Copyright hellomagazine
When it comes to her last name, Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway simply uses part of her full first name. According to Norwegian public broadcaster NRK, the 21 year old prefers to introduce herself as "Ingrid" and goes by "Alexandra" if she has to give a last name. NRK spoke with the Norwegian royal, who is currently in her first year of college, in a new interview published on November 2. "I feel free as a student, I definitely feel that I can be myself," she said, translated to English. Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit's daughter left home this summer to begin her studies at the University of Sydney. The Norwegian Royal House announced in May that Ingrid, who is second in line to the throne after her father, had chosen a three-year degree with a focus on international relations and political economy at the school. "I definitely think that my education will be very relevant to the job I will do in the future. I think it is important to have a basic understanding of the political system, of international relations, and how things work," the Princess told NRK. "And you learn an incredible amount from just being in conversations, having good discussions where you even disagree. I think that will be very important for me in the future as well." While there were "many good universities" she could have chosen, Ingrid explained to NRK that she thinks "Sydney was the right choice" for her. She said, translated to English: "They have an incredibly good university with good teachers and a nice student environment." The Norwegian royal also described getting an "outside perspective on Norway" as "very exciting." In the same interview, Ingrid revealed who she misses the most back at home. "That's my dog, Molly," she confessed. Though when she is having a bad day, it's her mom, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, whom she calls. The Norwegian Royal House announced in September that the Crown Princess would begin a month of pulmonary rehabilitation in October. It was revealed in 2018 that Mette-Marit had been diagnosed with a chronic pulmonary disease. "It's difficult. Mom has had a chronic illness for a long time. But I try to keep in good contact with her, we often talk on the phone," Ingrid shared with NRK. "And I think she wants to treat me to being a student and being here to study. I know that. But of course it's hard to be far away. And I'm proud of my mother who has an incredibly strong will to stand up now."
