Inside life of world’s most humble royals King Harald and Queen Sonja who take the bus and sent kids to state school
ROYALS is more likely to be seen cutting the ribbon to inaugurate public transport than actually driving it.
But Norwaymonarchy seems to favor a more modest lifestyle, as King Harald and Queen Sonja prefer to be approachable rather than regal.
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The couple is completely unaffected by their privileged status, asserting their place as the most humble royal children in the world.
Whether they are standing shoulder to shoulder with commuters on the bus or sending their children to the state schoolThese kings made it clear that they were not snobs.
The reign of King Harald is seen as Norway’s era of modernization and reform, when he and his beloved wife wanted to connect more with both the public and the media.
The 86-year-old wants to instill these traits in his two children. childrenPrincess Martha Loise and the Crown Prince So is Haakon.
So it’s not like The £7,000-a-semester school attended by Prince William’s three childrenNorway’s heirs received a less expensive education.
The two children were sent to regular public schools to study like normal children, as private schools were not common in the country.
Crown Prince Haakon then followed in his father’s footsteps, sending their children Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 19, and Prince Sverre Magnus, 17, to public schools.
It’s a family tradition that allows these royal kids a taste of a normal childhood while proving they’re not flashy people.
The Norwegian royal family has 9 impressive children houses under their belt, a rather modest amount for the British royal family asset portfolio of 26 houses.
They usually took refuge in the royal palace in Oslo, but also had a ski chalet called Prinsehytta, a farmhouse in Bygdøy, and a private holiday house called Mågerø to reside in.
The Bygdøy Royal Farm is the oldest royal property in the world and has belonged to the family since 1305.
Designed in the Baroque style, the organic working farm has a lot of cattle, including more than 60 cows, but sadly has fallen into disrepair.
But King Harald and Queen Sonja restored the property to its greatest splendor in 2007, breathing new life into the forgotten farmhouse.
The brood has an estimated net worth of £25 million, according to South China Post Office Morningwhile their costs – including security – cost the state almost £59 million.
It’s a budget easily dwarfed by the British royal family, with King Charles‘ Three-day coronation ceremony worth around £100 million.
You’d be forgiven for thinking that King Harald and Queen Sonja’s less income means they rely on Public transport.
But in reality, royals simply enjoy being in the slums with the rest of us on commercial flights, trains and buses.
They are often spotted crammed into crowded wagons instead of driving gas-guzzling motorbikes escorted by armed security.
It also gives them another chance to connect with the masses organically, while seemingly staying away from expensive alternatives.
But there are some cases where this monarchy prefers their privacy – such as special occasions and intimate celebrations.
King Harald and Queen Sonja want to celebrate birthday with their closest and loved ones without splurging on too much cash.
The couple are so frugal that they even combine major celebrations – such as their joint 80th birthday party and the 25th anniversary of the King’s reign – into one event to minimize noisy.
But that doesn’t mean kings deny all the joys in life – like King Harald took the group on a big surf trip to South Africa to mark their special birthdays.
He is known for his love for water sports as well as three Olympics appearances for Norway’s sailing team during the 60s and 70s.
even though he’s sick healthThe king is said to still row as much as he can to this day.
The adventurous head of state even won second place at the World Sailing Championships in Toronto at the age of 79.
His turbulent love story with Queen Sonja is said to have encouraged them to take such a down-to-earth approach to their privileged lives.
King Harald defied his father King Olav’s disapproval of his wife, after he was warned that he was forbidden to marry commoners.
The sole heir threatens to end his family’s reign if he cannot marry Sonja – paving the way for a period of change in Norway’s monarchy.
Although his lifestyle is largely different from that of the British Royal Family, Harald remains extremely close to The Firm – and is 77th in the line of succession to the throne.
He is the great-grandson of Edward VII and his godparents include Queen Mary and her son George VI – the paternal grandmother and father of the late Queen Elizabeth.
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