Norwegian Royal Regalia
Categories: Bernadotte | Crowns | Crown Jewels | Norwegian monarchy | Trondheim
The crown jewels, or royal regalia, of Norway include nine regalia: The king's crown, the king's sceptre, the king's orb, the queen's crown, the queen's sceptre, the queen's orb, the crown of the crown prince, the sword and the anointing horn. The regalia of the king and the anointing horn were made for Carl Johan, king of Norway and Sweden, in 1818 to his coronation in Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim. The regalia of the queen were made later. All these crown jewels were made in Sweden. The crown of the prince is the only crown jewel made in Norway, in 1848. The sword was a gift from Carl Johan to the Norwegian state. Its origin is somewhat obscure, it is said that it came from Napoleon I. However, it is believed that only the sheath is original, and that the sword has been replaced by a new one.
Following Carl Johan, Carl XV and his wife Louise of the Netherlands were next in line to be crowned in Norway, in 1860. Then Oscar II and Sophie were crowned in 1873. The last ones who used the regalias were Haakon VII and Queen Maud, who has been the only ones to go through a coronation after the independence from Sweden. The crown of the prince has in fact never been used. Crown prince Olav was too little to participate in the ceremony in 1906. Coronations were abolished by law in 1908. The regalia, together with some other old treasures, is today on view in Nidaros Cathedral.
Individual items in the regalia
- Royal crown: made in Stockholm in 1818 by goldsmith Adolf Zethelius. The crown is a corona clausa and consists of a ring carrying eight hoops made of gold and surmounted by a globe of blue enamel and an amethyst cross on top of it. The crown is decorated with many pearls and gemstones including amethysts, chrysoprases, a topaz and an alexandrite. In front it is adorned with a huge green turmaline, a gift of the Brazilian consul in Stockholm to King Charles III Johan.
- Royal orb: made in Stockholm in 1818 by goldsmith Adolf Zethelius of gilt silver. It is decorated with small roses placed on a band in the middle of the orb.
- Royal sceptre: made in Stockholm in 1818 by goldsmith Adolf Zethelius of gilt silver.
- Annointment horn: made in Stockholm in 1818 by goldsmith Adolf Zethelius of gilt silver.
- Coronation sword: early 19th century. Tradition has it that the sword was a gift from Napoleon I of France to the future king of Sweden and Norway, Charles John Bernadotte, when he was French marshal.
- Queen’s crown: made in Stockholm in 1830 by goldsmith Erik Lundberg. The crown is a corona clausa made of gold. It consists of eight hoops surmounted by a globe of blue enamel decorated with pearls and a pearl cross on top. The crown is adorned with numerous gemstones (amethysts and topazes) and pearls.
- Queen’s orb: made in Stockholm in 1830 of gilt silver and decorated with amethysts.
- Queen’s sceptre: made in Stockholm in 1830 of gilt silver and decorated with amethysts.
- Crown Prince’s coronet: made in Norway in 1846 by goldsmith Herman Colbjørnsen Øyset. The coronet is a corona aperta made of gold and decorated with amethysts, topazes and pearls.
External links
Nidaros Cathedral | The Crown Jewels Royal House of Norway | The Regalia