Today HM King Harald and HM Queen Sonja invited the Parliament’s representatives to dinner at the Palace. Crown Prince Haakon, Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Princess Astrid also attended the gala. The gala for Stortinget is part of an over 100 year old tradition.
Click at the image to read the King's Speech at Kongehuset.no
In 1906 King Haakon first invited the members of the Parliament to a gala dinner. It was held every year since then and only interrupted by the years during the war. The first dinner was held in the Great Hall. There four long tables formed a horseshoe. In the first year the Parliament Dinner was held in winter. Nowadays the dinner is held in October, short time after the opening of the Parliament. In 1908 the dinner was moved from the Great Dining Room. More then 225 people are invited to the gala nowadays.
During this year’s dinner King Harald appeared from the jolly corner and served several jokes during his speech. The King’s speech before the dinner is served is a permanent fixture.
Read more about the history of the parliamental gala here.
A thread can be found here.
Her_Majesty Norwegian Royals Haakon VII, Harald V, Parliament, Prince Haakon, Princess Astrid of Norway, Princess Mette-Marit, Queen Sonja
Yesterday Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit sold coffee and cakes outside their residence Skaugum for the sake of CARE. Their children and Mette-Marit’s brother Espen Hoiby were also seen during this event.
Crown Prince Haakon is a patron of the charity campaign CARE. The money from this year’s television campaign will be used to provide the world’s poorest women the opportunity to fend for themselves.
Click at the image to see it at Side2
About Care:
Care’s vision is to have a world where poverty is overcome and where people live in safety and dignity. It is a nonprofit organization that is working in several of the world’s poorest countries. CARE fights for women’s rights and for everyone to live a decent life.
You can read more about it here: CARE
A thread can be found here: TV campaign CARE 2009
Her_Majesty Norwegian Royals CARE, In-Laws, Marius Borg Høiby, Patronage, Prince Haakon, Prince Sverre Magnus, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, Princess Mette-Marit
Today King Harald, Queen Sonja and Crown Prince Haakon attended the opening of the Norwegian Parliament, Stortinget, in Oslo.
Click at the image to see the original ANP picture
As every year the parliament was formally opened by the King , who also gave out the throne speech in Parliament. The throne speech was a review of the government’s work plans for the coming year. It contained no political news, but dealt with all the main points that the government will give priority in the future. The formal opening of Parliament is part of HM the King’s constitutional role.
You can read the King’s throne speech here. A thread can be found here.
On October 22nd, the King and Queen will hold a dinner for members of parliament at the Royal Palace.
Her_Majesty Norwegian Royals Harald V, Parliament, Prince Haakon, Queen Sonja
On September 28th Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway have been interviewed by Christiane Amanpour during her new talkshow at CNN in New York.
CNN’s Christiane Amanpour invited the to her studio in New York, because she thinks that the Royal Couple will help to focus attention on some of today’s important issues.
The interview 12.5 minutes and will be shown in the program, “Amanpour” on CNN International on Friday, October 2nd. Queen Rania of Jordan also showed up at this program.
Click at the image to read an article at VG
Host Christiane Amanpour told VG Nett :
“In this program we focus on the things many people do not know about royalty. The good work they do and the positive influence they have on many humanitarian issues. [...]“
She also said that she was really impressed by the Cp couple:
“They are very eloquent, and good ambassadors for their country.”
The CP couple talked about their main issues: Poverty, justice, dignity and Aids.
You can read more about this interview in this thread.
Her_Majesty Norwegian Royals HIV/AIDS, Humanitarian Efforts, Interview, Prince Haakon, Princess Mette-Marit, United States of America
Click at the image to see it at kongehuset.no
From September 22nd to 24th CP Haakon and CP Mette-Marit payed a visit to Hungary. They attended the opening of Pannon House in Budapest. The visit,started with a meeting with Hungarian President László Sólyom. After the meeting the couple went to Pannon House. There the Crown Princess opened the seminar “Sustainability and Architecture”.
After the opening, the Princess and her husband attended an outdoor exhibition that combined traditional Hungarian crafts and Norwegian meals. In the afternoon the CP couple attended the official opening of Pannon House.
Click at the image to see it at Kjendis.no
The next day the Crown Prince and Crown Princess visited the A-HA program and the Compass project. Both projects have received support from the EEA and Norway Grants. The A-HA program focuses on mental health among adolescents. Compass is a project to help vulnerable young people to find a job. You can find a thread here.
On September 24th Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit traveled to New York to take part in the fifth anniversary meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative. You can find a thread here.
Her_Majesty Norwegian Royals Hungary, Official Visit, Prince Haakon, Princess Mette-Marit, United States of America
On Sunday Prince Haakon attended a demonstration of rescue by helicopter which took place during the annual Semiaden in Asker. Among the watchers were his children, Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus.
Click at the image to find a gallery at Side2
The Norwegian Air Ambulance demonstrated a rescue operation. The aim was to rescue a person, the Crown Prince, who had fallen into the water. After beeing in the water a little while, he was “rescued” by air ambulance. The Rescue demonstration was one of the many features and offers during the annual “Semiaden”.
“Semiaden” is open to everyone, but especially for children and families. Many different programs and almost 150 volunteers do everything to make sure that the people have a great day out in nature.
The event took place close to the CP residence Skagum. Ingrid Alexandra and Sverre Magnus were with their father and saw him being rescued by air ambulance.
You can find more information and pictures in this thread.
Her_Majesty Norwegian Royals Prince Haakon, Prince Sverre Magnus, Princess Ingrid Alexandra
Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit visited the youth project “Be proud” of Holmlia in Oslo on Thursday. “Be proud” is one of the two youth projects that were awarded by this year’s funding of the crown princely “Humanitarian Fund”.
Click here to read more about the Humanitary Fund at kongehuset.no
In Holmlia the Crown Prince and Princess met youth representatives of the “Be proud” sub-projects.
After cultural elements and an international dinner the Crown Prince and Princess got the opportunity to speak with representatives of the project “Izzat” . It’s a project against forced marriages and violence.
“Be proud” was started as a project in Holmlia and the southern district Nordstrand in Oslo, but it’s their aim to reach out to other parts of Norway.
Have a look at this thread to read more about the Humanitarian Fund.
Her_Majesty Norwegian Royals Humanitarian Efforts, Patronage, Prince Haakon, Princess Mette-Marit
Today Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and King Carl Gustaf of Sweden attended the opening of the Ytre Hvaler National Park and Kosterhavet National Park – the first under sea park in Scandinavia.
The opening of the two national parks took place in Ballina, County Mayo in Hvaler(Norway) and Strömstad in Sweden.
Click at the image to see it at Kongehuset.no
The Crown Prince of Norway sailed to Strömstad to attend the celebration for the opening of Koster Sea National Park.
The King of Sweden accompanied Haakon to the Skjærhalden to attend the official opening of the Outer Whales National Park afterwards.
You can read an article and see pictures of this event here.
Here you can find the homepage of the Ytre Hvaler National Park.
Her_Majesty Norwegian Royals, Swedish Royals Carl XVI Gustaf, Prince Haakon
Prince Haakon and Princess Mette-Marit visited Rogaland on the Royal yacht “Norge” from September 1st to 3rd.
Click at the image to see it at Hello
On their first day the couple visited Utsira and it’s lighthouse. Later the day they visited Siratun, the Vindafjordtunet Care Centre, the Vindafjord millennium site and the Ølen Sports Centre. In the evening they attended an official dinner.
Click at the picture to see it at Side2
During the other two days the Royal payed a visit to Gjesdal. They were seen in the Kongeparken (King’s park) and the EWOS innovation. They also visited the UN-park in Bjerkreim and celebrations at Svelavatnet in Vikeså.
The heavy rain did nothing to deter neither Haakon nor Mette-Marit from meeting the public .
You can find many picture galleries and more information about this visit here.
Her_Majesty Norwegian Royals Prince Haakon, Princess Mette-Marit
Click at the image to see a gallery at NRK
Today the Crown Princely couple and their children were seen during a photo session to mark Prince Haakon’s birthday. The Prince will turn 36 on monday. The pictures of the family were taken at Risoerflekken. The Crown Princely family is enjoying the holidays at the cabin in Flatholmen this week.
The whole family will celebrate the Prince’ birthday there tomorrow; privately. During the photosession, Ingrid and Magnus were blinded by the bright lights. The little Prince tried to escape a few times and didn’t seem to be in an especially good mood.
You can find many more pictures and information in this thread: Summer Photosession 2009.
You can watch a video here.
A gallery can be found here.
Her_Majesty Norwegian Royals Birthday, Marius Borg Høiby, Photo Session, Prince Haakon, Prince Sverre Magnus, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, Princess Mette-Marit
