If anyone has the experience to write her own fairy tales, it is Princess Märtha Louise. Raised in the royal family with her brother Haakon Magnus, heir to the Norwegian throne, it’s no wonder she has an affinity for these traditional stories. But her new book, entitled "Hvorfor de kongelige ikke har krone på hodet," published in English as "Why Kings and Queens Don’t Wear Crowns," is not a mere fictional invention. It is a historical fairy tale, a creative telling of when her grandfather came with his parents from Denmark to Norway in 1905 to become the new royal family. For four hundred years, Norway had been ruled as a joint principality with Denmark, and for a brief hundred years, it was in a union with Sweden. In 1905 the union was peacefully dissolved and Norway needed to find a new royal family. The Norwegians invited Denmark’s Prince Carl and his family to become the new Norwegian Royal Family. This is where Princess Märtha Louise’s story begins. And it is a timely tale she tells, for this summer Norway celebrates the 100th anniversary of its independence from Sweden.
As the story goes, Prince Carl, Princess Maud and their son Alexander Edward Christian Frederik embark on a life-changing adventure when they step foot onto Norwegian soil. Prince Carl becomes known as King Haakon VII, Princess Maud becomes Queen Maud, and the little prince is renamed Olav, because it is a more Norwegian name. Though he is given a shiny crown, just right for his two-year-old head, the little prince soon discovers that sitting on a throne is not much fun. Prince Olav makes such a fuss that King Haakon and Queen Maud send him outside on a mission to learn about Norwegian customs and traditions, something they don’t yet know much about.
The children playing in the park by the palace are eager for him to join them in making snowmen and sledding, but the poor little prince can’t seem to keep his crown intact. Each time he comes home with his crown scratched or missing a jewel, he has to sit on his throne for days or weeks as punishment. Finally, when the whole family decides to go skiing because it is something very Norwegian, even the king and queen’s crowns become completely mangled. It is suggested that the royal family not ski anymore, but the king says, “Nonsense! If we are going to be more Norwegian than the Norwegians, we have to ski like the Norwegians do! The crowns are the problem!” So, a solution must be found.
Princess Märtha Louise’s message is that the crown that matters most is the one you wear in your heart, not on your head. She has, no doubt, seen many puzzled children wondering how she could possibly be a princess without wearing a visible crown. An avid equestrian and sportswoman herself, she would likely not have kept her crown intact either, if she had to wear it all the time. The princess has her own family now, and a crown would most certainly get in the way. She lives with her husband Ari Behn, and their daughters Maud Angelica and Leah Isadora.
Recently translated into English and published by Skandisk, Inc., "Why Kings and Queens Don’t Wear Crowns" is now available for young and old to enjoy. With whimsical, historically-inspired illustrations by Norway’s prize-winning illustrator Svein Nyhus, this book could not be more charming. It is a delightful keepsake that children will love to have read aloud. With more than 30,000 copies of the Norwegian edition in print in Norway alone, it is sure to be cherished by Norwegian-Americans, and all who treasure quality children’s literature.
"Why Kings and Queens Don’t Wear Crowns" is available at bookstores and Scandinavian gift stores nationwide or directly from the publisher at www.skandisk.com