Relationships between members of the Norwegian royal family.


If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Well if other threads are anything to go by, it seems then that all the queens dislike their daughters-in-law! Just because something is not seen in public does not mean it is true and it works the other way....I have have heard that Queen Elizabeth loves the Duchess of Cornwall but of course it will not be shown in public!!!
 
What do you think that. I have heard that the queen dislike CP MM ,of course they will not show in the publish.
I never heard about something like that and actually I can not imagine it.

I was reading several times that the Queen sympathizes with CP MM since they both were commoners marrying the Crown Prince.
In the beginning the King and Queens had doubts about CP Haakon's choice to marry MM (mainly because of her past), but they accepted their son's choice.
 
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What do you think that. I have heard that the queen dislike CP MM ,of course they will not show in the publish.
I can't even fathom that. It's impossible to know what goes on behind closed doors, of course, but in all the photos and videos I've seen of Sonja and Mette-Marit together, they have seemed to have a lovely, close relationship. Here are just a few of my favorite moments between them:

At the Queen’s 70th birthday celebrations

At MM's wedding day

At Queen Margarethe’s 70th birthday gala

Another one from Queen Margarethe’s 70th birthday


Sonja also seems to be very fond of Ari Behn, as well. I've always thought that she and Queen Beatrix appeared to have the best relationships with their children's spouses, but that's JMO.

There seems to always be speculation that the queens don't like each of the respective crown princesses (as well as speculation that Queen Silvia doesn't like Prince Daniel), but all of those rumors seem unfounded to me, and it seems like they all have good relationships.
 
I've heard that Sonja supported Mette especially in the beginning when she married Haakon as there were a few problems because of Mette's past.
Seeing the pictures that Kenya posted, I have no doubt about it that they have a good relationship. But of course you can never know what goes on behind closed doors.
 
This particular mother and daughter in laws have always looked like the ones who have the most in common.
Even in public it doesn't look like there is any animosty which sometimes you see.
 
I've heard that Sonja supported Mette especially in the beginning when she married Haakon as there were a few problems because of Mette's past.

Yes, Sonja suffered a lot when she married into the NRF, the palace people woudnt accept her or understand her needs. Her best friend became QM of Denmark around that time.

Sonja once said in an interview that she made sure that MM didnt have to go through the same ordeal, eg gave her an own office from the beginning to make a feel a full member of the NRF and the opportunity to create her own environment.

Seeing the pictures that Kenya posted, I have no doubt about it that they have a good relationship. But of course you can never know what goes on behind closed doors.

Yes, of course, lots of cases in the past where the public has been fooled, sometimes until the bitter end.
 
Hi Guys :)

I'm so sorry if there is already a thread for this topic.

I really want to find out more about how the various members of the Norwegian royal family interact and get along with each other. For example:

How does Haakon get along with his parents?
Is he close to Martha-Louise?
How does Ari Behn get along with his in-laws?
Was King Harald close to his father, King Olav?

Both Haakon and Mette-Marit seem very affectionate towards their children in public, so I thought maybe their parents behaved the same with them. However, pictures of Haakon as a little boy often show Queen Sonja holding or hugging the kids, while Harald stands behind them or to the side. Is this just the way that the photograph was set up, or is it indicative of Harald's relationship with his kids?

Any information or opinions would be greatly appreciated, even if it is just speculation or rumour. I would also LOVE it if anyone has any old stories they heard about any of family members from when they were children.

And if this topic has already been discussed elsewhere, can someone please direct me to the thread?? :flowers: Thankyou in advance.
 
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I have read that Haakon and Märtha Louise were/are very close. I’ve seen a lot of pictures of them as children in royal biographies, and they seem to have spent a lot of time together and always appear to be enjoying each other’s company. I think they had one of the most “normal” upbringings of the current generation of heirs – since Harald did not become King until they were 20 and 18, their parents were able to spend a lot more time with them as children. They seem to have been quite a normal family, and there aren’t any stories that I’m aware of of Haakon or Märtha Louise complaining about their parents leaving them with nannies etc., the way we have with Victoria and Frederik. From everything I’ve read both Haakon and Märtha have good relationships with both their parents today. (Although I don’t think Harald and Sonja are very much amused by Märtha’s angel school and books.)

As far as what you’ve noticed with family pictures, I think that’s more just a reflection of Harald’s personality than an indication that Sonja was closer to the children than he was. I think he’s a very shy person and not particularly expressive, so I don’t think he’s the sort of guy who does anything that would draw attention to himself in photos or when there’s a camera around. I think Sonja almost always seems more animated in any photo.

As far as Ari Behn, I have read a couple of articles/interviews where Ari talks about how well he gets along with Sonja, how wonderful she is, how well she understands him, and so on. I personally find it a little hard to believe, just because Ari seems so, well, odd, and he doesn’t seem to me like someone Harald and Sonja would be all that crazy about. However, I’m personally not all that crazy about Ari, so I may be projecting my own feelings onto them.

I think Harald and Olav were relatively close and had a good relationship. Harald’s mother died when he was 17, so there was a vast amount of time when they were the only major royals and did a lot of work together. However, the child who was closest to Olav wasn’t Harald, it was his sister Astrid. Harald had been closer to his mother.
 
bitter

It is not that long that I've become aware of that famous TV interview
It is only know I've read all the translations and your reactions on it
I was schell schocked when I read that, only a few years ago, she burned the letters recieved from her father
To do such, you have to be very bitter about many different things
Her father has after all nothing to do with the choices his grand children are making as adults
If she burned her fathers letters than there must be somethings personal between daughter and father
But bitterness doesn't serve to much good and a royal going public with private matters pull's her down to a rating such as Standard & Poor's do, BB or so?
 
Ragnhild burned Olav's letters not out of anger at him, but to prevent the letters from becoming public at her death. She was very old-fashioned and traditional and felt like reading her mail was a huge invasion of her privacy. I don't think there was anything explosive in the letters she wanted to hide; I think she just didn't like the idea of people reading private conversations.
 
I do understand Ragnhild fears over her personal letters becoming public
But those letter didn't have to become public if no one would have wanted them to become so, they could of have stayed well within her family
Maybe someone in the family would have been very happy to been able to read them, seen them as a very tender souvenir?
At least, I personnaly, if something like it would happen to me, would be enchanted
 
I agree that there may have been ways of keeping them private other than burning them. And I think they're loss is a sad one for history and for the family. My main point is just that she didn't do it out of anger. But I still don't think it was her best decision. :flowers:
 
I think I am still upset about the 'burning', ok, burning is just a form of destroying something but still... In my book, burning pictures/letters or whatever rather than ripp them to pieces, even in very small ones, has an other meaning... It is only just, I would not of have done it, but I am sure Ragnhild had her reasons, and I agree it was not the best decision she made... What a pity if you even do not trust one family member to share those particular words who become phrases who are part of a father/daughter relation to share it with
 
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picture of Olav and Astrid

I have scrapbook of Olav and Co, recentely I found a picture of the late King Olav V and his daughter Astrid, the both of them at a later age
I think it is the most tender picture I have seen of anyone
Prove that words sometimes tell very little
A snapshot sometimes much more
I remained without words when I discovered it I assure
You can find it on 24.media.tumblr.com
I have read that Haakon and Märtha Louise were/are very close. I’ve seen a lot of pictures of them as children in royal biographies, and they seem to have spent a lot of time together and always appear to be enjoying each other’s company. I think they had one of the most “normal” upbringings of the current generation of heirs – since Harald did not become King until they were 20 and 18, their parents were able to spend a lot more time with them as children. They seem to have been quite a normal family, and there aren’t any stories that I’m aware of of Haakon or Märtha Louise complaining about their parents leaving them with nannies etc., the way we have with Victoria and Frederik. From everything I’ve read both Haakon and Märtha have good relationships with both their parents today. (Although I don’t think Harald and Sonja are very much amused by Märtha’s angel school and books.)

As far as what you’ve noticed with family pictures, I think that’s more just a reflection of Harald’s personality than an indication that Sonja was closer to the children than he was. I think he’s a very shy person and not particularly expressive, so I don’t think he’s the sort of guy who does anything that would draw attention to himself in photos or when there’s a camera around. I think Sonja almost always seems more animated in any photo.

As far as Ari Behn, I have read a couple of articles/interviews where Ari talks about how well he gets along with Sonja, how wonderful she is, how well she understands him, and so on. I personally find it a little hard to believe, just because Ari seems so, well, odd, and he doesn’t seem to me like someone Harald and Sonja would be all that crazy about. However, I’m personally not all that crazy about Ari, so I may be projecting my own feelings onto them.

I think Harald and Olav were relatively close and had a good relationship. Harald’s mother died when he was 17, so there was a vast amount of time when they were the only major royals and did a lot of work together. However, the child who was closest to Olav wasn’t Harald, it was his sister Astrid. Harald had been closer to his mother.
 
daughters-in-law

I think this goes not only for royals... very often mothers-in-law do no like their daughters-in-law because they are just... you know why;)
And just as for us in real life they try very hard not to show it in public but you can hear it very well over the phone:whistling:
Well if other threads are anything to go by, it seems then that all the queens dislike their daughters-in-law! Just because something is not seen in public does not mean it is true and it works the other way....I have have heard that Queen Elizabeth loves the Duchess of Cornwall but of course it will not be shown in public!!!
 
seen on TV

Some time ago I have actually seen a TV interview, I think on ARTE (a French-German tv channel) were Queen Sonja was pretty anoyed by the journalist's question if it was true that she had a bad relationship with cp MM
I assure you she was ready to shoot the journalist to the moon (non verbal reaction of course) Noblesse oblige!
In my book this pretty much means that, her being so upset by the question... proves that the journalist had it quite ?
That was some time ago, I think that meanwhile they have sorted things out and improved their relationships!
I never heard about something like that and actually I can not imagine it.

I was reading several times that the Queen sympathizes with CP MM since they both were commoners marrying the Crown Prince.
In the beginning the King and Queens had doubts about CP Haakon's choice to marry MM (mainly because of her past), but they accepted their son's choice.
 
I just went back to the beginning of this thread, and I wonder if some of the things Ragnhild said weren't judged a little too harshly. She said she thought her niece and nephew were "badly advised" in their choice of spouses, and she was right: Knowing nothing else about them, a single mother with a complicated past and a moody, controversial writer wouldn't be the best mates for the King's children.

(For that matter, how many families would be thrilled if these were the spouses their children picked?)

Happily, everything seems to have worked out well so far. I don't know much about Ari, but I've been impressed with how intelligent and mature Mette-Marit has seemed in interviews. Haakon deserves a lot of credit for seeing this in her from the start.

I agree with those who said Ragnhild probably shouldn't have shared her views publicly, but I can see her point. It must have been hard to watch her family and country headed down a road that seemed likely to end badly.
 
Does anyone know what kind of relationship Olav had with Martha and Haakon? I wonder if they had some resentment in their grandfather for not letting their father marry their mother for such a long time.
 
I think Queen Sonja and Princess Mette-Marit have a good relationship.

How is King Harald and Queen Sonja's relationship with Marius, Princess Mette-Marit's son?
 
A very happy family .
I read Princess Martha L started a new Company ?
 
Good for her! I'm curious as to what that business is, I tried googling for a source but couldn't find anything.
 
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Her Company is PML capital 30.000 Nok . ML is CEO .
( from "Mes Royaux Norvegiens")
 
Does anyone know what kind of relationship Olav had with Martha and Haakon? I wonder if they had some resentment in their grandfather for not letting their father marry their mother for such a long time.

Olav was very strict with Haakon, as he had been with Harald. His idea of raising a boy and heir was a, shall we say archaic, one.

Märtha Louise has said that she often burst into tears when Olav was scolding Haakon. "Why are you crying?" Olav would respond. But I suppose it stopped him sometimes.

He was softer on Märtha Louise because she was a girl and not the heir but he also wasn't of the opinion that women could or should do great things in life...
 
Olav was very strict with Haakon, as he had been with Harald. His idea of raising a boy and heir was a, shall we say archaic, one.

Märtha Louise has said that she often burst into tears when Olav was scolding Haakon. "Why are you crying?" Olav would respond. But I suppose it stopped him sometimes.

He was softer on Märtha Louise because she was a girl and not the heir but he also wasn't of the opinion that women could or should do great things in life...

I don't know about the last bit. Either Ragnhild or Astrid has been clearly mentioned as the favorite by different people. I don't think that comes from believing women aren't capable, but simply that they had no place in the sphere of Norwegian monarchy at the time, which they didn't, not the reigning bit. He was uncomfortable accommodating Sonja because there hadn't been a woman doing anything major (Astrid was First Lady for several years but that may have seemed less disruptive) for a long time.

As for Harald, Märtha died when he was 17 and she'd been ill for a while before that. Olav was so affected he decided he never wanted to marry again. I can't imagine that, compounded with not having seen Harald as a child for most of five years, made their relationship any easier.

By the time ML and Haakon came along he was clearly just a crotchety old guy, but they don't speak entirely badly of him, either. Not even Sonja does. And I don't think it's for his reputation as Folkekong but rather because there must have been some good times.
 
I don't know about the last bit. Either Ragnhild or Astrid has been clearly mentioned as the favorite by different people. I don't think that comes from believing women aren't capable, but simply that they had no place in the sphere of Norwegian monarchy at the time, which they didn't, not the reigning bit. He was uncomfortable accommodating Sonja because there hadn't been a woman doing anything major (Astrid was First Lady for several years but that may have seemed less disruptive) for a long time.

As for Harald, Märtha died when he was 17 and she'd been ill for a while before that. Olav was so affected he decided he never wanted to marry again. I can't imagine that, compounded with not having seen Harald as a child for most of five years, made their relationship any easier.

By the time ML and Haakon came along he was clearly just a crotchety old guy, but they don't speak entirely badly of him, either. Not even Sonja does. And I don't think it's for his reputation as Folkekong but rather because there must have been some good times.


Astrid was the favorite! I do think he was a difficult character and she knew how to take him. In a documentary, Astrid said that Harald and she never talked about his relationship with Sonja. That struck the interviewer as odd - me too, I mean 9 years?! But maybe it's precisely because Astrid was so close to Olav that Harald didn't tell her anything?

In my opinion Olav was basically an old patriarch and if look at old patriarchs, their favorites are actually often the daughters or granddaughters but it's the boys that they expect great things of.

I don't think they'd ever do that, even if it was true. He was the King, he was a popular King and just how bad he was I do not know. But I do think that Sonja and Märtha talking about how difficult it was for Sonja at the male-dominated court, how she wasn't valued and had to fight for some kind of position is a polite & round-about way of saying that she had difficulties without having to mention Olav's role in them. It can't have all been the courtiers' & employees' fault, I mean who was in power? Olav.
 
Astrid, yes, but I've heard people like Trond Noren Isaksen say Ragnhild, too. Maybe it was Ragnhild first, and Astrid after she left Norway?

Olav himself, if you think about it, was a standard semi-spoiled only kid not just by his parents, but beloved by a whole country from the age of 2 — AND although very close to his dad, he was stuck behind him until nearly the age of 55. I think all of that contributes to the tyrant attitude. AND if you think about how he was so easygoing and friendly in public, he probably invariably needed people he could be cross and upset with — Harald, Sonja and the kids.

I wonder how he would have managed if the Storting had done a Sweden, and he'd ended up with an heiress?
 
Astrid, yes, but I've heard people like Trond Noren Isaksen say Ragnhild, too. Maybe it was Ragnhild first, and Astrid after she left Norway?

Olav himself, if you think about it, was a standard semi-spoiled only kid not just by his parents, but beloved by a whole country from the age of 2 — AND although very close to his dad, he was stuck behind him until nearly the age of 55. I think all of that contributes to the tyrant attitude. AND if you think about how he was so easygoing and friendly in public, he probably invariably needed people he could be cross and upset with — Harald, Sonja and the kids.

I wonder how he would have managed if the Storting had done a Sweden, and he'd ended up with an heiress?


Oh interesting! Definitely Astrid afterwards but it could have been Ragnhild before she left, I don't know.

He would probably have disagreed but ultimately dealt with it, I suppose? But Olav trying to toughen up the sensitive & emotional Märtha Louise would have been a recipe for disaster.
 
I think it's possible to get a very good sense of Harald's character when he openly talks about having two outspoken big sisters who yelled at and scolded him since he was born and were not at all put off by the fact that eventually he was the king! :lol:

(Harald is a very funny, very loving guy. Who obviously respects women.)
 
I think it's possible to get a very good sense of Harald's character when he openly talks about having two outspoken big sisters who yelled at and scolded him since he was born and were not at all put off by the fact that eventually he was the king! :lol:

(Harald is a very funny, very loving guy. Who obviously respects women.)


LOL that's very funny :lol: And yes, he definitely does :flowers:
 
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