Haakon & Mette-Marit FAQ

[fortimo]

My questions are about Mette-Marit. I heard she likes reading books. But what kinds of books, does she have favorite writer? Favorite musician? Favorite actress/actor, films? Foods? I think she has intresting in very much things. Do you know what? What does she make in her freetime?

[Sonjapearl]

How is Mette-Marit's name pronounced? Is it Met Mah-reet? Or Met Ma-rit?

[Her_Majesty]

Originally Posted by Sonjapearl

How is Mette-Marit's name pronounced? Is it Met Mah-reet? Or Met Ma-rit?

You can hear how the names of the Norwegian Royals are pronounced here:

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...&postcount=214

[fortimo]

I read in Wikipedia about Mette-Marit:
"Since her engagement, the Crown Princess has traveled to Luxembourg, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Spain, Denmark, Germany, Canada, Russia, North Korea, Portugal, Monaco, France, Austria, Hungary, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Poland, Switzerland, India, Thailand, the Netherlands, Japan, Jordan, Bahrain, Nepal and Malawi. "
But I don't remember, that she was in Portugal, in Monaco, in Hungary (???), in Austria, in Australia (since her engagement?), New Zealand, Japan, Bahrain and Nepal... Can anybody help? There were private trips? Any pictures?
Thanks

[RoyalX]

Originally Posted by Royal historian

i wondewhat exactly would have happeen if king harald and the parliament had refuse the marriage of of prince haakon and mette-marit.it would seem as an act of cowardice .And the fact that when i was reading a page from aftenposten i read that king harald had suggest that if the late king olav were alive he would have embrace the new controversial part of the royal family especially mette-marit.Actually im certain of that king olav would've never allow the marriages of prince haakon and of his sister martha louise to their partner .Its sad to learn that king haakon worst nightmare had come to reality just 11 years after his death by harald marry sonja

First of all, Harald and Sonja married years before King Olav died. Second, it was King Olav that accepted all three marriages: Harald + Sonja, Ragnhild + Erling, Astrid + Johan Martin. All three marriages were controversial, but so was also King Olav's marriage!

It is later told, that CP Haakon had stated, just like his father before him, that it was not an option for him to leave Mette-Marit, and that he then would've left the Crown. However, King Harald and Queen Sonja have both confirmed that they have brought up their children to choose life partner by heart, not by blood. As Norway does not have any nobility, and Sonja being a commoner herself, this only makes sense.

King Harald's own sayings in his official biography, regarding his marriage to Sonja Haraldsen: "When my father, after conference with the government, parliamentary president and the parliamentary leaders have given their consent to the engagement, the question of monarchy or not the monarchy no longer my problem. I'm at your disposal if you want me. And I hope that Sonja and I will show us worthy of the great responsibility which at birth has been imposed on me."

[RoyalX]

(NOTE: this article was written before Prince Sverre Magnus was born.)

Translated from "Store Norske Leksika" (Norweigan Encyclopedia):

Haakon Magnus, born 20. July 1973, Birthplace of Oslo, Brother of Princess Märtha Louise (1971 -); the father of Princess Ingrid Alexandra (2004 -). Norway's Crown Prince. Parents: The then Crown Prince Harald (1937 -; see Harald 5) and kronprinsesse Sonja (1937 -). Married 25.8.2001 with Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby (1973 -; see Mette-Marit).

Crown Prince Haakon has been Crown heir since his father's father, Olav 5, died in 1991. He has become a reflective and forthright young man, who does not hide the fact that he has his own and strong opinions about many issues that would otherwise not have been usual for royal position to take public.

Prince Haakon Magnus - or Haakon, who has been his "official" name since the authorities days 1991 - grew up with his two year older sister Märtha Louise on the Crown family's property Skaugum in Asker. The children were in Føyka kindergarten in Asker and later in Smestad school in Oslo. Then took both secondary school in the Christian Gymnasium (private school) in Oslo, where Crown Prince Haakon graduated in 1992.

As a child, Haakon was described as a boy with great temperament and strong will. He was also a philosophical mindset boy, who asked difficult and critical questions to the adults. This puzzle attitude he has retained into the adult age.

Parliament decided in 1990 a modification of Article 6, which means that women and men have equal inheritance and succession to the throne, but the change was not made applicable to King Harald's children. Haakon was early aware that he was born into the role of future king, and he got an introduction to what this means both from his grandfather and his father. King Olav was his role model as king. For Haakon it was not enough to just accept his fate as a Crown heir. As a teenager it was increasingly clear to him that he had to have the feeling of making a choice, that he chose to accept his future as Norway's king. The Crown title, was given to him by King Olav's death in January 1991, and from his 18 year's anniversary in July the same year, he has the right to participate in Council and act as regent for his father, King Harald, if necessary.

The Crown Prince has completed a comprehensive education to meet the demands this role set. Schooling has gone smoothly, despite the fact that Crown Prince Haakon, like his grandfather, has had some difficulties in reading and writing. In high school he studied media, business economy and legal doctrine. He also cultivated his interest in theater, especially Henrik Ibsen, and was an instructor for a school performance of "A Public Enemy" (En Folkefiende).

Crown Prince Haakon has always been a culture interested young man. His interest in music has been great ever since his teenage years, both as a performer on the electric guitar and as a concert worker. Crown has a diverse taste, but the modern fields of rock music is very close to his heart. It is no coincidence that he has been sharply exposed by visiting the annual Quart Festival in Kristiansand, an event that has headlined bands that lies in front when it comes to new styles.

The Crown Prince is an avid reader, an interest that was generated through loud reading when he was little, not least of Norwegian folktales. He especially mention novels by Jens Bjørneboe, Franz Kafka and Fjodor Dostojevskij as his greatest reading experiences. Film is also a strong interest. The Crown Prince is the head protector of both the film festival in Haugesund and the Ibsen Festival at the National Theater in Oslo.

Crown Prince Haakon has openly told about his moral doubts ahead of the extensive training within the military that was expected of him as a Cronw heir. After graduating from the military officer training school 1992-93, he chose nevertheless to take three years of education at the Norwegian Naval Academy in Bergen 1993-96. When it comes to physical exercises, the Crown Prince has primarily remarked himself in sports like white water kayaking, paragliding and skiing where Telemark skiing is a favorite branch.
Crown Prince Haakon 1996 began to study political science at the University of California in Berkeley in the USA. The three-year stay in America was a fruitful meeting with a traditional campus; for the first time the Crown Prince also experience to live as an anonymous person. Here he was able to move around effortless in an international environment that supported his ideas about tolerance and justice as fundamental social values.

After BA Diploma in Berkeley 1999, the Crown Prince Haakon took lectures in political science and law at the University of Oslo for one year. From the autumn of 2000 he conducted the one-year trainee course at the Foreign Ministry. The Crown Prince has expressed that he would like to have a meaningful and useful work in the run-up to him taking over the throne, and that the foreign service is a scene that seems tempting. In 2003 the Crown Prince took a Masters degree in International Politics at the London School of Economics. From 2003, Haakon is goodwill ambassador for the UN Development Program UNDP.

The media attention focused on Crown Prince Haakon has been strong, not least after he confirmed the news that he had a girlfriend, Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby from Kristiansand. The Crown Prince has made it clear that love is a matter in which he will not accept compromise, and he told me openly that his girlfriend earlier attended a house party environment characterized by "rampant" partying. It attracted attention both that the Crown Prince's girlfriend was a single mum and that the two chose to live together for three months before they got engaged the 1. December 2000. Crown Prince Haakon's choice of life partner contributed to trigger a debate about the Norwegian monarchy, a debate, however, appeared to subside in connection with the wedding in the Oslo Cathedral 25. August 2001. The couple have two children, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, born 21. January 2004, and Prince Sverre Magnus, born 3 December 2005.

[RoyalX]

In 1988 Haakon and other students from the Christian Gymnasium's media class worked once a week in Radio1. This was also the first year that commercial advertisements were allowed in Norwegian radio channels.

[Maura724]

Originally Posted by RoyalX

First of all, Harald and Sonja married years before King Olav died. Second, it was King Olav that accepted all three marriages: Harald + Sonja, Ragnhild + Erling, Astrid + Johan Martin. All three marriages were controversial, but so was also King Olav's marriage!

Olav's marriage to Martha was controversial? I didn't know that. Why?

[RoyalX]

edited wrong posting...

[RoyalX]

Originally Posted by Maura724

Olav's marriage to Martha was controversial? I didn't know that. Why?

Historically, as Märtha was Swedish, regarding the union break-up in 1905, 24 years previous to their marriage.

[Mitar]

very nice thread thanks

[Katrianna]

Originally Posted by fortimo

I read in Wikipedia about Mette-Marit:
"Since her engagement, the Crown Princess has traveled to Luxembourg, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Spain, Denmark, Germany, Canada, Russia, North Korea, Portugal, Monaco, France, Austria, Hungary, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Poland, Switzerland, India, Thailand, the Netherlands, Japan, Jordan, Bahrain, Nepal and Malawi. "
But I don't remember, that she was in Portugal, in Monaco, in Hungary (???), in Austria, in Australia (since her engagement?), New Zealand, Japan, Bahrain and Nepal... Can anybody help? There were private trips? Any pictures?
Thanks

I believe the Crown Princess visited South Korea not North Korea.

[maria antonietta]

Last year she visited Budapest.

[tommy1716]

Does the family have any horses? Lots of royals have horses but i can't recall seeing Haakon or Mette-Marit on a horse.

[Her_Majesty]

No, I don't think neither the Royal nor the CP couple have horses.
The only member of the family who has been horse back riding was Princess Märtha Louise.

[katelinn]

Haakon has been more of a kind of speed and risk-sports as well as sailing kinda guy, and I know Mette Marit has been into volleyball and boatlife/sailing, but then again the area she's from has a large boating/sailing culture, and not really much horses. The nearest stables from where Mette Marit grew up is between 45-60 minutes by car, but pretty much everyone has some kind of boat!

[LadyDiana]

Good Info i think that she will be a new favorite of mine, her story sounds like a rags to riches kind of story. very interesting

[Sonia616]

Originally Posted by KikkiB

He hasn't commented on reading (as far as I know), but he is dyslexic, and other people I know with this doesn't read much, but this is just me guessing:)

Is Prince Haakon really dyslexic?? I know King Olav had dyslexia, but I've never ready anywhere else about Haakon having it.

[Kenya]

Originally Posted by Sonia616

Is Prince Haakon really dyslexic?? I know King Olav had dyslexia, but I've never ready anywhere else about Haakon having it.

I know King Carl Gustaf, Crown Princess Victoria, and Prince Carl Philip are all dyslexic, but I've never heard anything about Haakon being dyslexic. Considering that he graduated on time from UC Berkley and got his masters at the London School of Economics and both those courses of study involve lots of reading, I would assume that either he's not dyslexic or he got help for it as a child.

[Sonia616]

Originally Posted by Kenya

I know King Carl Gustaf, Crown Princess Victoria, and Prince Carl Philip are all dyslexic, but I've never heard anything about Haakon being dyslexic. Considering that he graduated on time from UC Berkley and got his masters at the London School of Economics and both those courses of study involve lots of reading, I would assume that either he's not dyslexic or he got help for it as a child.

Wow!! I didn't know all 3 of them were dyslexic!

Yes, I agree with you about Haakon. I found this article yesterday where some musicians claim that Haakon is dyslexic because had trouble knowing when to play the A and G strings when learning guitar.

But I think that sounds quite dubious. I'm absolutely terrible at learning the guitar, and I'm not dyslexic!