Queen Sonja of Norway
Queen of Norway from 1991 to 2026
Biography
Sonja (born Sonja Haraldsen; 4 July 1937) is a member of the Norwegian royal family who was Queen of Norway from 1991 to 2026 as the wife of King Harald V. She is the mother of Haakon VIII, the current king of Norway.
Sonja and the then Crown Prince Harald had dated for nine years before their marriage in 1968. They kept their relationship secret because of the controversy surrounding Sonja's status as a commoner. Harald told his father, King Olav V, that he would remain unmarried if he did not receive consent to marry her. Upon their marriage, Sonja became crown princess and later Queen of Norway upon her husband's accession to the throne in 1991, becoming Norway's first queen consort since Maud of Wales, who died in 1938. The couple have two children together: Princess Märtha Louise and King Haakon VIII. They were married for almost 58 years, until Harald's death in August 2026. Following her husband's death, she became queen mother and is officially titled kongemor ("the King's mother").
As queen, Sonja held patronage of up to 15 organisations. She 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 received the Trysil-Knut Prize, becoming the first woman to receive the award. She is 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.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Read the full article
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Career highlights
Career & roles
- queen dowager
- Queen Consort of Norway
- crown princess
- Queen mother
Family
- Spouse(s)
- Harald V of Norway
- Siblings
- Haakon HaraldsenGry Dagny Haraldsen
Awards & honours (24+)
- Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour
- Gold Olympic Order
- Order of the White Eagle
- Holmenkollen Medal
- Grand Cross of the Order of the White Rose of Finland
- The Norwegian Outdoor Life Award
- Mountain Goat of the Year
- Peer Gynt Literary Award
- Nansen Refugee Award
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon
- Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
- Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of Portugal
- Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry
- Order of the Three Stars, 1st Class
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Southern Cross
- Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana, 1st Class
- Grand Cross of the Order of Vytautas the Great
- Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of Hungary
- Knight of the Order of the Elephant
- Order of the White Star, 1st Class
- Grand Order of Queen Jelena
- Grand Star of the Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria
Quick answers about Queen Sonja of Norway
- How old is Queen Sonja of Norway?
- Queen Sonja of Norway is 89 years old (born July 4, 1937).
- When is Queen Sonja of Norway's birthday?
- Queen Sonja of Norway was born on July 4, 1937.
- Where was Queen Sonja of Norway born?
- Queen Sonja of Norway was born in Oslo.
- What is Queen Sonja of Norway's zodiac sign?
- Queen Sonja of Norway's zodiac sign is Cancer.
- What is Queen Sonja of Norway's nationality?
- Queen Sonja of Norway is a citizen of Norway.
- What does Queen Sonja of Norway do?
- Queen Sonja of Norway is known as aristocrat, consort.
- Who has Queen Sonja of Norway been married to?
- According to Wikidata, Queen Sonja of Norway's spouse is or was Harald V of Norway.
- How many children does Queen Sonja of Norway have?
- Wikidata lists 2 children of Queen Sonja of Norway.
