PHOTO FEATURE: The annual and highly ceremonial opening of Norway’s new parliamentary session took on historic dimensions on Friday. Norway’s new monarch was in place for the first time, as was the country’s first female heir to the throne.
It wasn’t only 120 years since King Haakon VII opened Parliament (Stortinget) for the first time since Norway had broken away from Sweden and restored its own modern monarchy. It also marked the debut of the new Norwegian king, Haakon VIII, following the death of his father King Harald V in late August. Seated next to him on the thrones that are only used once a year was his daughter, now Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, who will succeed her father King Haakon as Norway’s first reigning female monarch ever.
The royal pomp and pageantry began when Norway’s new King Haakon VIII and Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra arrived in one of the Royal Palace’s limousines, with license plates A2, after the short drive from the palace to the parliament building. Soldiers and royals guards stood at attention along the entire route, accompanied by thousands of spectators plus all those already gathered outside the historic building. There were cheers, royal salutes and music as father and daughter entered the building in rainy weather.
Waiting inside was the traditional parliamentary entourage, several wearing national costumes known as bunad, to welcome Norway’s new monarch and heir to the throne, followed by top palace officials.
Led by a former Labour Party minister, MP Andreas Bjelland Eriksen, the entourage represents various parties in Parliament and was flanked by honour guards as they proceeded to the room where government ministers were waiting to greet them. Before that, though, they led King Haakon, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra and top palace officials through a central portion of Stortinget known as Vandrehallen, literally a large hall often used by MPs and journalists to literally wander around and mingle.
Noticeably absent from the procession through Parliament on its opening day was Norway’s new queen, the former Crown Princess Mette-Marit. She had to once again drop out at the last minute for health reasons, even on such an historic occasion. She recently underwent a lung transplant and isn’t expected to take on her new royal duties until well into next year.
Once inside the Parliament’s main assembly room, all stood to sing and welcome Norway’s new monarch and heir before the annual opening rituals began …
…which include the monarch reading the government’s Trontale, the annual speech covering the government’s plans for the year ahead. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre handed the speech over to King Haakon as all government ministers stood by. At left, Members of Parliament and at right, members of the Diplomatic Corps in Oslo.
Then it was time for the youngest member of Norway’s minority Labour Party government, now the new Transport Minister Kamzy Gunaratnam, to read its assessment of the country at present and signal its priorities for the year ahead. After another speech by the president of the Parliament, which also welcomed the new monarch, everyone sang the national anthem and opening ceremonies were over in less than an hour.
King Haakon VIII and his daughter, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, then left the Parliament amidst all the leaders of the country’s various state directorates. The 171st session of Parliament will get back to business on Monday, with Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg due to present the government’s proposed state budget for the 2026-2027 session on Wednesday.
NewsinEnglish.no/Nina Berglund
