Princess Anne attended the funeral of King Harald of Norway today (Weds 9) wearing a much-loved brooch in his honour.
The Princess Royal, accompanied by the Prince of Wales, joined the funeral procession from the Royal Palace to Oslo Cathedral. And while William is representing his father, King Charles, at the funeral, Princess Anne has a special, personal connection to the Norwegian royal family. The Princess Royal is godparent to Norway’s new King, King Haakon, who took the constitutional oath days after his father’s death on 28 August.
In attendance to support her godson, Anne looked solemn in a black jacket and scarf, the brooch clearly seen pinned to the fabric. Known as the Gold Ribbon brooch, the piece dates back to the mid-20th century, and is crafted in the shape of a knotted bow encrusted with diamonds.
Tatler reported that the accessory is ‘one of the oldest pieces of jewellery in her collection’, and the Princess has cherished it for decades. She was first spotted wearing in in 1969 during a meeting with Apollo 8 commander Colonel Frank Borman at Buckingham Palace, and has worn it for several milestone moments, including her 70th birthday portrait.
Today, in a deeply personal tribute, the Princess Royal has chosen to wear the Gold Ribbon brooch to King Harald’s funeral.
Anne, whose special connection to the royal family was forged when she was asked to be godmother to King Haakon in 1973, is one of six royal godparents: the others include King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, Princess Astrid of Norway, the late Prince Carl Bernadotte, and his grandfather, the late King Olav V.
