President Guiseppe Saragat of Italy on state visit to King Olav V of Norway 1965

[@regalevents5026]

This was the first Italian State Visit to Norway and I believe the first State Visit undertaken by Giuseppe Saragat during his tenure as President of Italy. It was a rather short visit, but like a proper State Visit there was a glittering State Banquet on the first day hosted by King Olav at the Royal Palace.

[@regalevents5026]

If you want to read more about this historical visit I invite you to take a look at my blog page that I created for it. The way to find it is to look at the playlist I have composed with videos on State Visits in connection with Norway.

[@amw62]

Actually it's GIUSEPPE, not Guiseppe

[@somaroy6103]

Sir I have a question Why don't the norwegian royals use their surnames officially. Like H.R.H. Princess Ingrid Alexandra is known as Recruit Alexandra in her military career, Why did not she use the name Recruit Glucksbürg as Glucksbürg (Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg) is the last name of the royal family ?

[@ruralor]

The Norwegian royal family are descendants of the house of Glücksberg, but it's not their name. They don't actually have a surname. They have a title and first name.

[@somaroy6103]

Thank You.

[@somaroy6103]

But as they are descendents of the house of Glucksbürg then Glucksbürg must be their last name. Why is it not that?

[@ruralor]

@@somaroy6103 Surname is a rather new concept in Scandinavia. In Norway surnames was not official until the name law of 1923. Before that everyone had only a first name. In the cities they used patronyms to distinguish people. (King Harald would be Harald Olavsen, it means son of Olav). In the countryside they didn't use patronyms, but they used the name of the farm where you lived. (King Harald would be Harald Skaugum, the royal estate where he lived most of his life). It kind of makes sense here in Norway. The royal family has never used the Glücksberg name. It's always been just a first name and the title. Same in Denmark, they have also never used these surnames. It's much stranger in Sweden. Their royal family use the Bernadotte name. All the Princes and Princesses have Bernadotte as their official surname. Carl Gustaf was a Bernadotte while he was Prince. However. The Monarch does not have a surname. He is Carl Gustaf, King of Sweden.

[@somaroy6103]

Thank You so much for your kind reply.