May 17, 2022, is three years since both the royals and the people celebrated in the normal way.
Last year and in 2020, the May 17 celebrations had to be adapted to the corona pandemic. At that time, the public was not allowed to be present in front of the Castle, and the area was closed due to infection control considerations.
This year, however, the Crown Prince’s family and the royal couple were able to wave to a record-breaking children’s procession and meet in front of the Palace.
That’s why it never happens
– The royal family shines in red, white and blue on the Palace balcony, and is probably like the rest of us very happy to celebrate May 17 in a proper way again, says See and Hear royal house expert, Caroline Vagle, to Dagbladet.
– The two previous years they have been on the balcony, but without the children’s train that passes by due to the pandemic.
sea view
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Not uncommon
The Crown Prince’s family has also earlier today welcomed the May 17 train in Asker from the stairs at home at Skaugum, which has been a tradition since 1946. At that time the crown prince couple and princess Ingrid Alexandra (18) in bunadbut had switched to nice clothes for the castle balcony.
– It is common for the Crown Prince’s family to change from a bunad, which they wear at Skaugum in the morning, and we see that they have done this year as well, Vagle explains, and adds:
MAY 17: The Crown Prince’s family with Crown Prince Haakon, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus starts the day with a children’s train at Skaugum. Video: NTB
sea view
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– Only on special occasions, such as big anniversaries, do they also have bunad on the balcony.
After the children’s train, there is a private lunch for the Royal Family at the Palace, according to the Royal House website. Traditional May 17 food is served there, according to Vagle.
– There are probably both sausages and ice cream for young and old. The queen has previously said that the king is just as much looking forward to sausages as the children!
This has not happened before
Long traditions
For over 100 years, the royal family has received the children’s train in Oslo from the Palace Balcony. This was established as a tradition by King Haakon in 1906, but the first children’s procession was arranged in Oslo as early as 1870 on the initiative of Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson.
At that time only boys were allowed to go by train, and only in 1889 were the girls also allowed to go. In 1902, Møllergata School became the first school to have its own music corps, and three years later the tradition began with the Red Russians participating in the train.
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