Today it is 150 years since King Haakon, Norway’s first king in modern times, was born. He was born in Denmark as a Danish prince, Prince Carl, but was elected king of Norway by a unanimous Storting in 1905. He then took the Norwegian name Haakon. School children turned up to greet the royal couple and the Royal Ship in Flåm last summer. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB With the 150th anniversary of King Haakon’s birth, another anniversary also follows – it is 75 years since the royal ship “Norge” was given to King Haakon on his 75th birthday. Because did you know that the Norwegian government promised King Haakon – or Prince Carl as he was then called – a yacht of his own? However, it would take 42 years before the gift was fulfilled. The promise King Haakon VII, with his son Olav on his arm, was received by Prime Minister Christian Michelsen when he arrived in Norway as Norwegian king in 1905. Photo: NTB When Prince Carl was asked to become Norway’s king, the offer from the Norwegian government stated that he should also get “a yacht, equipped for use whenever desired, at the expense of the state”. But the poor economy in Norway at the time meant that the promise was not prioritized by the authorities at the time – and King Haakon also did not claim the promised gift for the same reason. King Haakon VII came to Norway, as Norwegian king, on the Defense ship “Heimdal” in 1905. Photo: NTB Folkegaven After the Second World War, the government wanted to make good on the old promise, among other things as thanks for the king’s efforts for Norway during the war. The plans for a public gift on the occasion of the king’s 75th birthday in 1947 took shape. A committee was set up to ensure the actual collection of the money for this public gift. Among others, the LO leader sat on the committee, according to the book “Kongeskipet Norge”. All Norwegians were encouraged to contribute to a public gift to King Haakon. In April 1947, the following appeal appeared in the country’s newspapers: “On 3 August that year. the king turns 75. The entire Norwegian people will feel the urge to pay tribute to their king on this day. (…) We ask compatriots in all parts of the country of Norway and Norwegians around the world to gather together in thanks and tribute for a gift worthy of King Haakon VII and his royal deeds.” The petition was signed by the government, the Storting, the Supreme Court, bishops and the mayor, in addition to a number of organisations. With that, the big fundraising campaign started. Deposit points were set up all over the country, and in all banks separate accounts were set up for the “People’s Gift to the King”. The postal giro account had – symbolically enough for a gift to King Haakon VII – been given the number 7, according to “Kongeskipet Norge”. King Haakon celebrated his 75th birthday in 1947 with a road trip through Oslo. Hundreds of thousands had turned up along the route to pay tribute to the king. Photo: Aktuell / NTB Photo: Aktuell / NTB Yachten The search for a suitable ship began at the same time. The choice finally fell on the British yacht which then bore the name “Philante”. The royal ship “Norge” in the Geirangerfjord in 2006. Photo: Gorm Kallestad / NTB “Philante” had been built in 1937 for the British aircraft manufacturer Thomas Sopwith and was then one of the world’s largest motor yachts, according to Kongehuset.no. The name “Philante” came from the name of the then owner, Thomas, and his wife, Phyllis: Phil (short for Phyllis) an(d) T (for Thomas), and an e at the end for pronunciation. The warship When World War II broke out, “Philante” was requisitioned by the British Navy. The characteristic white hull was painted over with blue and green camouflage paint, and the ship was partially rebuilt and had two cannons and a machine gun installed, says the book “Kongeskipet Norge”. “Philante” was used as both an escort ship for the British Navy, and as a training ship, during the war years, before in September 1945 it finished its military service and was returned to its former owner. Despite some traces of the war, the ship had not suffered major damage. From cannon to crown The collection for the public gift to King Haakon had been successful, and in July 1947 the yacht “Philante” was bought for NOK 1.5 million. At today’s krone value, this corresponds to NOK 35.7 million. “Philante” was towed to the shipyard that had built the yacht ten years earlier, to be restored after the war effort, painted white again and rebuilt. “Philante” was to be resurrected as the royal ship “Norge”. Thomas Sopwith had had a luxurious interior on board “Philante”, which, among other things, consisted of several large salons, guest cabins with attached bathrooms, exercise rooms and the owner’s large suite, where the bedroom alone was over 70 square meters, according to the book about the royal ship. King Haakon wanted a less luxurious interior. He also wanted Norwegian wood materials and equipment to be used in the restoration as far as possible, and that furniture and textiles for the new royal ship should be made by Norwegian craftsmen. According to “Kongeskipet Norge”, women’s associations were formed both in Norway and in England, which were to provide crockery, tablecloths, cutlery and vases, among other things. Everything was sent to England and brought on board the ship as it was completed. The royal couple in one of the salons in the royal ship “Norge” during a trip to Svalbard in 1995. Photo: Rune Petter Ness / NTB One of the salons on board the Royal Ship. Photo: Knut Fjeldstad / NTB One of the lounges on board the Kongeskipet. Photo: Knut Fjeldstad / NTB The dining room on board the Royal Ship photographed in 1999. Photo: Knut Fjeldstad / NTB The Royal Couple stood ready to receive guests on board the Royal Ship during their county trip to Troms in 2011. Photo: Terje Bendiksby / NTB The Crown Prince Couple stood ready to receive guests on the Kongeskipet in 2007. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB The handover The long-promised royal ship was the people’s gift to King Haakon on his 75th birthday on 3 August 1947. At that time, the ship had not been fully restored, so the king received a model of the ship in a solemn session at the Castle. The head of the fundraising committee handed over the gift and said in his speech: – A maritime nation like Norway has felt it as a loss that the country’s first man could not visit the country’s coast, fjords and islands, cities and places on board a ship that in a dignified way symbolized our seafaring people, and which at the same time connected this with the idea of royalty. (…) We ask Your Majesty to accept the gift of the people – the royal ship. We assure you that the gift is based on the desire of all good Norwegians to please their king. It is an expression of the people’s love and admiration. Just over ten months after the king had received a model of the ship as a 75th birthday present, he was able to board the real – and his very own – royal ship for the first time. On 9 June 1948, King Haakon walked over the gangway and on board K/S “Norge”, which was docked in front of Oslo City Hall. At the same time, there was a salute with 21 shots from the cannons at Akershus fortress, and the crew shouted “long live the king!”, according to the book about the royal ship. King Haakon boards the royal ship “Norge” for the first time after the handover in 1948. Photo: SCANPIX / NTB A few days later, the king thanked “Norway” through the newspapers: “I would like to express my warm thanks to the Norwegian people for the magnificent gift that I have recently received in the form of K/S “Norge”. (…) I value the royal ship exceedingly, and this gift becomes even dearer to me in the awareness that it has been given to me by the entire Norwegian people.” The royal ship’s maiden voyage with King Haakon and the Crown Prince’s family, with the then Crown Prince Olav, Crown Princess Märtha, Princesses Ragnhild and Astrid and Prince Harald, went to Arendal on 26 June 1948. King Haakon inspected the ship after the handover. Photo: NTB Today King Olav with his grandchildren, Princess Märtha Louise and Prince Haakon Magnus, on board the Royal Ship in 1980. Photo: Svein Hammerstad / NTB King Olav took over the Royal Ship after his father when King Haakon died in 1957. And when King Olav died in 1991, King Harald took over the ship – which is still in frequent use. King Harald and Queen Sonja use the Royal Ship on official occasions both in Norway and abroad, such as for county trips and state visits. They also often vacation on board the Kongeskipet. The summer season on Kongeskipet usually lasts from mid-May to the end of September, according to Kongehuset.no. Here, King Harald and Queen Sonja disembark from the Royal Ship in Flåm last summer. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB During major international voyages, the king also uses the ship as a base. The royal ship has also played an important role in connection with anniversaries and special occasions, such as during the royal couple’s signing tour in southern Norway in 1991. And when the royal couple celebrated their 60th birthday in 1997, they invited royals from all over Europe on a cruise to experience nature along the Norwegian coast. The king owns the ship, but it has been decided that the ship will be manned, operated and maintained by the Norwegian Armed Forces. The royal ship “Norge” is one of two remaining royal ships in the world. The other is the Danish ship “Dannebrog” – which also helped transport the small, new royal family with King Haakon, Queen Maud and Crown Prince Olav, over from Denmark to Norway in 1905. It is King Harald himself who marks the beginning and end of the season by embarking and disembarking the royal ship “Norge” for inspection. Here he will go on board from the sloop to embark the ship in May this year. Photo: Javad Parsa / NTB
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From warship to royal ship – did you know this about K/S “Norge”? – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
