The Crown of Norway (1818)

The Norwegian Constitution of 1814 made it mandatory that coronations of Kings of Norway were to take place in Nidaros Cathedral, Trondheim.

As Norway had no regalia for the first coronation, King Carl XI Johan ordered personal regalia from a famous goldsmith in Stockholm, Erik Adolf Zethelius.

The golden crown has seven strawberry leaves and eight half arches, which rise to the centre, topped by a large globe and a diamond cross. A remarkable, large Chrysoberyl, purchased from Brazil, was mounted in the front of the crown.

After the coronation in 1818 the King donated the regalia to Norway for storage in the coronation cathedral. They were stored in Nidaros Cathedral for a while but had to be moved because of damp. A few years later the Queen's regalia were also made in Stockholm. The hereditary prince's crown completed the crown jewels, this being the only part of the regalia to have been made in Norway.

The last coronation ceremony was held in 1906. The clause in the constitution which referred to the coronation was repealed two years later. The Norwegian crown jewels have rarely been shown to the public. This changed on 29th July 1988 when the Norwegian Royal Family attended the ceremony which officially placed the crown jewels on public display in the North Chapel of the West Front of the cathedral.