Happy Constitution Day!

After two years without children's parades and many of the other traditions that usually fill the celebration of 17th of May, greeting the children's parade had a special significance this year.

The schools of Høybråten and Slemdal headed the Oslo parade. This great honour traditionally goes to schools celebrating anniversaries, and Høybråten and Slemdal are both 100 years old in 2022.

The Royal Family greets the Children's parade in Oslo from the Palace balcony. Photo: Annika Byrde / NTB 

Just before the first part of the children's parade reached the Palace Square, both the Royal anthem and the National anthem of Norway sounded - and then the children entered into the square. A record breaking 130 schools attended this year.

 Flags and banners are lowered as the schools greet the Royal Family. Photo: Annika Byrde / NTB

There are 130 schools attending the children's parade in Oslo this year. Photo: Annika Byrde / NTB

Greeted the children's parade i Asker

The Crown Prince and Crown Princess and their family greeted the Asker municipality children’s parade outside Skaugum Estate from 08:15 this morning. For the first time, the elementary schools of Røyken and Hurum elementary school are part of the Asker parade. 

The Crown Prince and Crown Princess, Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus come to greet the children's parade in Asker. Photo: Lise Åserud, NTB 

Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Princess Ingrid Alexandra. Photo: Lise Åserud, NTB

Tradition

It was King Haakon and Queen Maud who introduced the custom of greeting the children’s parade from the Palace Balcony in 1906. The custom has been upheld ever since. The only exceptions were in 1910, when the Royal Family was in England for the funeral of Queen Maud’s father, King Edward VII, during World War II from 1940 to 1944, and during the corona pandemic from 2020-2021.

Kong Harald på Slottsbalkongen 17. mai for første gang - i 1938. Ukjent fotograf, De kongelige samlinger

Today the terms May 17th and children’s parade are virtually synonymous, but this has not always been the case.

May 17th and the children's parade