Get to Know the Norwegian Royal Family
The Royal House of Norway plays a key role in the new period drama Atlantic Crossing. Introduce yourself to its modern members here.
Most people are familiar with the major players in the British royal family: Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, his sons William and Harry, their wives Kate and Meghan, and the royal babies, George, Charlotte, Louis, and little Archie. In contrast, the Norwegian royal family isn't quite so well known in the U.S. But Atlantic Crossing, a new series airing this spring on Masterpiece PBS could change that. The show follows the Norwegian royals during WWII, following the German occupation of their country. Amid the war, King Haakon VII left Norway for the UK; His son Crown Prince Olav went with him, and from there, they strategized how best to fight. Olav's wife Crown Princess Martha took their children to America, where she befriended FDR. (For those who loved the mix of royal drama and political intrigue in The Crown, consider this your next binge.)
Here, a who's who of Olav and Martha's key descendants, including the modern monarch, King Harald V, who features in the series as just a young boy. As the Norwegian royal family's website explains: "The Royal House of Norway belongs to the House of Glücksburg. The members of the Norwegian Royal House are Their Majesties King Harald and Queen Sonja and Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Haakon, Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Princess Ingrid Alexandra."
The site goes on to explain that these core members of the royal family "are in addition the Crown Prince and Crown Princess’s other children, His Highness Prince Sverre Magnus and Mr Marius Borg Høiby; Her Highness Princess Märtha Louise, Miss Maud Angelica Behn, Miss Leah Isadora Behn, Miss Emma Tallulah Behn and Her Highness Princess Astrid, Mrs Ferner."
King Harald V
King Harald V is the current King of Norway. Now 84 years old, he acceded to the throne in January 1991, following the death of his father King Olav V. Here he is with his second cousin, Queen Elizabeth.
Queen Sonja
On August 29, 1968, then-Crown Prince Harald married Sonja Haraldsen, a commoner. Upon their marriage, she became the Crown Princess, and when Harald ascended to the throne, she assumed the title of Queen Consort. She and Harald have two children together, Princess Märtha Louise and Crown Prince Haakon, and six grandchildren.
Over the course of King Harald's reign, Sonja has championed a number of social issues, and has combined her work as Queen with her interest in the arts.
Crown Prince Haakon
Crown Prince Haakon is King Harald and Queen Sonja's younger child, but as he is their only son, he will inherit the Norwegian throne. In 1990, the Norwegian laws of succession were changed to abolish male primogeniture
"The Constitution was amended in 1990, and it is now the oldest child, regardless of gender, who accedes to the Throne," reads the royal family's website. But it notes that the line of succession was not changed retroactively: "In connection with the entry into force of the new amendment, a decision was taken to apply the previous rule to all children born prior to 1990."
So, Prince Haakon is the heir to the throne, and not his older sister Princess Märtha Louise.
The royal family's website notes that Haakon loves surfing, skiing, and music, and that his official duties often focus on "Norwegian business, youth and diversity, and nature - with a special regard for the ocean and the issue of climate change."
Crown Princess Mette-Marit
Crown Prince Haakon married Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby on August 25, 2001. They have two children together, Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus, and co-parent Mette-Marit's son Marius Borg Høiby from a previous relationship.
Per the royal family's website, Mette-Marit is "deeply committed to a broad range of national and international issues" including "social inclusion, mental health, [youth] leadership, global health issues, entrepreneurship, and environmental issues."
Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus
Pictured here are both Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus with their parents, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess. Princess Ingrid Alexandra, who was born in January 2004, is second in line to the Norwegian throne, after her father, the Crown Prince. Her place in the order of succession was secured by that change to Norwegian law in 1990. She is currently a student in school, but has already started to carry out engagements on behalf of the royal family.
Princess Astrid
While King Harald's older sister Princess Astrid is not in the direct line of succession, which is considered to be the core of the Norwegian royal family, she is included here as she plays a key role in the Atlantic Crossing series. Her older sister Princess Ragnhild, who is also depicted in the program, passed away in September 2012.
As the digital director for Town & Country, Caroline Hallemann covers culture, entertainment, and a range of other subjects
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