Happy Constitution Day!

Schools celebrating major anniversaries will be leading the Oslo children’s parade in honour of Norwegian Constitution Day on May 17th. This year children and youths from four schools – Rødtvet (50 years), Toppåsen (25 years), Bjørndal (25 years) and Sørkedalen (a full 170 years) – will march at the front of the parade of 108 schools.

The Royal Guard Norwegian Military Marching Band will bring up the rear of the parade, and is expected to pass in front of the Palace at around 1:00 pm.
Photographs will be updated throughout the day.

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.