Norway’s Princess Ingrid Alexandra carries out first royal event in Australia on National Day May 17 one year after starting degree at Sydney University | Exclusive

EXCLUSIVE: The Norwegian princess who now calls Australia home has carried out her first official engagement in her adopted homeland, celebrating National Day in Sydney.

Princess Ingrid Alexandra took a break from her studies at Sydney University to join 400 Norwegians marking their national holiday, known as Constitution Day, on May 17.

It was the 22-year-old’s public debut in Australia, nearly one year after she moved to Sydney for a three year university degree to study social science, specialising in international relations and politics.

The princess, who has been largely shielded from the media both in Norway and in Australia despite her place as second-in-line to the throne, appeared confident in what was her most high-profile engagement outside of Norway yet.

Princess Ingrid Alexandra is the granddaughter of Norway’s King Harald V, 89, and Queen Sonja, 88. When she one day accedes the throne, Ingrid Alexandra will become Norway’s first queen regnant in more than 600 years.

Arriving at Harmony Park, in Surry Hills, on Sunday afternoon, the princess was joined by Norway’s ambassador to Australia Anne Grete Riise and officially welcomed to the city by New South Wales governor Margaret Beazley.

When nine.com.au called out to the princess welcoming her to Sydney, she smiled and said “thank you”.

READ MORE: After Diana, Kate is the ‘queen of children’s hearts’

READ MORE: Threat facing royal children as they near high school

READ MORE: Danish queen in hospital after suffering heart attack

Quietly confident and relaxed but clearly still adjusting to her growing profile, Princess Ingrid Alexandra appeared to hold back tears when mention was made of her family back home.

The 1000-year-old monarchy is facing its most challenging period in modern history: her mother Crown Princess Mette-Marit has a chronic lung condition and used a breathing aide with an oxygen tank during National Day festivities in Oslo. Meanwhile, the princess’s half-brother is awaiting the verdict of a criminal trial after he was charged with rape and assault. The family was also recently dragged into the Epstein files saga.

The princess, who chose to study far away in Australia – taking herself far away from the endless stream of negative headlines – showed no signs of the difficulties the monarchy is battling.

“Today is the most special day for Norwegians, our birthday and its easy to feel a little homesick so far from Norway,” organiser Sophia Demetriades Toftdahl told the crowd.

“It’s a rare and special occasion to share this day in the presence of our very own princess. Today we all feel a little more closer to home thanks to you.”

The event was organised by the Norwegian Australian Chamber of Commerce, with officials later confirming the princess’ presence led to a record number of Norwegians registering for the community-run party.

Three cheers of “hip, hooray” were given in the princess’ honour before the national anthems of Norway and Australia were played.

Princess Ingrid Alexandra was dressed in national costume, called a bunad, which typically features colours and styles indicating where in Norway the wearer’s ancestry lies.

Hers was decorated with motifs from Bardu and Målselv, in northern Norway, where she served in the army.

In April last year the princess completed her military service after spending 15 months as an engineer soldier and rifleman with the Engineer Battalion in Brigade North. Her first solo engagement away from her grandparents and parents came just two months later.

Despite her place as eventual heir, Princess Ingrid Alexandra has only recently begun carrying out regular appearances at public events in Norway.

After the speeches, the princess lead a parade around the park before spending around 30 minutes speaking with those who had come to see her, paying extra attention to the children.

The princess was not expected to spend so much time meeting with those at the party but she didn’t appear in a rush to leave, shaking hands, accepting flowers and asking questions, switching from Norwegian to English.

But she politely refused a selfie, saying it was not something she was able to do.

The princess was heard talking about how “very different” Australia was to Norway, while she told a high-school student her university studies were “a little bit hard but she said she’s going ok”.

Another revealed: “[the princess] said she’s had a really nice time here in Sydney”.

Ingrid Alexandra moved to Sydney in late July and is living in student housing on the university campus, inside the prestigious St Andrew’s College.

The Royal House of Norway shared a new photo of her on campus on Sunday with a personal message from the princess which said: “Today I’m a little extra homesick”.

“It’s so nice that we can decorate ourselves, join trains [parades] and celebrate our constitution. Today I celebrate 17th May in Sydney, and I hope you all have a lovely celebration whether you are celebrating at home or abroad.”

She’s not the first member of her family to attend school in Australia. Her mother spent a year at Wangaratta High School in Victoria, in her late teens.

”For her to be here is such an uplift,” the NSW Governor told nine.com.au.

“For her to have chosen to study in Australia is a way of strengthening our very important relations. One of the things she said she has enjoyed so much was just how friendly the Australian people are and I think that is one of our great strengths when we welcome people from other countries.”

Norway’s ambassador said the princess’ appearance in Sydney was behind this year’s bigger turnout.

“It is a big thing and we very much appreciate it,” Riise told nine.com.au.

“We were so honoured to have the presence of Her Royal Highness Princess Ingrid Alexandra. The crowd is bigger than it usually is – significantly bigger. It is the most important day in Norway to celebrate.”

According to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, there are just under 4000 Norwegian-born people living in Australia. A further 31,000 claim Norwegian ancestry.

Toftdahl, of the Norwegian Australia Chamber of Commerce, added: “The royal family is rarely away from Norway on the National Day.

“And she’s here in Australia – it’s her first public visit in her royal capacity in Australia so it’s putting us on the map and I think all the Norwegian-Australians are extra proud. 

”She’s a lovely princess and she loves the people.”

Brynn Berg and his wife Sabrina spoke to the princess who asked about their six-month-old daughter Ina’s costume.

“She thought [Ina’s] bunad was very cute,” Berg said, adding, “she was just divine, so personable and friendly”.

Typically, the princess joins her grandparents King Harald V and Queen Sonja, and the Crown Prince couple, in Oslo for the national holiday, waving to the crowds from the balcony of the royal palace. This year, she was hundreds of kilometres away from her family.

Her parents, Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit, and brother Prince Sverre Magnus, 20, marked the occasion from Skaugum, the family’s private royal estate just outside of the capital.

They later joined the King and Queen on the palace balcony.

Support for the Norwegian monarchy was at 70 per cent late last year but in in February it dropped to 60 per cent, the lowest ever figure, because of the issues facing its key figures.

However, affection for King Harald – who has reigned for 35 years – remains high with an approval rating of nine out of 10.

Last year, the King’s eldest daughter Princess Märtha Louise and her American Shaman husband took part in a controversial Netflix documentary which lead to renewed calls for her royal title to be stripped.

And last week, an Oslo court announced the verdict in the case of Marius Borg Høiby – the princess’ half-brother – will be delivered on June 15.

Høiby, 29, denies the most serious charges, which include four counts of rape and assault. He has pleaded guilty to some of the lesser offences, which include a drugs charge, traffic offences and breaching a restraining order.

Prosecutors have requested a jail term of seven years, but his legal team have called for a lesser sentence arguing Høiby has lived under extraordinary media pressure due to his royal connections, which they said has shaped public perception of the case.

Høiby was a toddler when his mother married the heir to Norway’s throne in 2001. He is not a member of Norway’s Royal House or a public figure, but grew up as part of the royal family, attending many events with the King and Queen and the Crown Prince couple over the years.

Separately, Crown Princess Mette-Marit has limited her royal engagements this year owing to her worsening health.

Late last year, the royal’s medical team said they had begun preparations to assess the princess for a lung transplant after her health recently deteriorated.

Mette-Marit was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018, which causes scarring in the lungs and leads to reduced oxygen uptake.

When Høiby’s trial began in February, the Crown Princess found herself at the centre of headlines over revelations she had past contact with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Her name was mentioned more than 100 times in the Epstein files but there was no suggestion of any wrongdoing on her part.

In March, she told Norwegian television: “It is incredibly important for me to take responsibility for not checking his background more carefully. And to take responsibility for being so manipulated and deceived as I was.”

Princess Ingrid Alexandra was last back in Norway around Easter. She is likely to return again during semester break late next month where the young royal will, no doubt, be embraced by her family dealing with the outcome of Høiby’s trial, whatever that may be.

FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.