The Future Queen of Norway Trades Camo Fatigues For a 125-Year-Old Tiara and Her Mom's Old Evening Gown

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.

A photo of Princess Ingrid Alexandra in camo gear and a blue beret next to a photo of her wearing a green gown smiling and holding her brother's arm while riding inside a wooden boat
(Image credit: Instagram/Det Norske Kongehuset)

Princess Ingrid Alexandra celebrated her 21st birthday earlier this year, and now she's marked two other huge milestones. The princess, who is set to become Norway's future queen one day, officially completed her compulsory military training earlier this month, and on April 8, she took part in her first state visit. For the occasion, the military graduate swapped her uniform for a sparkling tiara—and while her jewels were more than a century old, her gown was also a familiar piece.

The princess joined her parents Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Crown Prince Haakon for a state banquet held in honor of Iceland's president Halla Tómasdottir and her husband Björn Skúlason. Ingrid Alexandra looked stunning in a pale blue evening dress featuring asymmetrical tiered ruffles, pairing the gown with the Boucheron Pearl Circle tiara.

If the dress looks familiar, it's because Ingrid Alexandra's mother wore the same pale blue gown to Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden's 2010 wedding. In a sweet full circle moment, Princess Ingrid Alexandra—who was a flower girl in Victoria and Daniel's royal wedding—posed with her mother for photos when Mette-Marit wore the tiered dress.

Princess Ingrid Alexandra wearing a blue gown waking next to her father Crown Prince Haakon and mother Crown Princess Mette-Marit at a state banquet

Ingrid Alexandra joined her parents at a state banquet honoring the president of Iceland.

(Image credit: Alamy)

Princess Ingrid Alexandra wearing a blue gown and tiara at a state banquet

She wore the historic Boucheron Pearl Tiara for the event.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Crown Princess Mette-Marit wearing a blue gown holding hands with Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Crown Prince Haakon at the wedding of Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel in Sweden

Crown Princess Mette-Marit, posing with a young Ingrid Alexandra, wore the pale blue gown to Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel's wedding in 2010.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Princess Ingrid Alexandra received her glittering tiara as an 18th birthday present in 2022, and according to The Court Jeweller, it "was likely purchased by Prince Carl of Sweden from Boucheron" after the luxury jeweler showed the piece at the 1900 Exposition Universelle in Paris. The tiara was then passed down through the Swedish and Norwegian royal families, and most recently was owned by King Harald of Norway's sister, Princess Ragnhild, who lived in Brazil until her 2012 death.

While it's unknown how the design—which features overlapping diamond circles with pearl accents—came into Ingrid Alexandra's possession, it once belonged to her great-great-grandmother Princess Ingeborg. Princess Ingrid Alexandra wore the historic tiara for her official 18th birthday portraits as well as to her lavish birthday party, which was attended by three other future European queens.

As for her military service, Private Alexandra told reporters (via Royal Central), “It will be very nice [to graduate] in one way, but also very sad, because there are many people I have gotten to know well and have grown to love very much."

Kristin Contino
Senior Royal and Celebrity Editor

Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.