Throwback Thursday: Queen Maud's Land

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On this date in 1939, Norway claimed an area of Antarctica and named it in honor of its Queen Maud, daughter of England's King Edward VII. When she married her first cousin Prince Carl of Denmark, Maud expected to live a rather quiet life on the fringes of Europe's intermingled royal families. Nine years later, Carl was named King Haakon VII of Norway and shy Maud was pushed into the limelight. The different areas of Queen Maud Land are named in honor of her son and daughter-in-law Olav and Martha and her three grandchildren Harald, Ragnhild and Astrid. The sea around the coast is named for her husband. No one lives in Queen Maud Land but it does boast several research stations, which serve as bases for a few dozen scientists at a time.

This photo shows Maud with her only child Prince Alexander, who had been renamed Olav when the family moved to Norway. He was the father of Norway's current king, and a favorite cousin of the British royals.