Flag flying days in Norway

There is a number of flag flying days in Norway.

National (and merchant) flag of Norway
State flag of Norway
Sami flag
Norwegian Flag flying from a flagpole
Sami and Norwegian flags flying in Akershus Fortress

Dates when the Norwegian state flag is flown by all branches of government and state agencies are listed in Article 4 of the regulations concerning the use of the state flag and the merchant flag, as modified by Royal Resolution of 3 December 2004.[1] Civilians are also encouraged to display the national flag on these flag flying days. The flag is flown on the birthday of a member of the Norwegian Royal House, on some Christian holidays and on the dates of significant events of Norwegian history.

On the Day of the Sami people both state institutions and civilians are encouraged but not required to fly the Sami flag in addition to the Norwegian flag.[2]

Full staff

The Norwegian flag is flown at full staff on the following days:

Date English Name Local Name[3]
1 January New Year's Day (since 2005)[4] Nyttårsdag
21 January Birthday of Ingrid Alexandra (since 2004)[4] H.K.H. prinsesse Ingrid Alexandras fødselsdagen
6 February Day of the Sami people Sami flag (since 2004)[4] Samefolkets dag
21 February Birthday of King Harald V (since 1937)[4] H.M. kong Harald Vs fødselsdagen
1 May Labour Day (since 1935)[4] Offentlig høytidsdag
8 May Liberation Day (liberation from the German occupation of Norway, 1945) (since 1962)[4] Frigjøringsdagen 1945
17 May Constitution Day (1814) National Day of Norway (since 1947)[4] Grunnlovsdagen
7 June Union Dissolution Day (end of the Swedish-Norwegian Union, 1905)[4] Unionsoppløsningen 1905
4 July Birthday of Queen Sonja (since 1968)[4] H.M. dronning Sonjas fødselsdagen
20 July Birthday of Crown Prince Haakon Magnus (since 1973)[4] H.K.H. kronprins Haakon Magnus' fødselsdagen
29 July Olsok (Day of Saint Olaf, king and patron saint of Norway) (since 1928)[4] Olsokdagen
19 August Birthday of Crown Princess Mette-Marit (since 2001)[4] H.K.H. kronprinsesse Mette-Marits fødselsdagen
25 December Christmas (since 2005)[4] Juledag
Movable Easter (since 2005)[4] Påskedag
Movable Pentecost Day (since 2005)[4] Pinsedag
Movable Parliamentary election day (since 1936)[4] Dagen for stortingsvalg

Half staff
Norwegian flag at half-staff to mourn the victims of the 2011 Norway attacks

On days designated as official days of mourning the state flag is to be flown at half staff by state and government agencies. There are no permanent days of mourning and this provision only comes into use upon the death of a member of the Royal House or as designated by the Government. Upon the death of a member of the Royal House the flag is to be displayed at half staff each day from the announcement of death until the end of the burial. If the burial service of a non-royal person connected to an individual public institution occurs on a flag flying day the flag flown by that institution is lowered to half staff until the burial service is over.[5] One such example of a designated official day of mourning was during the immediate aftermath of the 2011 Norway attacks, in which flags all around Norway were half-staffed as a symbol of mourning for the victims.[6]

Former flag days

The flag is flown for living members of the Royal House. When a royal dies or leaves the Royal House, their birthday is no longer a flag flying day. The Royal House is defined to only consist of the Monarch, those directly in line of succession and their spouses. The three living princesses have left the Royal House in connection with their marriages.[7]

DateOccasion
2 JulyBirthday of King Olav V from 1905 to 1991[8]
3 AugustBirthday of King Haakon VII from 1905 to 1957[8]
26 NovemberBirthday of Queen Maud from 1905 to 1938[8]
28 MarchBirthday of Crown Princess Märtha from 1929 to 1954[9]
9 JuneBirthday of Princess Ragnhild from 1931 to 1953[10][11]
12 FebruaryBirthday of Princess Astrid from 1932 to 1961[12][13]
22 SeptemberBirthday of Princess Märtha Louise from 1971 to 2004[14]


See also

References

General
  • "Present "Regulations concerning the use of the state flag and the merchant flag"" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 16 April 2008.
  • "Official Flag Flying Days In Norway". Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  • "Original "Regulations concerning the use of the state flag and the merchant flag"" (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 7 August 2009. Retrieved 16 April 2008.
  • "Press release concerning the most recent update of flag flying days" (in Norwegian). 3 December 2004. Retrieved 16 April 2008.

Specific
  1. "Regulations concerning the use of the state flag and the merchant flag" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 21 April 2008.
  2. "Press Release from the Prime Minister concerning the Sami day as an official flag day" (in Norwegian). 3 December 2003. Retrieved 16 April 2008.
  3. Norges flagg Forskrift (in Norwegian)
  4. "Official Flag Flying Days In Norway".
  5. "Norwegian Foreign Ministry rules on flag flying" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 16 April 2008.
  6. "Norway holds first funerals for victims of attack". Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  7. "Royal House web page on the members of the Royal House and Royal Family". Retrieved 21 April 2008.
  8. "Original regulation containing the flag days from 1905". Archived from the original on 21 October 2009. Retrieved 16 April 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  9. "Res. concerning the addition of H.R.H. The Crown Princess' birthday to (the list of) the official flag-flying days". Archived from the original on 21 October 2009. Retrieved 16 April 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  10. "Royal resolution of 6 February 1931: Concerning flag-flying on the birthday of H.R.H. Princess Ragnhild Alexandra". Archived from the original on 21 October 2009. Retrieved 16 April 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  11. "Royal resolution of 11. september 1953: Concerning the cessation of H.R.H. Princess Ragnhild's birthday as official flag-flying day". Archived from the original on 21 October 2009. Retrieved 16 April 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  12. "Royal resolution of 16 December 1932: (1) Concerning the addition of H.R.H. Princess Astrid Maud Ingeborg's birthday 12 February among the official flag-flying days". Archived from the original on 22 October 2009. Retrieved 16 April 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  13. "Royal resolution of 27 January 1961: Concerning the cessation of Princess Astrid, Mrs. Ferner's birthday (12 February) as official flag flying day". Archived from the original on 21 October 2009. Retrieved 16 April 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  14. "Press release concerning cessation of Princess Märtha Louise's birthday as official flag flying day" (in Norwegian). 3 December 2004. Retrieved 16 April 2008.
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