The Belgian and Norwegian Royal Families have had over a century of close families ties, which will be further honoured as King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium begin their State Visit to Norway tomorrow!
The closest link between the Belgian and Norwegian Royal Families is through the sisters Crown Princess Martha of Norway and Queen Astrid of Belgium.
King Olav V of Norway hosted his nephew, King Baudouin, along with Queen Fabiola of Belgium (wearing the Spanish Wedding Gift Tiara) on their State Visit to Norway in 1965, alongside Crown Prince Harald and Princess Astrid.
A few years later, King Baudouin was among the Royal Guests at the Wedding of King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway.
King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola also celebrated Crown Prince Harald’s 40th Birthday in 1977.
King Baudouin (nephew) and Queen Fabiola of Belgium joined the Royal Guests and Relatives at the Funeral of King Olav V of Norway in Oslo in 1991.
King Albert II and Queen Paola of Belgium (wearing the Nine Provinces Tiara) made a State Visit to Norway in April 1997, where they were joined by King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway (in the Norwegian Amethyst Tiara) for a Banquet at the Akershus Fortress in Oslo, alongside Princess Astrid (in the Diamond Aigrette Tiara).
Later that year, King Albert II and Queen Paola (in Queen Elisabeth’s Diamond Bandeau) celebrated King Harald and Queen Sonja’s 60th Birthday.
King Albert II of Belgium was joined by Queen Paola (wearing Queen Elisabeth’s Diamond Bandeau) and the then Crown Prince (now King) Philippe for the Wedding of Crown Prince Haakon of Norway in 2001.
The Belgian Royal Family hosted a spectacular State Banquet for their cousins King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway at the Château de Laeken in 2003.
The Duke of Brabant and Princess Mathilde (wearing her Laurel Wreath Tiara) were among the guests at King Harald’s 70th Birthday Banquet in 2007, before also later celebrating Queen Sonja’s 70th Birthday later that year.
King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium were received by King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway on an introductory visit to Norway just months after their accession to the throne.
King Philippe and Queen Mathilde (in the Wolfers Necklace Tiara) were among the Royal Guests who attended King Harald and Queen Sonja’s 80th Birthday Celebrations in 2017.
Most recently, Queen Mathilde (in the Wolfers Necklace Tiara) and the Duchess of Brabant (wearing the Vestey Tiara) attended Princess Ingrid Alexandra’s 18th Birthday Banquet at the Royal Palace of Oslo in 2022.
