Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra looked almost unrecognisable on Wednesday when she was paid a visit by her father Crown Prince Haakon.
The Norwegian royal, 21, was clad in military uniform whilst her royal dad inspected troops at the Engineer Battalion in Brigade North where she has been serving.
© Alamy Stock PhotoIngrid looked wonderful, and could easily have been mistaken for another one of her comrades, her brunette locks slicked back into a neat bun.
Prince Haakon – who is currently serving as regent while King Harald is out of the country on a holiday – said at the event: “I would like to thank you for the service you perform in the Armed Forces. Together with thousands of women and men, you work every day to keep Norway safe.
© Alamy Stock PhotoAdding: “You can be proud of the work that you do.”
Princess Ingrid Alexandra’s military career
In Norway, both men and women are required to carry out military service for one year.
This is something which was put into place for those born in the year 2000 and after.
© Alamy Stock PhotoThe princess has carried out 15 months of initial service in the Army, at the Engineer Battalion in Brigade North, where she has been a gunner on a CV90 assault engineer armoured vehicle.
Ingrid Alexandra and others in her class extended their service from 12 months to 15 months.
A special gift
On Tuesday, the royal received a very special gift to mark the end of her military service.
Princess Ingrid Alexandra received a traditional Bardu and Målselv bunad – a traditional folk costume – as a gift from Målselv municipality. The gift was presented to her at the municipal hall.
© Alamy Stock PhotoSpeaking at the event, the princess said: “A bunad symbolises belonging, and I am happy that I belong here a little, after living here since January last year.”
According to Nye Troms, the traditional gown cost 50,000 kroner – equivalent to £3,698.
© Alamy Stock PhotoThe royals usually wear traditional dress on Norway’s Constitution Day, observed on 17 May each year.
A queen in the making
The young royal is second-in-line to the Norwegian throne. This means that one day she will be the Queen of Norway, the first since Queen Margaret who reigned over Norway, Denmark and Sweden from the late 1380s until her death in 1412.
