Harald and Sonja news

[My13]

King hails diversity during terror trial

April 24, 2012 

As the trial of Norway’s home-grown, anti-immigration terrorist grinds on in an Oslo courtroom, the country’s monarch opted to make the latest of no less than four recent visits to one of the city’s most multi-cultural areas. There’s little doubt King Harald V is sending a strong signal of support for the multiculturalism that terror defendant Anders Behring Breivik attacked, and some believe the king is defining the “new” nation that Norway has become.
..........

On Monday he listened as young residents aged 15 to 25 talked about their ambitions to be local leaders, before he stopped in at sessions of handball training and even rollerskating that’s replaced the ice rink that was used all winter.

“I wanted to follow up what I said in the New Year’s address,” King Harald told Dagsavisen. “I’m very interested in work with children and youth. It’s as important as ever, perhaps even more important now.”

.................
The Royal Palace itself was one of Breivik’s initial targets before he opted to massacre Labour  Party youth instead. Breivik testified in court last week, though, that he knew it would be “unacceptable” to injure any member of the royal family, not least because he thinks most other right-wing extremists such as himself support monarchies. The support is clearly not mutual, with King Harald stating earlier that Breivik’s attacks, which killed 77 persons, were “an attack on the Norwegian society we value so highly … an attack on the core of the Norwegian democracy.”

Re-defining Norway

Eriksen, who specializes in ethnicity and nationalism, also claimed that King Harald’s four visits to Groruddalen in the past six weeks, along with his recent speeches on solidarity, are defining Norway as the “new type” of nation it’s become.

“It’s no longer where we come from, but where we live that’s important for who we are, and for whether we’re Norwegian or not,” Eriksen said. “In light of the terror trial now going on, that’s something we can’t say often enough.”

Full article: http://www.newsinenglish....sity-during-terror-trial/


Perfect 

[Holly Golightly]

Nice find, My13

You cannot fault the NRF for their actions and words following Breivik's attacks last year - they have provided a symbol of unity, resilience and national pride at a time when their country was in absolute turmoil. IMO, this is the only function that a monarchy can offer its people in 2012, and the NRF have done an exemplary job.

Harald, what a statesman - even though he appears to be so gentle, I still get a "don't screw with me, or Norway"-type vibe from him.

[freethespoon]

Nice find, My13

You cannot fault the NRF for their actions and words following Breivik's attacks last year - they have provided a symbol of unity, resilience and national pride at a time when their country was in absolute turmoil. IMO, this is the only function that a monarchy can offer its people in 2012, and the NRF have done an exemplary job.

Harald, what a statesman - even though he appears to be so gentle, I still get a "don't screw with me, or Norway"-type vibe from him.

I get the same vibe. I wonder if it's from his father who, by all accounts, was like an average Norwegian in that he caught public transport, was out and about alot, and was genuinely 'one of the people'.  There's a resilience in Harald that makes him a true statesman.

[Larzen]

While the story that King Olav took public transportation all the time is a charming one, it could also be seen a s major PR effort back in the days. He took the tram to go skiing once during the oil crisis in Norway in 1973 when it was not alloved to use cars during a weekend or something like that to save fuel. And the press was duely informed and showed upon the same tram. The only ones not informed was the poor shy woman who sat next to him and the conductor who tried to let him go for free when he insted on paying (for the cameras ) But it is a good story never the less
Other than that he had a driver of course an he even got himself a royal dispension so that he did not have to use a seatbelt when he grumpily had to sign the law to make it a law to wear one in cars which he reportedly thought was an unnecessary law

[Flamingo]

Even though he appears to be so gentle, I still get a "don't screw with me, or Norway"-type vibe from him.

ITA.  I think Harald comes across as very much of a gentle giant type, both personally and publicly - but I think he's also a tough fighter when it's important.

[linnpinn]

China appointed a new ambassador to Norway; yesterday the new ambassador, Zhao Jun, had an audience with Harald. The 'old' ambassador left Norway without doing his formal 'goodbye' audience with the King.
Relations between Norway and China have been cold since Norway awarded Chinese activist Liu Xiaobo the Nobel Peace Prize. China is boycotting Norway.

[linnpinn]

Big celebration of Harald and Sonja in Oslo today, 'birthday'-celebration of both (both are 75 this year).
The whole family gathered at the balcony, over 3000 children singing Happy Birthday to them, and the guards doing a long show.
Tonight there will be an open concert at the roof of the opera house in Oslo.

[linnpinn]

[loubna]

Big celebration of Harald and Sonja in Oslo today, 'birthday'-celebration of both (both are 75 this year).
The whole family gathered at the balcony, over 3000 children singing Happy Birthday to them, and the guards doing a long show.
Tonight there will be an open concert at the roof of the opera house in Oslo.

beautiful family, i don't know a lot about King Harald, but he seems to be a pleasant man 

[linnpinn]

I feel sorry for Emma Tallulah with the non-growing hair (she has an illness, Martha had the same as a little girl). Hope it will pass soon.

[loubna]

ingrid seems to have an outgoing personality, as her godmother victoria

[hanzo1]

Sonja's hair is prefect 

ML and Ari I get the feeling they have an open marriage 

[PeDe]

Sonja's hair is prefect 

ITA...first thing I thought as well, when looking at the photos.

[linnpinn]

Picture from the celebratory service at Oslo Domkirke



Cute picture of Ingrid from the balcony

I like her jacket!! I want one.

[Swashbuckler]

Great to see the whole family with all the kids on the balcony!!   Thank you linnpinn again for all the pics!!   (when I can again)

Ingrid Alexandra was in quite a good mood, she's a pretty little girl which grows up so fast! Her jacket and dress are the same she wore last year for her parents' 10th anniversary celebrations.
The Queen looks so regal, indeed perfect as said before.