Happy Constitution Day!
The Royal Family greeted the Children's parade in Oslo from the Palace Balcony in glorious spring sunshine today. Approximately 120 schools are taking part in the parade this year.
May 17, 2024
First came the Armed Forces' staff music, the May 17 committee and representatives of the city's political and administrative leadership. They stopped in front of the Palace Balcony where they led all present in the Royal anthem and the Norwegian National Anthem. Then thousands of children poured into the square.
Approximately 120 schools took part this year, and it was the schools Hovseter, Østmarka and Sedsvoll that had the honor heading the parade. It is always schools that celebrate anniversaries that lead the way, and these three turn 50 and 100 respectively this year.
Prince Sverre Magnus is "russ" this year, and celebrates the day with his classmates.
Started in Asker
True to tradition, Crown Prince Haakon, Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Princess Ingrid Alexandra began today's programme by greeting the Children's parade in Asker outside Skaugum.
Tradition
It was King Haakon and Queen Maud who introduced the custom of greeting the children’s parade from the Palace Balcony in 1906. The custom has been upheld ever since. The only exceptions were in 1910, when the Royal Family was in England for the funeral of Queen Maud’s father, King Edward VII, during World War II from 1940 to 1944, and during the corona pandemic from 2020-2021.
