Happy Constitution Day !
True to tradition, the Royal Family is on the Palace Balcony greeting the Children's Parade in Oslo. They came out on the balcony a little before 10:30, when the Children's Parade was approaching the Palace Square.
The Crown Prince and Crown Princess and their family started the day at Skaugum Estate, where they greeted the Asker municipality Children’s parade early this morning.
This year children and youths from the schools at Norstrand, Tonsenhagen and Nøklevann march at the front of the parade. Norstrand school celebrates it's 100th anniversary this year, and Tonsenhagen and Nøkelvann their 50th.
Approximately 60.000 children take part in the parade, and The Royal Guard Norwegian Military Marching Band will bring up the rear.
Celebration in London
Princess Märtha Louise celebrates with Norwegians in London today. Together with her husband, Mr Ari Behn, she attended the Church Service at the Norwegian Seamen's Church. Later, the whole family will take part in the celebrations in Southwark Park.
History
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, and during World War II from 1940 to1944.
Today the terms May 17th and children’s parade are virtually synonymous, but this has not always been the case. To read more about why and how Norway celebrates May 17th, please click on the link to the right.
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EnlargeCurrent news
Welcoming the Restauration to the US
His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon, along with a couple of thousand attendees, welcomed the sloop Restauration to New York, exactly 200 years after the vessel carrying Norwegian emigrants arrived in the United States. In 1825, they crossed the Atlantic in search of a new and better life. This voyage is regarded as the beginning of organised emigration from Norway.
Met with Governor Walz in Minnesota
Minnesota is one of the states in the United States where a large proportion of the population has Norwegian ancestry. His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon is therefore also visiting this state and its largest metropolitan area, Minneapolis–Saint Paul, during his trip to the United States to mark the 200th anniversary of Norwegian emigration to the US.