Mette-Marit interviewed in Natt & Dag

Crown Princess Mette-Marit was interviewed in the Norwegian publication Natt & Dag. Here is a link to the original interview, including pictures.

I have translated bits of the interview.

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Haakon in political problems

The Norwegian Minister of Trade and Industry, Trond Giske, is in the middle of assembling a council of young business leaders to give advice where Norway should focus its efforts in the future.

This weekend, it was revealed that Crown Prince Haakon had accepted a position on this council. It ended up with a bit of debate in the papers, where some thought it was a good idea, whereas others thought that it might not be the best thing. The Norwegian monarchy is supposed to be politically neutral, or as politically neutral as they can get.

This would have been moderately fine, if only Giske had asked the Prime Minister about the situation beforehand, and set boundaries as to what the Crown Prince could work with. But he did not do the first thing. (No information on the latter item.) It would still have been problematic regarding the royal house being political neutral, but at least the Prime Minister, Jens Stoltenberg, would not have been caught unaware on the issue.

As a result of the media problems this matter has caused (presumably to Giske, as he’s been the hardest hit by the critique) he has gone in a dialogue with the Palace, and the latest news is that the Crown Prince has withdrawn from the council.

Unlucky Mette-Marit

It seems that Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s bad luck is neverending. I summed up the past happenings at Blog Royale when she fell in the Ukraine.

This time, it is a public release from the royal house stating that Crown Princess Mette-Marit has been put on sick leave for the next three weeks by her doctor. The reason for the leave is abrasion damage to the neck vertebrae.

This means that her programme will be cancelled for the next three weeks, and that Crown Prince Haakon will be representing the Norwegian royal house at the Olympic Games in Vancouver from February 12th to February 17th on his own .  He is currently in Kazakhstan, where he will be opening a new embassy for Norway.

Mette-Marit as a ski instructor

Snow is not necessarily something all the immigrants who come to Norway are familiar with, and since it really started snowing in December, there has been a lot of snow coming down. The organization ChangeWeNeed took advantage of the weather, and arranged a ski weekend at Hvalstad Asylum for the underage immigrants who’re residents there.

It would give them a chance to play in the snow, and learn to ski, toboggan, play in the snow and grill hot dogs over open fire. The same things that Norwegian youngsters may experience growing up.

Crown Princess Mette-Marit took the time to join in the fun, while her husband wrapped up things in Davos. Along with the mayor of Asker, she showed the immigrants how to ski, with special focus on getting up the hill, and “breaking” when going downhill, joined in on the tobogganing, and ended the day with a warm hot dog.

“I’m not sure if I’m a good skier,” the Crown Princess commented when praised by the teens. “But I’ve been skiing every day [now].”

A decade ago: Crown Prince Haakon has a new girlfriend.

Ten years ago, today, the Norwegian regional newspaper, Fedrelandsvennen, broke the news that Crown Prince Haakon’s newest girlfriend was called Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby and was from Kristiansand, although she was living in Oslo.

Other media outlets jumped onboard, but there were no immediate comments from either the Palace or Mette-Marit herself. According to an anonymous friend who was cited as a source in VG, 30-12-1999, the couple had been quietly together since the summer that year.

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Crown Prince Haakon on Children’s television

This morning Crown Prince Haakon visited the Christmas Eve morning televised programme for children on the National Television Channel, NRK.

The programme was taped beforehand, as Haakon is spending Christmas in the mountains with his family. One hopes that they also have television coverage there, as one of the traditions for the royal children apparently is to watch the programme.

He revealed that it is difficult in these days when you don’t have a last name, especially when it comes to registering on the internet. But he has found solutions. “I often use Magnus as my replacement last name when I register, and then it works out nicely that my son is also called Magnus in addition to Sverre.”

I suppose using Schleswig-Holstein-Sønderborg-Glücksburg would draw a bit of attention.

Like the other guests of the show Crown Prince Haakon was also asked to make a gingerbread portrait of himself.

The holiday home debate, round 2

It looked like the last piece in the saga around Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s summer house was over and done with, when they purchased the tiny island outside of Risør. Sure, the purchase might not make much sense to non-Norwegians, tiny cottage located on a rock in the middle of an ocean as it is, but it was settled.

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