Forvirring om dronning Sonjas nye tittel – TV 2

Dronning Sonja no longer appears as a member of the royal house on official Norwegian palace websites and has lost her formal right to be addressed as Her Majesty in Norway, following decisions enacted after the death of King Harald on August 28, 2026, tv2.no reported. Following the transition, the royal house now officially consists of King Haakon, Queen Mette-Marit, and Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra.

The Palace Website Changes and Royal House Redefinition

The adjustments on the royal household’s digital platforms became visible as the official court mourning period ended, according to updates reported by tv2.no and VG. Palace communications chief Guri Varpe explained to VG that the royal house’s internet pages had operated in a temporary mourning status since King Harald died, which caused outdated listings to linger.

Under the revised definition published on the royal house website, the royal house consists strictly of the reigning monarch, the monarch’s spouse, and the nearest heirs in succeeding generations alongside their spouses. The updated roster features King Haakon, Queen Mette-Marit, and Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra. Queen Sonja, who served as Norway’s queen for 35 years following her husband’s accession on January 17, 1991, now falls under the separate category of the wider royal family alongside Princess Märtha Louise and Prince Sverre Magnus, as noted by VG and tv2.no. The official section for Queen Sonja on the website notes that she served at King Harald’s side until his passing, and she continues to perform official duties representing the royal house.

King Haakon Implements Limited Royal Titles

Aftenposten reported that one of the first official acts undertaken by King Haakon upon ascending the throne was to establish that Queen Sonja would no longer carry the formal title of Her Majesty within national borders. Guri Varpe confirmed to Dagbladet that King Haakon chose to continue a specific line within the Norwegian monarchy favoring limited use of formal royal styling. It is now only members of the royal house who carry formal address styles like Deres Majestet or Deres kongelige høyhet, while other members of the broader royal family are referred to by their titles, such as queen, prince, or princess.

Contrasting Traditions and International Protocol

While the title adjustment removes Her Majesty from Queen Sonja’s domestic designation, international protocol permits different linguistic conventions. Dagbladet and tv2.no reported that the court confirmed she may still be addressed as Her Majesty Queen Sonja when communicating in English outside Norway. Royal experts offered differing assessments of the transition. Tove Taalesen told Nettavisen, as cited by tv2.no, that she found the change sad and unnecessary. Ole-Jørgen Schulsrud-Hansen expressed a similar view to tv2.no, stating, I had hoped that Queen Sonja would continue to be Her Majesty, though he noted that one must ask King Haakon VIII why the court moved away from this. Schulsrud-Hansen added that he sees no drama in the change, noting, We are not as concerned with titles as they are in England or Sweden.

Stortingsmiddagen and Upcoming Official Duties

Despite her removal from the core royal house and the formal domestic title change, Queen Sonja will continue to execute official duties and representational tasks on behalf of the monarchy, as verified by VG and tv2.no. On the Monday following the announcement, the 89-year-old queen returned to work, visiting the National Archives in Oslo. Her upcoming schedule includes attendance at the annual Stortingsmiddagen banquet at the Royal Palace on October 22, 2026, which ranks among the premier events on the royal calendar, according to tv2.no. When King Harald became Norway’s new king in 1991, Queen Sonja simultaneously became the country’s first queen in 53 years.