King Harald and Queen Sonja Celebrate 75th Birthdays

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On May 31st, 2012 King Harald and Queen Sonja celebrated both their 75th birthdays together with the Norwegian people. King Harald turned 75 on February 21st, Queen Sonja will be 75 on July 4th.

The day started with the reception of congratulatory deputations, from among others Prime Minister and the Mayor of Oslo. Afterwards they were joined by the whole Royal Family, including the Crown Princely Family, Princess Märtha Louise with Ari Behn and their three daughters, Princess Astrid with her husband Mr. Johan Ferner and Queen Sonja’s brother Haakon Haraldsen with his wife Lis, and the party gathered at the Palace balcony to enjoy the performance of His Majesty The King’s Guard at the Palace Square.

More than 3,000 kindergarten children came to celebrate the King and Queen and sang Norway’s traditional birthday song together.

Afterwards, the King and Queen had received more official birthday greetings, before the Royal Family attended a church service together in Oslo Cathedral in the afternoon.

The celebrations ended with a free gala performance on the opera house roof, where all of Norway was invited by the government to join the Royal Family, who arrived with the Royal boat ‘Stjernen’. They enjoyed musical and dance performances, speeches, video greetings and readings by a variety of performers.