Queen Sonja of Norway
Queen of Norway since 1991 / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Sonja (born Sonja Haraldsen; 4 July 1937) is Queen of Norway as the wife of King Harald V.[3]
| Sonja | |
|---|---|
.JPG) Queen Sonja in 2012 | |
| Queen consort of Norway | |
| Tenure | 17 January 1991 – present |
| Benediction | 23 June 1991[lower-alpha 1] |
| Born | Sonja Haraldsen (1937-07-04) 4 July 1937 (age 86) Oslo, Norway |
| Spouse | |
| Issue | |
| House | Glücksburg (by marriage)[2] |
| Father | Karl August Haraldsen |
| Mother | Dagny Ulrichsen |
Sonja and the then Crown Prince Harald had dated for nine years prior to their marriage in 1968. They had kept their relationship a secret due to the controversy of Sonja's status as a commoner. Harald had told his father, King Olav V, that he would remain unmarried if his father did not grant consent to marry Sonja.[4] Upon their marriage, Sonja became crown princess and later the queen of Norway upon her husband's accession to the throne in 1991, becoming Norway's first queen consort in 52 years. The couple has two children together: Princess Märtha Louise and Crown Prince Haakon.
As queen, Sonja holds patronage of up to fifteen organisations.[5] Sonja has also served as Vice President of the Norwegian Red Cross from 1987 to 1990. In 2005, she became the first queen to visit Antarctica. In 2017, she was awarded the Trysil-Knut Prize, making her the first woman to receive the award. She is also known for her interest in music, art and culture, having founded the Queen Sonja International Music Competition and the Queen Sonja Print Award. She is also a graphic artist and ceramicist, with many of her works being featured in exhibitions across Norway and other countries.[3]