Queen Sonja of Norway
Sonja (born Sonja Haraldsen on July 4, 1937) is the Queen of Norway since 17 January 1991 as the wife of King Harald V.[3]
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| Sonja | |
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_(cropped).jpg) Queen Sonja at the Oslo Jazz Festival in August 2017 | |
| Queen consort of Norway | |
| Tenure | 17 January 1991 – present |
| Benediction | 23 June 1991[1] |
| Born | Sonja Haraldsen July 4, 1937 Oslo, Norway |
| Spouse | |
| Issue | |
| House | Glücksburg (by marriage)[2] |
| Father | Karl August Haraldsen |
| Mother | Dagny Ulrichsen |
| Norwegian royal family |
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HH Princess Astrid |
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 consort of Norway upon her husband's accession to the throne in 1991. The couple have two children together: Princess Märtha Louise and Crown Prince Haakon.
As Queen, Sonja holds patronage with up to fifteen organisations.[5] Sonja has also served as Vice President of the Norwegian Red Cross from 1987 to 1990. 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 in her own right, with many of her works being featured in exhibitions across Norway and other countries.[3]