Catherine, Crown Princess of Norway: Difference between revisions

Jump to navigation Jump to search
No edit summary
No edit summary
 
(10 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 56: Line 56:
| suc-type3    =  
| suc-type3    =  


| birth_name    = Catherine Charlotte Lauren Charles Frederick
| birth_name    = Catherine Charlotte Natalie Victoria Lauren Charles Frederick
| birth_date    = {{birth date and age|1969|1|28|df=yes}}
| birth_date    = {{birth date and age|1967|1|28|df=yes}}
| birth_place    = {{wp|Buckingham Palace}}, {{wp|London}}
| birth_place    = {{wp|Buckingham Palace}}, {{wp|London}}
| death_date  =  
| death_date  =  
Line 66: Line 66:
| issue        = {{plainlist|* [[Prince Olav of Norway|Prince Olav]]}}
| issue        = {{plainlist|* [[Prince Olav of Norway|Prince Olav]]}}
| issue-link  = #Issue
| issue-link  = #Issue
| full name      = Catherine Charlotte Lauren Charles Frederick
| full name      = Catherine Charlotte Natalie Victoria Lauren Charles Frederick
| house          = {{wp|House of Hanover|Hanover}} (by birth)<br/>{{wp|House of Glücksburg|Glücksburg}} (by marriage)
| house          = {{wp|House of Hanover|Hanover}}  
| father        = [[Charles III of the United Kingdom|Charles III]]
| father        = [[Charles III of the United Kingdom|Charles III]]
| mother        = {{wp|Lauren Bacall}}
| mother        = {{wp|Lauren Bacall}}
Line 74: Line 74:
}}
}}


'''Catherine, Crown Princess of Norway''' (Catherine Charlotte Lauren Charles Frederick; born 28 January 1969) is the ''Crown Princess of Norway'' by marriage to {{wp|Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway}} and a member of the {{wp|British royal family}}. She is also a noted {{wp|Norwegian}} {{wp|Olympic}} swimmer, having chosen to represent the country following her marriage.
'''Catherine, Crown Princess of Norway''' (Catherine Charlotte Natalie Victoria Lauren Charles Frederick; born 28 January 1967) is the ''Crown Princess of Norway'' by marriage to {{wp|Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway}} and a member of the {{wp|British royal family}}. She is also a noted {{wp|Norwegian}} {{wp|Olympic}} swimmer, having chosen to represent the country following her marriage.
 
A dedicated animal conservationist, Catherine has been consistently involved in various wildlife projects in both {{wp|Norway}} and various other countries around the world. The ''Kronprinsesse Catherine nasjonalpark (English: Crown Princess Catherine National Park)'' in northern {{wp|Norway}} is named after her.  


==Early Life==
==Early Life==
Catherine was born on the 28th of January 1969 as the eldest daughter of [[Charles III of the United Kingdom|Charles III]] and {{wp|Lauren Bacall}}. Initially named Catherine after one of her parents' close friends, the {{wp|American}} actress, {{wp|Katharine Hepburn}}, she was subsequently named after her third-great grandmother {{wp|Carlota of Mexico|Charlotte}}, then accompanied with that of her own {{wp|Lauren Bacall|mother}} and [[Charles III of the United Kingdom|father]].
Catherine was born on January 28th 1967 as the eldest daughter of [[Charles III of the United Kingdom|King Charles III]] and {{wp|Lauren Bacall}}. Named Catherine after one of her parents' close friends, the {{wp|American}} actress, {{wp|Katharine Hepburn}}, she was subsequently named after her third-great grandmother, {{wp|Carlota of Mexico|Queen Charlotte}}, her maternal and paternal grandmother, Natalie Bacall and {{wp|Princess Victoria Louise of Prussia|Queen Louise}}, and lastly after her own {{wp|Lauren Bacall|mother}} and [[Charles III of the United Kingdom|father]].
 
In contrast to her predecessors, Catherine and her siblings' respective upbringings were completely void of any royal nannies, as {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Queen Lauren}} herself had insisted on personally raising her children. Nevertheless, amidst some initial hardships, Catherine and her younger sister, [[Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Albany|Princess Alexandra]] in particular, were quick to become generally close with their {{wp|Lauren Bacall|mother}}. While she mostly enjoyed warm relations with her brothers, she reportedly exhibited a certain degree of rivalry towards her younger sister in an unofficial competition for their mother's affection. Regardless, both the two princesses shared common interests which included the likes of swimming, football and horse riding. At the age of eight, Catherine was made the new {{wp|Princess Royal|''Princess Royal''}} by her [[Charles III of the United Kingdom|father]], thus succeeding her grand-aunt, the [[Alexandra, Princess Royal|Duchess of Uppland]], whom had previously held the title prior to her death at the time.
 
Since she was only a year apart from her [[Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Albany|younger sister]], the two enrolled together at the {{wp|Brentford School for Girls}} and were said to had performed "moderately well" in their studies, with Catherine herself in particular possessing a sizable degree of advantage in Physical Education.  


As with her mother's wish, Catherine and her siblings' upbringing were solely tasked under the former herself, breaking the tradition of having {{wp|Nanny|nannies}} being appointed as caretakers for royal children. Despite the initial hardship, Catherine and in particular her sister [[Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Albany|Alexandra]] became particularly close with their {{wp|Lauren Bacall|mother}}. While she enjoyed warm relations with her brothers, she occasionally exemplified a certain degree of rivalry towards her younger sister in an unofficial competition for their mother's affection. Regardless, the two princesses shared common interests which included the likes of swimming, football and horse riding. At the age of six, Catherine was made {{wp|Princess Royal|''Princess Royal''}} by her [[Charles III of the United Kingdom|father]], succeeding her grand-aunt, the [[Alexandra, Princess Royal|Duchess of Uppland]] whom had been the previous holder of the title until her death the previous year.  
==''Princess Royal''==
While her younger sister had promptly chose to seek a military career soon enough after graduation from high school, Catherine herself chose to further studies in academics. To that end, like her two older brothers, she was allowed to travel abroad to the {{wp|United States}}, where she then chose to enroll at the {{wp|University at Albany, SUNY|University at Albany}}, located in the eastern state of {{wp|New York (state)|New York}}. However, unlike her older brothers before her, the princess reportedly lived a mostly independent lifestyle while residing in the {{wp|North American}} country, although her parents' old residence of [[Wales House]] in the city of {{wp|Albany, New York|Albany}} itself was said to be her preferred off-campus residence, not least due to its proximity and familiarity with the princess. Nevertheless, sometime on February 1989, she sparked a brief controversy when she was notably fined by state police for an offence of speeding while driving her personally-owned {{wp|Chevrolet Corvette (C4)|Chevrolet Corvette}}. However, in the following March, she gained much personal fame when she was appeared live on public television alongside then {{wp|United States}} {{wp|President of the United States|President}}, {{wp|George H. W. Bush}}, with whom she held a public and spontaneous discussion on both global and domestic events.


Since Catherine was only a year apart from her younger sister, the two enrolled together at the {{wp|Brentford School for Girls}} and were said to had performed "exceptionally well" in their studies, with Catherine herself possessing a sizable degree of advantage in Physical Education.  
Having been made a {{wp|Counsellor of state}} by her [[Charles the Great|father]] at the age of twenty two, that is upon finishing her own studies, Catherine then began to soon undertake a series of duties herself, ranging from royal functions such as attending public events to representing her country abroad through various international visits. Thus, on December 1991, she undertook her first task as a state counsellor by holding an official visit to the newly created {{wp|Russia|Russian Federation}}, which had then recently emerged out of a dissolved {{wp|Soviet Union}}, during which she met the inaugural {{wp|President of Russia}}, {{wp|Boris Yeltsin}}, with whom she then went on a state-sponsored trip on the {{wp|Trans-Siberian Railway}}, similar to that of her parents' having done so themselves with the then {{wp|Soviet}} leader, {{wp|Nikita Khruschev}}, in the 1950's.


==Adulthood==
===The Eight-Nation Asia Tour===
While her sister unexpectedly pursued a career in the {{wp|Royal Navy}} upon completing her secondary education, Catherine however chose to continue furthering her studies, when she then graduated with a degree in International Relations from {{wp|Cambridge University}}. Soon after, she was chosen by her brother, who became king upon the death of their father in 1989 to represent the country abroad on his behalf. In 1990, despite her personal opposition against the {{wp|Tiannamen Square}} crackdown by the {{wp|Chinese}} government, she visited the country and met with {{wp|Chinese}} president, {{wp|Yang Shangkun}}. Praised for her mannerisms and her ability to "maintain stately professionalism" during the visit, she then promptly went on a series of unexpected visits throughout {{wp|Asia}}, visiting the countries of {{wp|Japan}}, {{wp|Malaysia}} and {{wp|South Korea}}. Reportedly, she had privately expressed to her escorts her desire to visit the country of {{wp|Taiwan}}, but this was then discouraged as to not severe the newly established relations with {{wp|China}}. On behalf of her [[William VI of the United Kingdom|brother]], Catherine would subsequently undertook further state visits around {{wp|Europe}} and to the {{wp|United States}}, where she was received by the {{wp|President of the United States|U.S President}} {{wp|George H.W. Bush}}. Once more, in a show of commitment and dedication, she successfully negotiated an agreement between the two countries in furthering cooperation on upholding better standards and care for wildlife species.  
In the following months of January to March, Catherine conducted a series of state visits, then known as the ''Princess Royal's Eight-Nation Asia Tour'', during which she successively visited the countries of {{wp|China}}, {{wp|Taiwan}}, {{wp|Japan}}, {{wp|South Korea}}, the {{wp|Philippines}}, {{wp|Malaysia}}, {{wp|Brunei}}, and {{wp|Singapore}}. All the eight successive trips conducted by the ''Princess Royal'' were equally subject to mass media coverage, with Catherine's own general openness with the public and her "warm and lovely" attitude being unanimously praised by various international observers.  


At the same time, Catherine began to take interest in wildlife rehabilitation. In 1994, she became one of the earliest official members of the {{wp|Folly Wildlife Rescue}} based in {{wp|London}}. Following her remarkable contribution to the organisation in its early days, she subsequently extended her patronage over several other national organisations responsible for wildlife rehabilitation in both {{wp|England}} and {{wp|Scotland}}.  
Despite the overwhelmingly warm, positive nature associated with her respective visits, she notably faced only one assassination attempt, which occurred during her visit to the {{wp|Philippines}}, when a random, disaffected {{wp|Filipino}} citizen allegedly attempted to stab the princess as she was being escorted through the passageway of {{wp|Ninoy Aquino International Airport|Manila International Airport}} in the capital city of {{wp|Manila}}. While the assassination attempt itself was quickly foiled by armed security guards, the princess nevertheless persisted in her subsequent touring of the country amid heightened security fears for the {{wp|British}} royal. During the visit, she notably praised then {{wp|President of the Philippines|President}} {{wp|Corazon Aquino}} for "restoring normalcy and tranquillity to a nation scarred with unrest and corruption", with the latter part of the statement receiving much particular criticism from supporters and family members of the already deceased, and notorious former {{wp|President of the Philippines|President}}, {{wp|Ferdinand Marcos}}, for which the princess was criticised for supposedly breaching her traditionally mandated neutral stance in public.


On 14 December 1995, she travelled to {{wp|Dayton}}, {{wp|Ohio}} as the {{wp|British}} representative alongside {{wp|John Major|Prime Minister John Major}} as signatories of the {{wp|Dayton Agreement}} which ended the {{wp|Bosnian War}}. This however would be Catherine's final official duty as a representative for her {{wp|United Kingdom|country}} before her subsequent marriage, to which she then began undertaking the same official duties for {{wp|Norway}} instead, the birthplace of her {{wp|Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway|husband}}.
===1990 ''Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue'' Controversy===
On February 12th 1990, the ''Princess Royal'' notably sparked large controversy within both the {{wp|United States}} and the {{wp|United Kingdom}}, when she markedly appeared on the {{wp|Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue|''Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue''}} magazine's annual cover that year. The magazine cover, which featured the princess dressed in a risqué, white two-piece swimsuit while carefully posing on top of the famed {{wp|Darwin's Arch}} rock formation in {{wp|Ecuador}}, saw an initial ban on its circulation by the {{wp|British}} government in the {{wp|United Kingdom}} due to its overly risqué nature. At the same time, Catherine herself openly commented on the much controversial magazine cover, which she referred to as an "opportunity of a lifetime", in addition to emphasising the fact that she was the very first cover model of the magazine to be of both {{wp|British}} nationality and of royalty status. Soon enough, following a settlement personally mediated by the princess herself, the magazine cover was ultimately allowed to be circulated within the {{wp|United Kingdom}}, albeit with a disclaimer attached to each publication and the condition that it be sold at a slightly higher price than usual, as to theoretically lessen the number of purchases of the issue itself in particular by its regular consumers.


==Crown Princess of Norway==
==Crown Princess of Norway==
As ''Crown Princess of Norway'', Catherine began undertaking public ceremonial functions, among others either personally or alongside her husband, the {{wp|Haakon, Crown Prince|Crown Prince}}. Almost instantly, the {{wp|British}}-born Crown Princess was seen as a major unifying figure between the {{wp|British}} and {{wp|Norwegian}} countries though at best, relations between the two countries are generally cordial. Catherine herself however was keen and an active participant in hosting bilateral meetings and dialogues between the two countries.  
As ''Crown Princess of Norway'', Catherine began undertaking public ceremonial functions, among others either personally or alongside her husband, the {{wp|Haakon, Crown Prince|Crown Prince}}. Almost instantly, the {{wp|British}}-born Crown Princess was seen as a major unifying figure between the {{wp|British}} and {{wp|Norwegian}} countries, while relations between the two countries have been traditionally, and mutually warm. Additionally, she also became a frequent host, or at times, the honorary attendant of most bi-national meetings or dialogues involving the two countries. On November 26th 1969, she was popularly nicknamed ''"Queen Maud II"'' by the {{wp|NRK|Norwegian Broadcasting Company}} in honour of the late {{wp|Maud of Wales|Queen Maud}}'s posthumous 130th birthday, with similarities between the two, most crucially regarding their shared {{wp|British}}-{{wp|Norwegian}} identity, being popularly compared.  


Having inherited her prior interest in wildlife rehabilitation, she continued to further her interest in said cause by subsequently indulging herself on an active scale in wildlife organisations throughout {{wp|Norway}}. In addition to her largely-praised commitment to the widlife cause, she was at times seen taking a personal "hands-on" approach instead, such as being directly involved in rehabilitation activities throughout the forested areas, rescuing endangered or injured wildlife species and alike. A few months into her efforts, Catherine announced that she was taking up flying lessons as to better her efforts in the wildlife community. She subsequently acquired a personally-owned {{wp|Bell 412}} helicopter, which was used regularly by the Crown Princess in monitoring wildlife habitats.  
Having inherited her prior interest in wildlife rehabilitation, she continued to further her interest in said cause by subsequently indulging herself on an active scale in wildlife organisations throughout {{wp|Norway}}. In addition to her largely-praised commitment to the wildlife cause, she was at times seen taking a personal "hands-on" approach instead, such as being directly involved in rehabilitation activities throughout the forested areas, rescuing endangered or injured wildlife species and alike. A few months into her efforts, Catherine announced that she was taking up flying lessons to better her efforts in the wildlife community. She subsequently acquired a personally-owned {{wp|Bell 412}} helicopter, which was used regularly by the Crown Princess in monitoring wildlife habitats.  


At the same time, the Crown Princess began furthering her interest in professional sports, exemplified by her previous record during her high school years. Until 2000, she actively competed in several local swimming competitions, to which she generally scored promising success. Eventually, at the {{wp|2004 Summer Olympics}} in {{wp|Athens}}, she scored a silver medal for the {{wp|Norwegian}} {{wp|Olympics}} team as the sole swimmer in a 50m freestyle race.  
At the same time, the Crown Princess began furthering her interest in professional sports, exemplified by her previous record during her high school years. Until the year 2000, she actively competed in several local swimming competitions, to which she generally scored a promising success. Eventually, at the {{wp|2004 Summer Olympics}} in {{wp|Athens}}, she scored a silver medal for the {{wp|Norwegian}} {{wp|Olympics}} team as the sole swimmer in a 50m freestyle race.  


==Marriage==
==Marriage==
As a consequence of her feminine charms and beauty, Catherine was greatly sought after as an eligible suitor from both the upper nobility and royalty, and even from those with a common background, which was greatly encouraged by both of her parents, seeking a further diversification of the royal household.  
As a consequence of her feminine charms and beauty, Catherine was greatly sought after as an eligible suitor from both the upper nobility and royalty, and even from those with a common background, which was greatly encouraged by both of her parents, seeking a further diversification of the royal household.  


In 1991, Catherine publicly revealed her relationship with [[Thomas Colling]], a local businessman who had been a collegemate with the princess from her time in {{wp|Cambridge University}}. Amidst a relatively stable relationship and a sizable degree of media coverage in their relationship, the pair peacefully broke off two years later.
On August 1991, Catherine publicly revealed her relationship with [[Thomas Colling]], a local businessman who had been a college mate with the princess from her time in {{wp|Cambridge University}}. Amidst a relatively stable relationship and a sizable degree of media coverage in their relationship, the pair peacefully broke off two years later.


In 1994, Catherine met the 21 year old {{wp|Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway}} in a solo state visit to the latter's country. Despite their brief exchanges, rumours of a relationship were quickly fronted by both the {{wp|Norwegian}} and {{wp|British}} medias. A year later, having served as the respective bridesmaid and best man for their siblings' marriage, the pair followed up with an official engagement in September of the same year. The couple were married the next year, in which Catherine was subsequently confirmed as ''Crown Princess of Norway'' on the day of marriage. The couple then received their only child, [[Prince Olav of Norway|Olav]] two years later.  
Sometime in February 1994, Catherine met a twenty one year old {{wp|Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway}} during a solo state visit to the latter's country. Despite their brief exchanges, rumours of a relationship were quickly fronted by both the {{wp|Norwegian}} and {{wp|British}} media. A year later, having served as the respective bridesmaid and best man for their siblings' marriage, the pair followed up with an official engagement in September of the same year. The couple were married the next year, in which Catherine was subsequently confirmed as ''Crown Princess of Norway'' on the day of marriage. The couple then received their only child, [[Prince Olav of Norway|Olav]] two years later.  


==Personal Information==
==Personal Information==
Line 108: Line 116:


==Titles & Honours==
==Titles & Honours==
*'''28 January 1969 - 11 July 1975''' ''Her Royal Highness'' The Princess Catherine
*'''28 January 1967 - 11 July 1975''' ''Her Royal Highness'' The Princess Catherine
*'''11 July 1975 - 12 August 1996''' ''Her Royal Highness'' The Princess Royal
*'''11 July 1975 - 12 August 1996''' ''Her Royal Highness'' The Princess Royal
*'''12 August 1996 - Present''' ''Her Royal Highness'' The Crown Princess of Norway
*'''12 August 1996 - Present''' ''Her Royal Highness'' The Crown Princess of Norway

Latest revision as of 14:43, 6 September 2021

Catherine
Princess Royal
Crown Princess of Norway
Medium
BornCatherine Charlotte Natalie Victoria Lauren Charles Frederick
(1967-01-28) 28 January 1967 (age 57)
Buckingham Palace, London
Spouse
Issue
Detail
Full name
Catherine Charlotte Natalie Victoria Lauren Charles Frederick
HouseHanover
FatherCharles III
MotherLauren Bacall
ReligionProtestant

Catherine, Crown Princess of Norway (Catherine Charlotte Natalie Victoria Lauren Charles Frederick; born 28 January 1967) is the Crown Princess of Norway by marriage to Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway and a member of the British royal family. She is also a noted Norwegian Olympic swimmer, having chosen to represent the country following her marriage.

A dedicated animal conservationist, Catherine has been consistently involved in various wildlife projects in both Norway and various other countries around the world. The Kronprinsesse Catherine nasjonalpark (English: Crown Princess Catherine National Park) in northern Norway is named after her.

Early Life

Catherine was born on January 28th 1967 as the eldest daughter of King Charles III and Lauren Bacall. Named Catherine after one of her parents' close friends, the American actress, Katharine Hepburn, she was subsequently named after her third-great grandmother, Queen Charlotte, her maternal and paternal grandmother, Natalie Bacall and Queen Louise, and lastly after her own mother and father.

In contrast to her predecessors, Catherine and her siblings' respective upbringings were completely void of any royal nannies, as Queen Lauren herself had insisted on personally raising her children. Nevertheless, amidst some initial hardships, Catherine and her younger sister, Princess Alexandra in particular, were quick to become generally close with their mother. While she mostly enjoyed warm relations with her brothers, she reportedly exhibited a certain degree of rivalry towards her younger sister in an unofficial competition for their mother's affection. Regardless, both the two princesses shared common interests which included the likes of swimming, football and horse riding. At the age of eight, Catherine was made the new Princess Royal by her father, thus succeeding her grand-aunt, the Duchess of Uppland, whom had previously held the title prior to her death at the time.

Since she was only a year apart from her younger sister, the two enrolled together at the Brentford School for Girls and were said to had performed "moderately well" in their studies, with Catherine herself in particular possessing a sizable degree of advantage in Physical Education.

Princess Royal

While her younger sister had promptly chose to seek a military career soon enough after graduation from high school, Catherine herself chose to further studies in academics. To that end, like her two older brothers, she was allowed to travel abroad to the United States, where she then chose to enroll at the University at Albany, located in the eastern state of New York. However, unlike her older brothers before her, the princess reportedly lived a mostly independent lifestyle while residing in the North American country, although her parents' old residence of Wales House in the city of Albany itself was said to be her preferred off-campus residence, not least due to its proximity and familiarity with the princess. Nevertheless, sometime on February 1989, she sparked a brief controversy when she was notably fined by state police for an offence of speeding while driving her personally-owned Chevrolet Corvette. However, in the following March, she gained much personal fame when she was appeared live on public television alongside then United States President, George H. W. Bush, with whom she held a public and spontaneous discussion on both global and domestic events.

Having been made a Counsellor of state by her father at the age of twenty two, that is upon finishing her own studies, Catherine then began to soon undertake a series of duties herself, ranging from royal functions such as attending public events to representing her country abroad through various international visits. Thus, on December 1991, she undertook her first task as a state counsellor by holding an official visit to the newly created Russian Federation, which had then recently emerged out of a dissolved Soviet Union, during which she met the inaugural President of Russia, Boris Yeltsin, with whom she then went on a state-sponsored trip on the Trans-Siberian Railway, similar to that of her parents' having done so themselves with the then Soviet leader, Nikita Khruschev, in the 1950's.

The Eight-Nation Asia Tour

In the following months of January to March, Catherine conducted a series of state visits, then known as the Princess Royal's Eight-Nation Asia Tour, during which she successively visited the countries of China, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore. All the eight successive trips conducted by the Princess Royal were equally subject to mass media coverage, with Catherine's own general openness with the public and her "warm and lovely" attitude being unanimously praised by various international observers.

Despite the overwhelmingly warm, positive nature associated with her respective visits, she notably faced only one assassination attempt, which occurred during her visit to the Philippines, when a random, disaffected Filipino citizen allegedly attempted to stab the princess as she was being escorted through the passageway of Manila International Airport in the capital city of Manila. While the assassination attempt itself was quickly foiled by armed security guards, the princess nevertheless persisted in her subsequent touring of the country amid heightened security fears for the British royal. During the visit, she notably praised then President Corazon Aquino for "restoring normalcy and tranquillity to a nation scarred with unrest and corruption", with the latter part of the statement receiving much particular criticism from supporters and family members of the already deceased, and notorious former President, Ferdinand Marcos, for which the princess was criticised for supposedly breaching her traditionally mandated neutral stance in public.

1990 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Controversy

On February 12th 1990, the Princess Royal notably sparked large controversy within both the United States and the United Kingdom, when she markedly appeared on the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue magazine's annual cover that year. The magazine cover, which featured the princess dressed in a risqué, white two-piece swimsuit while carefully posing on top of the famed Darwin's Arch rock formation in Ecuador, saw an initial ban on its circulation by the British government in the United Kingdom due to its overly risqué nature. At the same time, Catherine herself openly commented on the much controversial magazine cover, which she referred to as an "opportunity of a lifetime", in addition to emphasising the fact that she was the very first cover model of the magazine to be of both British nationality and of royalty status. Soon enough, following a settlement personally mediated by the princess herself, the magazine cover was ultimately allowed to be circulated within the United Kingdom, albeit with a disclaimer attached to each publication and the condition that it be sold at a slightly higher price than usual, as to theoretically lessen the number of purchases of the issue itself in particular by its regular consumers.

Crown Princess of Norway

As Crown Princess of Norway, Catherine began undertaking public ceremonial functions, among others either personally or alongside her husband, the Crown Prince. Almost instantly, the British-born Crown Princess was seen as a major unifying figure between the British and Norwegian countries, while relations between the two countries have been traditionally, and mutually warm. Additionally, she also became a frequent host, or at times, the honorary attendant of most bi-national meetings or dialogues involving the two countries. On November 26th 1969, she was popularly nicknamed "Queen Maud II" by the Norwegian Broadcasting Company in honour of the late Queen Maud's posthumous 130th birthday, with similarities between the two, most crucially regarding their shared British-Norwegian identity, being popularly compared.

Having inherited her prior interest in wildlife rehabilitation, she continued to further her interest in said cause by subsequently indulging herself on an active scale in wildlife organisations throughout Norway. In addition to her largely-praised commitment to the wildlife cause, she was at times seen taking a personal "hands-on" approach instead, such as being directly involved in rehabilitation activities throughout the forested areas, rescuing endangered or injured wildlife species and alike. A few months into her efforts, Catherine announced that she was taking up flying lessons to better her efforts in the wildlife community. She subsequently acquired a personally-owned Bell 412 helicopter, which was used regularly by the Crown Princess in monitoring wildlife habitats.

At the same time, the Crown Princess began furthering her interest in professional sports, exemplified by her previous record during her high school years. Until the year 2000, she actively competed in several local swimming competitions, to which she generally scored a promising success. Eventually, at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, she scored a silver medal for the Norwegian Olympics team as the sole swimmer in a 50m freestyle race.

Marriage

As a consequence of her feminine charms and beauty, Catherine was greatly sought after as an eligible suitor from both the upper nobility and royalty, and even from those with a common background, which was greatly encouraged by both of her parents, seeking a further diversification of the royal household.

On August 1991, Catherine publicly revealed her relationship with Thomas Colling, a local businessman who had been a college mate with the princess from her time in Cambridge University. Amidst a relatively stable relationship and a sizable degree of media coverage in their relationship, the pair peacefully broke off two years later.

Sometime in February 1994, Catherine met a twenty one year old Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway during a solo state visit to the latter's country. Despite their brief exchanges, rumours of a relationship were quickly fronted by both the Norwegian and British media. A year later, having served as the respective bridesmaid and best man for their siblings' marriage, the pair followed up with an official engagement in September of the same year. The couple were married the next year, in which Catherine was subsequently confirmed as Crown Princess of Norway on the day of marriage. The couple then received their only child, Olav two years later.

Personal Information

Titles & Honours

  • 28 January 1967 - 11 July 1975 Her Royal Highness The Princess Catherine
  • 11 July 1975 - 12 August 1996 Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal
  • 12 August 1996 - Present Her Royal Highness The Crown Princess of Norway

Honours

Ancestry

Retrieved from "https://iiwiki.us/mediawiki/index.php?title=Catherine,_Crown_Princess_of_Norway&oldid=397887"