- Ivar Leveraas: Laura Charlotte f. Tangen (1877–1941). Om henne selv, hennes barn, aner og menn, s. 4–15.
- Trond Øivindsson Lunde: Opphavet til Anders og Mari Iversbråtan i Eidsvoll. Eksempel på kildebruk når kirkebøkene mangler, s. 16–21.
- Lars Løberg/Johan Marius Setsaas: Fantes det Benkestokker i Hordaland?, s. 23–30.
- Bjarne Hollund: Fantes det Benkestokker i Hordaland? – kommentar til Løberg og Setsaas sitt innlegg, s. 31–36.
- Odd Arne Helleberg: Tordenstjernene igjen, s. 37.
- Are S. Gustavsen: Det vanskelige farskap – tro og tvil rundt hustru Ingebjørg Torsteinsdotters opphav, s. 38–45.
- Rune Nedrud: Registrering av gravminner. En fin aktivitet på sommeren, s. 46–49.
- Dag Trygsland Hoelseth: Biografi om Didrik «Dixe» Cappelen (1900–1970), bokanmeldelse, s. 51–52.
- Dag Trygsland Hoelseth: Slektsbok om to reisende slekter, bokanmeldelse, s. 53–55.
- Rune Nedrud: Årets LAN-party ble avholdt med fullt hus på Lørenskog, s. 55.
- Dag Trygsland Hoelseth: Genealogisk fellesskap på Twitter, s. 56.
- Per Reidar Christiansen: Tilleggsopplysning angående «heksen» Ingeborg Stensdatter (Genealogen 2/21), s. 56.
- Rune Nedrud: Slekten Mylius fra Schleiz i Thüringen – deres slektsbøker gjennom tidene, bokanmeldelse, s. 57–58.
24 May 2022
Genealogen nr. 1, 2022
23 May 2022
Tjukke Slekta nr. 3, 2021

4 May 2022
The Norwegian Royal Court. Annual Report 2021
I have commented earlier that if it hadn't been for the perhaps less appealing accounts for the Civil List, the annual report is a good compensation for lack of the royal yearbooks which are not published anylonger. You get a good survey of the royal family's activities during the year in question.
In short, the Norwegian Royal Court's annual report gives details about the activities of the Norwegian Royal Family and the operation of the Norwegian Royal Court during the year, including the accounts for the Civil List and surveys of orders and medals being awarded during a given year. The report for 2021 counts 102 pages, is well illustrated (many great photos in fact) and has a nice design (by Neue Design Studio).
The Lord Chamberlain, Gry Mølleskog, who will leave her position later this year, opens the report with a few words about the main events of 2021. Then we get a very detailed report on how the royal court is organised and their main activities last year. Other chapters include the Crown Prince couple's activities, the Royal Diary 2021, cultural heritage, the security project, the King and the Defense, the change of government, the state visit from the Netherlands, the events marking the 10th anniversary of the terror attacks in Norway in 2011, finances, and management, equality and environment, health and safety, royal orders and medals and royal trusts. The last page gives a list of explanations to various words and expressions one mets at the court, like the civil list and protocol.
From the press release one can read among others:
In addition to the details given above, I should mention that the royal family had 635 engagements («oppdrag») in 2021. The similar number in 2019 was 723, while in 2020 the number naturally was much lower (381). I am not sure if the number contains the same in 2021 as in 2019, though. In the report for 2019 the expression «offisielle arrangementer» («official arrangements») is used, not «oppdrag».Annual Reports
[...]
The report is intended to provide better information about and increase understanding of the activities of the Royal House of Norway and the Royal Court. [...]
Annual report for 2021
Just as in society at large, the restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have continued to affect the activities of the Royal House of Norway and the Royal Court in 2021. Nonetheless, a high level of activity has been maintained. The Royal Family visited 8 counties and 31 municipalities in person and paid digital visits to 3 counties and 13 municipalities. There were 50 meetings of the King in Council of State held at the Royal Palace, and 27 formal audiences were given to receive ambassadors from other countries. In November, Their Majesties The King and Queen were the hosts for a State Visit by the King and Queen of the Netherlands, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince paid an official visit to the US.
The security project
Activities under the project to enhance security at the Royal Palace and the other Royal residences were extensive in 2021, and major portions of the project were completed during the course of the year. The high level of activity has resulted in a planned budget deficit which is covered by previously set aside appropriations to the project. The project was commissioned in 2016 by the Ministry of Justice and Public Security in response to a security analysis carried out by the National Police Directorate from 2012 to 2015, and is expected to be completed in 2022.
The security project has a budget framework of NOK 623.8 million. As the project has progressed, a number of factors have proven to be more complicated than in the original specifications set out in the preliminary project. As a result the project has been somewhat delayed and has required greater outlay than planned. These factors were related both to geological conditions and to the management of cultural heritage. Alongside this, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to problems with the delivery to Norway of the materials needed, a rise in prices and a lack of qualified craftspeople. In the first quarter of 2022, one of the project’s three primary suppliers filed for bankruptcy, which also entailed greater costs. The cost projections are higher, and funding in excess of the cost framework will be required.
Annual accounts
The planned deficit for the security project is NOK 129 144 266, which is covered by previously set aside appropriations. Per 31 December 2021, the project accounts show NOK 19.6 million in unused funds.
As anticipated by the Royal Court in its statement on the annual accounts submitted for 2020, there was a calculated deficit in the accounts for 2021. This deficit amounts to NOK 4 704 497. Due to the restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of measures could not be carried out during 2020, and these were completed in 2021. More than NOK 8 million have been used for renovation and maintenance projects in connection with the Royal residences and parks in 2021.
Operating costs for electricity were NOK 3.7 million higher than in 2020, which amounts to an increase of 111 %.
The annual report and accounts of the Royal Court for 2021 have been submitted to the Presidium of the Storting, the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, and the Office of the Auditor General of Norway.
As usual many orders and medals were awarded during 2021. The section for the recipients of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav lists 17 people, compared to 13 the previous year. King Willem Alexander received the Grand Cross during his visit here, while the Lord Chamberlain Gry Mølleskog was among the three recipients of the Commander with star. 56 people received the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit, all classes combined, compared to 89 in 2020 and 57 in 2019. The Order of Merit «is conferred on foreign and Norwegian nationals as a reward for their outstanding service in the interest of Norway». Most of the recipients were diplomats, and some of the orders were awarded to representatives of the Dutch Royal Court in connection with the official visit. No-one received the Medal of St. Olav in 2021, while 47 persons received the King's Medal of Merit, compared to 46 in 2020. The medal is conferred as «a reward for service in the fields of art, science and industry and for outstanding public service».
The King's Commemorative Medal, which is conferred for particularly meritorious service to the king, was in 2021 given to 32 people, compared to only 9 people in 2020.
Previous articles on the subject of the Norwegian Royal Court's annual report:
- 2016 (published 24 April 2017)
- 2014 (published 30 March 2015)
- 2013 (published 16 April 2014)
- 2012 (published 17 April 2013)
- 2011 (published 11 April 2012)
- 2010 (published 12 April 2011)
Front cover: © 2021 Simen Løvberg Sund/The Norwegian Royal Court.
30 April 2022
Succession mess in the Royal House of Serbia
On Thursday 28 April 2022 it was revealed that Prince Peter of Serbia, eldest son of the head of the Royal House, Crown Prince Alexander, had renounced his rights to the Serbian throne the previous day.
The question about succession to the Serbian throne is of course only academic interest, as Serbia is a republic and unfortunately the chances of a monarchical restoration are very small. The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was formally abolished in 1945, and since the 1990s the country has been divided into several independent countries, among them Serbia. So it makes more sense to refer to the Crown Prince and the other members of the Royal House as «of Serbia» and not «of Yugoslavia». The official website is headlined «The Royal Family of Serbia», by the way.
The information about the renunciation came in form of a message posted by a person named Astrid Beatriz in the Facebook group Royalty Digest Quarterly. The translated statement by Prince Peter said among others that «By the act of abdication, I renounce for myself and all my descendants who were born or will be born in a marital relationship or out of wedlock. I transfer all the rights based on the birthright to the next one born after the eldership, my brother Kraljevic (prince) Filip, which is an automatic process with this abdication and our sovereign wills; I do not waive the rights arising from the right to inherit the name, member of the Royal House, the title of Prince and all other rights and obligations that law and tradition give and impose on a family member».
The renunciation document was signed in Seville in Spain, where Prince Peter lives and works, with among others his sister Princess Maria Da Gloria of Orleans and Braganza and Duchess of Segorbe, his brother and sister-in-law Prince Philip and Princess Danica as well as representatives of the Orthodox Church of Serbia, as witnesses. Prince Peter said in the statement that he had informed his father the Crown Prince about his decision.
Prince Peter has given no clear reasons for his decisions, but considering the fact that he lives and works in Seville and has shown little interest in role the royal house plays in Serbia, it makes sense that he leaves the future headship to his younger brother Prince Philip, who lives in Belgrade, has married a Serbian woman and who already has produced an heir, Prince Stefan. I was puzzled by the way the renuncation came, as his father was not present when the document was signed. And today we got the following statement from the Crown Prince's Office:
STATEMENT FROM THE ROYAL PALACE OF SERBIA REGARDING HEREDITARY PRINCE
Regarding the most current events in the Royal Family of Serbia’s line of succession, and the withdrawal of HRH Prince Peter from the position of Hereditary Prince, HRH Crown Prince Alexander, as the Head of the Royal Family, issued the following statement:
“Concerning the withdrawal of my oldest son Prince Peter from the line of succession, I wish him all the best for the future, good health, and happiness. I appreciate his honesty regarding the tough decision he made.
This issue was brought to me quickly, while I am abroad, due to previous obligations. Unfortunately, such a crucial and important procedure was not followed properly, in accordance with the tradition and rules of the Royal Family, and the Family Rulebook, which was written in the time of the Kingdom, and which all members of the Royal Family need to follow. This occurrence and procedure did not take place at the Royal Palace, in Serbia, with my presence and authority as the Head of the Royal Family, with the blessing of our Holy Church and with Crown Council participation in the process, but in a foreign country, without a good reason for performing such important matter away from our homeland.
The Royal Family of Serbia will continue to serve the people with dedication, honesty, and loyalty, which is the obligation and duty for us”, stated HRH Crown Prince Alexander.
The texts of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, the Serbian Royal Family Book of Rules, 12 September 1909 and the Yugoslavian Royal Family Book of Rules, 5 April 1930 can be found in the important documents section of the official website. The documents used to be at my old website (I was the one who provided the English text of the Constitution to the Crown Prince, by the way), so I will try to get those pages back and running soon.
The documents are of course not legally binding anylonger, but it seems that most members of the Royal House has respected the regulations and the headship of King Peter and later Crown Prince Alexander since the monarchy was abolished in 1945. It is a bit sad that Prince Peter could not show his father more respect and get things sorted out «the right way». The Crown Prince has been subjected to a fait accompli, so some way or another he has to accept his son's decision. But now we have a situation where there is an unilateral and «unconstitutional» renunciation and as of now we don't know if Prince Peter would be willing to respect his father's wishes for a procedure in accordance with the family rules. I really hope the mess will be sorted out eventually.
Updated on Sunday 1 May 2022 at 02.10: One paragraph was edited, as it has come to my attention that no members of the Crown Council was present at the renunciation ceremony after all, cf. Marlene Koenig's updated blog article. She also writes that «Serbia media identified Nikola Stanovic as the Crown Prince's Chief of Staff. He is not Crown Prince Alexander's chief of staff. Ljubodrag Grujic, who served as the Crown Prince's Herald, and was present for the ceremony, is no longer in that official position.»
27 April 2022
Royalty Digest Quarterly no. 1, 2022
2 April 2022
Tjukke Slekta nr. 2, 2021

- Solveig Glesaaen: Historien om Oline Olsdatter Likvern (1847–1938) fra Sørskogbygda som emigrerte til New Zealand, s. 4–24
- Frode Myrheim: Bokmelding: Kirkebok for Rendalen 1661–1680 – utgjeven 2020 av Rendalen historielag ved Roger Sæther, s. 25–27.
- Trond Bækkevold/Ronny Rismyhr Haugen: «Så slo jeg meg på fotografien» - fotografer i Sør-Østerdal, Hamar og Øvre Solør 1858–1925, del 2, s. 28–51.
29 March 2022
UK: Service of Thanksgiving for Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
- Queen Elizabeth II
- The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall
- The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
- Prince George and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge
- The Duke of York
- Princess Beatrice and Eduardo Mapelli Mozzi
- Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank
- The Earl and Countess of Wessex
- Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and Viscount Severn
- The Princess Royal (Princess Anne) and Sir Tim Laurence
- The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester
- The Duke of Kent
- Prince and Princess Michael of Kent
- Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa
- King Philippe and Queen Mathilde
- Queen Margrethe II
- Prince El Hassan bin Talal and Princess Sarvath El Hassan
- Grand Duchess Maria Teresa
- Prince Albert II
- King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima
- Princess Beatrix
- King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia
- King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia
- Princess Christina, Mrs. Magnusson
- Hereditary Prince Bernhard and Hereditary Princess Stephanie of Baden
- Prince Kyril, Prince of Preslav
- Queen Anne-Marie
- Crown Prince Pavlos and Crown Princess Marie-Chantal
- Prince Philippos and Princess Nina
- Landgrave Donatus and Landgravine Floria
- Prince Philipp and Princess Saskia
- Princess Margareta (styled Custodian of the Romanian Crown) and Prince Radu of Romania
- Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine