The Royal Yacht “Norge”

In the model the ship lies along the quay at Filipstad, below the Oslo Tree, with Tjuvholmen just across the water. You can see the white hull with its clipper bow, the yellow funnel, two varnished wooden masts and the lifeboats in their davits.

At night the windows and portholes light up, and a string of lights runs from the bow over the masts to the stern. The model is simplified, and the royal coat of arms is not shown.

When Norway got its own king in 1905, a royal yacht was part of the offer, but money was tight, and King Haakon did not ask for a ship of his own. After the Second World War a collection was started for a gift from the people, and in 1947 the British motor yacht “Philante” was bought for NOK 1.5 million.

The ship was built in 1937 by the Camper & Nicholsons shipyard in Gosport, England, for a British aircraft manufacturer. During the war it served in the Royal Navy, among other things as an escort for convoys across the Atlantic.

After a refit, the ship was presented to King Haakon VII on 9 June 1948 and named “Norge”. In 1985 it caught fire while under repair in Horten, but it was rebuilt.

• The ship belongs to the King but is operated by the Royal Norwegian Navy. In summer there are around 50 people on board, in winter around 25.
• When the King is on board, the royal standard flies from the aft mast.
• “Norge” is one of the world's two remaining royal yachts. The other is the Danish “Dannebrog”.
• Each season begins in spring with embarkation and ends in autumn with disembarkation.

From autumn to spring the ship is usually laid up at Filipstadkaia, just west of Tjuvholmen. It can be seen clearly from Trettenparken and from the quays on Tjuvholmen. In summer it is often away on voyages along the coast.