Marlborough House today – no longer a London royal residence. Taken in 2008. | CMallwitz - wikimedia.org - CC0.

Queen Maud of Norway | Where did she come from?

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Marlborough House was her parents’ town residence, located a short walk away from Buckingham Palace.

Princess Maud was born into immense wealth – belonging to one of the then most powerful families in the world: the British royal family.

Maud’s parents were Edward and Alexandra; then the Prince and Princess of Wales – later King Edward VII and Queen Consort Alexandra.

Maud was half British through her father, Edward – and half Danish through her mother, Alexandra. Through both her mother and her father, Maud also had German ancestry.

Maud’s paternal grandparents were the formidable Queen Victoria and her beloved Prince Albert. Prince Albert died in 1861, 8 years before Maud was born.

Maud’s maternal grandparents were King Christian IX of Denmark and Queen Consort Louise. They were also grandparents to Maud’s first cousin and future husband, Prince Carl of Denmark.

The Norwegians chose Prince Carl to become their King Haakon VII upon their full independence in 1905 – thus also making Maud Queen Consort of Norway.

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Queen Maud of Norway | Edward was her father

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The muskox | A newcomer in the Norwegian landscape

The Norwegians rarely allow alien species into their fauna, with one notable exception, the muskox – first welcomed back to Norway from Greenland in 1924.

Are Santa Claus’s reindeer all female?

Santa’s reindeer have a full set of antlers at Christmas and may all be female. The bull normally loses his after the mating season in late autumn.

Practical farming in Norway in 1815 | The month of February

February was the month when the historical Norwegian farmer had to be vigilant about the housebound livestock’s remaining fodder. It was still only midwinter.

Norway | A land of water

In the spring, the snow covering most of the Norwegian mountains melts and turns into creeks, rivers, and magnificent waterfalls.

The old Norwegian farm | Washing clothes by the creek

Our foremothers were hardworking and inventive – and doing the laundry in olden times was no small job. This is how it was done on a mountain farm in Norway – towards the end of the 1800s.

Paestum – Italy | A place of majesty and beauty

If you are ever in the Italian Campania-region, we recommend a visit to the ancient Greek temple-ruins at Paestum. It is a mesmerising place.

Norway | What does the name of the country really mean?

A loved child goes by many names, says a Norwegian expression. This certainly applies to the country Norway. But what does the name really mean?

A man died after being bitten by a wolf | Norway AD 1720

In 1720, in the community of Meldal in Trøndelag, Norway, Vellik Andersson died aged 37, after being bitten by a wild wolf. He was buried on 8 September.

The Norwegian cheese slicer | Ostehøvel

There are many types of cheese slicers, but Norwegian furniture-maker Thor Bjørklund invented the Norwegian version in 1925.

Norwegian food and drink | The Viking pizza

In Norway, the Italian pizza appeared as an exotic newcomer in the 1970s. But bread topped with foodstuffs is nothing new in Norwegian food history. Even the Vikings ate pizza – but they called it bread-dish.

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