The Story:
As the story goes, Prince Carl, Princess Maud and their son Alexander Edward Christian Frederik embark on a life-changing adventure when they step foot onto Norwegian soil. Though he is given a shiny crown, just right for his two-year-old head, the little prince soon discovers that sitting on a throne is not much fun. Prince Olav makes such a fuss that King Haakon and Queen Maud send him outside on a mission to learn about Norwegian customs and traditions, something they don’t yet know much about.

The children playing in the park by the palace are eager for him to join them in making snowmen and sledding, but the poor little prince can't seem to keep his crown in tact. Each time he comes home with his crown scratched or missing a jewel, he has to sit on his throne for days or weeks as punishment. Finally, when the whole family decides to go skiing because it is something very Norwegian, even the king and queen’s crowns become completely mangled. It is suggested that the royal family not ski anymore, but the king says, “Nonsense! If we are going to be more Norwegian than the Norwegians, we have to ski like the Norwegians do! The crowns are the problem!” So, a solution must be found.

Princess Märtha Louise’s message is that the crown that matters most is the one you wear in your heart, not on your head. She has, no doubt, seen many puzzled children wondering how she could possibly be a princess without wearing a visible crown. An avid equestrian and sportswoman herself, she would likely not have kept her crown in tact either,if she had to wear it all the time. The princess has her own family now, and a crown would most certainly get in the way.

Recently translated into English and published by Skandisk, Inc., Why Kings and Queens Don’t Wear Crowns is now available for young and old to enjoy. With whimsical, historically-inspired illustrations by Norway’s prize-winning illustrator Svein Nyhus, this book couldn’t be more charming. It is a delightful keepsake that children will love to have read aloud. With more than 30,000 copies of the Norwegian edition in print in Norway alone, it is sure to be cherished by Norwegian-Americans, and all who treasure quality children’s literature.