General News and Information for the Norwegian Royal Family: 2003 -

[BillW65]

Wow there is already a lot of info in this thread. But frankly it is much too complicated to grasp. I mean this very well could be a never ending thread depending on how far back one goes...We could soon have the entire genealogy of the Norwegian RF. Yikes, my head is already spinning.

Well, if you really go back far enough the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glucksburg which is a collateral branch of the House of Oldenburg, is German in origin.

 

[norwegianne]

Publication of taxes in Norway

Every year the Norwegian tax authority makes the taxation records open to the public, online, for a limited length of time. You can search the name - and see how much you paid in taxes, how big your fortune is and how much you earned the last year.

When Märtha Louise began to earn money, her tax records were only made available to the public at the Oslo tax office. (Same for Ari Behn after he married her).

Princess Astrid's and Princess Ragnhild's records, on the other hand, are available to the public online. I really don't know why there is a difference between them in this.

Of course, the newspapers go to the tax office and get the numbers anyway, so they publish them (online) in their newspapers: http://www.vg.no/pub/vgart.hbs?artid=174265 and they do seem to focus on Märtha and Ari's taxes instead of Ragnhild and Astrid's... so maybe it is a "what is newsworthy"-kind of thing? Or maybe the fact that Märtha and Ari's income/fortune changes greatly from year to year keeps the interest in them alive, while Astrid's fortune is pretty much the same every year and her income is basically the honorary pension from the state and interests?

Just something that made me wonder earlier today. I blame the extreme focus the newspapers have today, on who earns what.

The King, Queen, the Crown Prince and Princess don't pay taxes and are therefore not included in this.

 

[Larzen]

Here are some information:
Märtha Louise made 2.266.852 kroner in 2006 and had a fortune of 5,9 millions, she payed 818.000 kroner in tax

Ari Behn made 1.010.000 kroner, and has a fortune of 0 kroner

Princess Astrid has a fortune of 68 millions, 0 in income and payed 450 000 kroner in tax

Johan Martin Ferner also had an income of 0, and a fortune of 8,8 millions
The rest of the Ferners, not all of them are related to the royal family but Im sure you recognise some of them
http://skatt.vg.no/?do=search-person&forna...geto=120&fylke=

Princess Ragnhild: income 106 000, fortune 1,6 millions
Erling Sven Lorentzen, income 0, fortune 1,2 millions

Obiously theese numbers are not reflecting the truth as they are loaded, I guess their money is placed in Brazil and they have good accountants

Mette-Marits family
Marit Tjessem: income: 153 000, fortune 950 000 tax: 41 200
Esepn Høiby: income: 1.079.000, fortune 0. tax: 503.000
Per Høiby: 684.000 fortune: 0 tax: 285.600
Kristin Bjørnøy: income 144.000 fortune: 0 tax: 34.000

Both Mette-Marits brothers have high incomes by Norwegian standards, esp Espen, as Pilots makes alot of money but then he also gives half of it back trough taxes

Ari Behns family
Olav Bjørshol: income 87.000 tax: 26.000 fortune:0
Marianne Solberg Behn: 80.000 tax: 23.000
Anja Bjørshol: income 45 kroner
Espen Bjørshol income 0
Obiously they make more than this or they would starve to death, when
you have low incomes and high mortages the tax lists does not show your real income or soemthing like that.

Some friends and relatives
Pia Haraldsen income 477 000
Kåre conradi (Aris Best man) income: 1.200.000
Marianne Ulrichsen (ML Maid og honour and relative) income 0, fortune 104 millions!!!
Kjell Christian Ulrichsen, Sonjas cousin, father of Marianne, income 0 (yeah right

) fortune 342 millions

The average Norwegian income when divided on all tax payers are 173 441 kroner
http://skatt.vg.no/
currency converter
U.S. Dollar to Norwegian Krone Exchange Rate - Yahoo! Finance

 

[marian]

why the king and the crown prince doesnt pay taxes? I think that they should pay.

 

[rchainho]

yes, they should be like the british.

 

[tatyana86]

Is the news true?

i have heard the news that when queen sonja got known mette-marit , she was so angry and disappointed that she got ill . Later ,queen had to get into hospital. And queen had been there for a week. It sounded terrible. question : is the news true?

 

[Saphire]

I don't know if Queen Sonja got ill or not, but its a moot point now. Seeing that her son is happily married to Mette Marit.

 

[biboquinhas]

Well her past was not so clean has she could imagine her daugther in law would be but...

 

[norwegianne]

Sonja's problem at the time was not connected to Mette-Marit's past, but rather the "storm" created by the media on Haakon and Mette-Marit's relationship. She has mentioned in interviews that it brought back memories of the time of Harald's courtship of her, when she faced criticism from everywhere just for who she had fallen in love with.

The courtship of Sonja & Harald is said to be why they have always been very including with their children's boyfriends and girlfriends, and invited them with them to their holiday places in Norway - because they didn't want their children to go through what they had faced.

 

[Marengo]

What kind of illness did HM get? Physical complaints or mental things?

 

[Larzen]

If I remember correctly Sonja had alot of problems with her feet and as a consequens the back in the end of the 90s the very beginning of 2000, Märtha took over many of her engagements at one moment. She said something like the writings in the press brought ba all ckthe bad memories she had from the long wait she had to get engaged.

Generally she seems much younger and easy going now than she did 10 years ago, or maybe she has just finally become more relaxed, she was really stuck up and stiff in her first years as Queen in my personal oppinion. She also is steadidly gaining popularity if one should belive the polls.

 

[Marengo]

I remember reading an article about HM´s popularity, which was related to the high costs of the restauration of the Royal Palace in Oslo (I believe she was generally considered the one who was responsible for the higher costs).

I wonder how bad press can cause bad feet though

 

[norwegianne]

Sonja's problem at the time was not connected to Mette-Marit's past, but rather the "storm" created by the media on Haakon and Mette-Marit's relationship. She has mentioned in interviews that it brought back memories of the time of Harald's courtship of her, when she faced criticism from everywhere just for who she had fallen in love with.

The courtship of Sonja & Harald is said to be why they have always been very including with their children's boyfriends and girlfriends, and invited them with them to their holiday places in Norway - because they didn't want their children to go through what they had faced.

Now with link of an interview Sonja did in Norwegian around the time of the wedding to counter the rumours that she didn't like Mette-Marit:
Exhausted by the rumours : "My past under pressure caught up with me again, and wore me out" - The rumours around Mette-Marit wore Queen Sonja out. The memories from the hard time when she was dating Crown Prince Harald were brought back to life again. http://www.vg.no/pub/vgart.hbs?artid=3641734

 

[udyusa]

Bad feet can cause all sorts of misery! I have a rather large bunion which causes me pain if I walk too long..It isn't bad press! I Do feel for her....

 

[Larzen]

I wonder how bad press can cause bad feet though

I ment she was in hospital because of her feet in the beginning of Haakons relationship with MEtte-MArit, she was on sick leave several times. I never said the bad press made her feet bad, just that this was the reason she was on sick leave around that time.

This article says she was operated in her foot in October 2000 and november 2001 when she had a three months sick leave, 6 months later she had yet another corrective surgery on her foot. Opereres i dag

 

[sofajr]

the Royal family lives on govermental salary/pension? why should it take back part of it via taxes?

 

[Marengo]

I never said that you said that bad press caused bad feet, I was just making a lighter note to show that I didn´t see the connection yet between Queen Sonja´s health and the bad publicity. But thanks to your explanation I do now.

 

[marian]

Is Norway a place very expensive for living? How pay the people of taxes? For example, a journalist or a teacher?

 

[norwegianne]

Is Norway a place very expensive for living? How pay the people of taxes? For example, a journalist or a teacher?

Norway is one of the world's most expensive countries to live in, but similarly, the wages are also higher. How much tax you pay generally depends on how much you earn - the top tax comes into play at a certain sum, and social tax also plays in, as do taxes on money in the bank above a certain sum, taxes to the municipality and the county and so on and so forth.

 

[GrandDuchess]

Princess Astrid has a fortune of 68 millions, 0 in income and payed 450 000 kroner in tax

Does this mean that even those with 0 in income have to pay that high taxes? Or does she pay taxes on her fortune or what?

 

[norwegianne]

Does this mean that even those with 0 in income have to pay that high taxes? Or does she pay taxes on her fortune or what?

There are a number of deductions and various calculations that can be done, and the actual income/fortune sum that is given in the field isn't necessarily always accurate. Ie. Princess Astrid also has a honorary pension from the state, of 396,000 NKR yearly, which isn't mentioned under income.

But basically yes, taxes are paid on fortune, when said fortune exceeds a certain sum.

 

[norwegianne]

2008: a more calm year for the Norwegian royals

NTB had an article on how 2008 will be a more calm year for the Norwegian royals than 2007 (with two big birthday celebrations...)

The salient points (as known by NTB):
Only one state visit abroad - to Portugal, Spring.
Only receiving one state visit - from Ireland.
CP couple Chile in January. Unknown how much more they'll go on official visits abroad.

The county visits that the royals have been doing - King and Queen will most likely take theirs before the summer holidays, while CP couple takes theirs afterwards.

(Of course, also more minor, regular, things going on.)

May be attending royal birthdays abroad.
May attend wedding in Denmark.

(NTB also speculates on potential wedding in Sweden.)

To me, it seems that the busy years come one year for the NRF and then the following year is a bit quiet in comparison. I think that the big celebrations last winter and summer, will definitely make this year seem a tad dull in comparison. The core points are all the same every year, though.

I would be interested in seeing both Haakon and Mette-Marit go to the Olympics in China to support the Norwegian squad, if they have the time.

I'm also interested in seeing how Märtha Louise's schedule will be. 2007 saw her pull a bit away from the official limelight of belonging to the royal family, culminating in not being present at the Christmas photoshoot.

 

[marian]

Next 40 anniversary of wedding

Will be celebrations this year for the marriage of the royal couple ? And, Haakon to fulfill 35 years old. I hope that if, that they it celebrate as theirs birthdays this year that has just ended.

 

[dazzling]

seems like a very calm easy year for the royals.
I'd love to see a 40year wedding anniversary celebration, I wonder what the second one would be.
2007 was a calm year imo for the royals. I would like to see the king, Queen crown prince & princess on state/official visits outside Norway

 

[Her_Majesty]

2007 was a calm year imo for the royals.

Do you really think so?
I guess the Royal House had the highest outputs since a very long time... financing 3 Royal Birthday Celebrations:
King Harald's 3 days lasting 70ths Birthday,
Princess Astrid's Birthday Gala ,
Queen Sonja's 3 days lasting 70th Birthday.

I would call the year 2007 everything ... but not calm.
So, I guess the Norwegian tax payers won't complain about a more calm year 2008.



I guess the 40th Wedding Anniversary will be a smaller event (not like the Royal Cruise for their Silver Wedding).
Maybe a smaller Gala, or new Family Portarits (like Margrethe II and Henrik did).

 

[Mandy]

2008 will probably be a calm year for Märtha Louise. I'd like to know who planned her exit scenario... ah, what a cool strategy! In one fell swoop she was booted out of the family Christmas pictures and probably from her official functions/patronages. All under the guise of Harald and Sonja spending Christmas with Märtha Louise's family... very clever. I imagine that she'll continue with her book readings as before.

 

[Her_Majesty]

2008 will probably be a calm year for Märtha Louise. I'd like to know who planned her exit scenario... ah, what a cool strategy!

My advice would be to hire a very good PR manager... She should try to polish her Image a bit. I have no idea how.

 

[norwegianne]

Annual report 2007

The Palace has released the annual report for 2007: http://www.kongehuset.no/c27428/binfil/download.php?tid=71253

It's only in Norwegian, unfortunately, but even if you don't read the language, there's always the pictures to get a review of what happened in 2007, as well as the numbers in the financial parts of it.

 

[Her_Majesty]

The press announced that the Birthday Celebrations of the King and Queen cost about 5,4 million Crowns!
Which is more then1 million US$!

Brukte 5,4 millioner på bursdager - SEHER.NO : Norske kongehus

 

[norwegianne]

The press announced that the Birthday Celebrations of the King and Queen cost about 5,4 million Crowns!
Which is more then1 million US$!

Brukte 5,4 millioner på bursdager - SEHER.NO : Norske kongehus

Given the longevity and extent of the celebrations - over several days, security, transport, dinners, and so on - twice, I wouldn't say that the amount comes as any surprise.

One factor is that this is done in Norway - one of the world's most expensive countries to live in. Another is that, according to the palace's website, they don't have a big scale dinner operation (multiple chefs/waiters) so staff for this would be hired in for big arrangements, and also factored in the total sum (unlike full-time employees who would be paid anyway whether or not an arrangement was taking place).


(It would be interesting to see an accounting from the press on what they earned on the events, in term of sales of magazines, and so on... )