th Birthday in 2007 and the Wedding of Prince Joachim and Marie Cavallier in 2008.
While she has often borrowed Norwegian Amethyst Tiara in recent years, Princess Märtha Louise wore her Garrard Pearl and Diamond Tiara at the Wedding Gala of Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg and Countess Stephanie de Lannoy in 2012, the Wedding of Prince Carl Philip of Sweden in 2015, and King Carl XVI Gustaf’s 70th Birthday Banquet in 2016.
In 2022, King Olav’s Gift Tiara was worn by Princess Märtha Louise with her Tanzanite Suite for King Harald and Queen Sonja’s 80th Birthday Banquet in 2017 and Princess Ingrid Alexandra’s 18th Birthday Banquet in 2022.
Princess Märtha Louise wore King Olav’s Gift Tiara for her Wedding to Shaman Durek Verrett in Geiranger in 2024.
The Jewels of Princess Märtha Louise of Norway
Queen Alexandra’s Diamond Circlet
Princess Märtha Louise’s Tanzanite Suite
Princess Märtha Louise’s Wedding Brooch
Princess Märtha Louise’s Pearl Choker
Princess Märtha Louise’s Moonstone Parure
Princess Märtha Louise’s Diamond Chandelier Earrings
Crown Princess Märtha’s Silver Wedding Earrings
Princess Märtha Louise’s Diamond Necklace
Queen Maud’s Seed Pearl Choker
Queen Sonja’s Aquamarine and Amethyst Suite
Tanzanite Suite | Wedding Brooch | Pearl Choker | Moonstone Suite | Diamond Chandelier Earrings | Diamond Necklace
A petite diadem of scattered ears of wheat set with small pearls and topped with six more pearls, this Tiara was a gift to Princess Märtha Louise from her grandfather, King Olav V of Norway, at the time of her 18th Birthday in 1989, first wearing the Tiara for her 18th Birthday Banquet at the Royal Palace of Oslo.
The piece was bought from Garrards, the family jeweller in London, and was earlier worn by the Duchess of Kent to a Banquet in 1982.
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As her primary Tiara, Princess Märtha Louise wore it for every Gala Event after she turned 18, with notable appearences at Crown Prince Haakon’s 18th Birthday in 1991, Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik’s 25th Wedding Anniversary Banquet and Gala in 1992, and King Harland and Queen Sonja’s Silver Anniversary in 1993, as well as for the Danish and Swedish State Visits to Denmark soon after the Accession of King Harald in 1991.
In 1995, for what seems to be the only instance, Princess Märtha Louise loaned the King Olav Gift Tiara to her mother, Queen Sonja, for a Reception at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City, a few months after Queen Maud’s Pearl Tiara was stolen during a robbery at Garrards.
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Princess Märtha Louise continued wearing the King Olav Gift Tiara through the 1990s, notably for the Wedding of Prince Joachim of Denmark and Alexandra Manley in 1995, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden’s 50th Birthday in 1996, and King Harald and Queen Sonja’s 60th Birthday in 1997.
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While Princess Märtha Louise continued to wear the King Olav Gift Tiara for all State Banquets, other notable appearences in the 2000s include Queen Margrethe’s 60th Birthday Gala and Banquet in 2000, the British State Banquet in Norway in 2001, the Wedding of Crown Prince Haakon of Norway in 2001, the Wedding Gala and the Wedding of Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark in 2004, the Norwegian Centenary Ball at the Royal Palace of Oslo in 2005, King Harald’s 70th Birthday in 2007 and the Wedding of Prince Joachim and Marie Cavallier in 2008.
Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images
In recent years, the King Olav Gift Tiara was worn by Princess Märtha Louise at the Wedding Gala of Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg and Countess Stephanie de Lannoy in 2012, the Wedding of Prince Carl Philip of Sweden in 2015, King Carl XVI Gustaf’s 70th Birthday Banquet in 2016, and King Harald and Queen Sonja’s 80th Birthday Banquet in 2017. With Princess Märtha Louise’s upcoming wedding and the coming-of-age of her daughters, there is no doubt we will continue seeing this petite Tiara for years to come!
In 2022, King Olav’s Gift Tiara was worn by Princess Märtha Louise for Princess Ingrid Alexandra’s 18th Birthday Banquet.
Princess Märtha Louise wore King Olav’s Gift Tiara for her Wedding to Shaman Durek Verrett in Geiranger in 2024.
The Jewels of Princess Märtha Louise of Norway
Queen Alexandra’s Diamond Circlet
Princess Märtha Louise’s Tanzanite Suite
Princess Märtha Louise’s Wedding Brooch
Princess Märtha Louise’s Pearl Choker
Princess Märtha Louise’s Moonstone Parure
Princess Märtha Louise’s Diamond Chandelier Earrings
Crown Princess Märtha’s Silver Wedding Earrings
Princess Märtha Louise’s Diamond Necklace
Queen Maud’s Seed Pearl Choker
Queen Sonja’s Aquamarine and Amethyst Suite