Haakon's trip to World Expo in Japan

[marezdote]

Norway National Day Held At Aichi Expo from gettyimages.com

 

[norwegianne]

Is he talking/listening to a cell phone in the second picture, or am I imagining things and he's just holding his hand at an odd angle and looking at what can be assumed to be the show?

 

[Mandy]

Is he talking/listening to a cell phone in the second picture, or am I imagining things and he's just holding his hand at an odd angle and looking at what can be assumed to be the show?

He might be holding an earphone in place for translation purposes.

 

[norwegianne]

Ah, thanks Mandy.

 

[Alisa]

Is Crown Princess Mette-Marit not attending World Expo?

 

[Alisa]

Here is the itinerary for Norwegian national day at the Expo

Norwegian National Day at Aichi EXPO 2005

Monday 11 April
​

On the occasion of the Norwegian National Day at Aichi EXPO, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon and Minister of Trade and Industry Børge Brende will visit Japan and take part in the official National Day Programme.

Official Ceremony in EXPO Dome (11:00-)

National Anthems and hoisting of the Flag

Salutations by HRH Crown Prince and Japanese dignitaries

Cultural Programme in EXPO Dome (11:20-12:00, 12:30-20:00)
Presentation of Norwegian music

The world-renowned trumpet player Ole Edvard Antonsen will open the official cultural event in EXPO DOME, followed by a concert with Silje Nergaard (vocal). The music performance continues throughout the afternoon featuring 4 different artists/groups in addition to Antonsen and Silje Negaard; Tord Gustavsen Trio, Thomas Stronen with Makigami Koichi, Farmers Market and Atomic. They represent a wide variety of the contemporary Norwegian music scene. Information on each artist can be found here attached.

Cultural Programme for children in EXPO Dome (15:30-16:00)
Drawing Competition

The Norwegian Seafood Drawing Competition has been organized by the Norwegian Seafood Export Council (NSEC) and Sobue Town Hall, involving all schools in the town of Sobue which is Norway’s partnership town for the Aichi Expo.

228 6th grade pupils are taking part in the contest, and they have submitted drawings on the theme of “Norway” and “Norwegian Seafood”. The drawings are judged by NSEC and Sobue Town Hall, and the winners will be announced on the Norwegian National Day. One winner from each school will receive a Norwegian Seafood Ambassadorship from HRH Crown Prince. All drawings will be on display at Aichi Expo.

Press Conference at Nordic Pavilion (16:30-17:00)

HRH Crown Prince and the Minister of Trade and Industry will meet with the press in the conference room at Nordic Pavilion.

 

[norwegianne]

Is Crown Princess Mette-Marit not attending World Expo?

She doesn't seem to be. We would definitely have heard about it if she was there. Maybe a mix of her fear of flying and wanting to spend time with Ingrid Alexandra and Marius? I don't know. Or maybe only Haakon was invited?

 

[GrandDuchess]

A few more nice pics from Getty, in some of these Crown Prince Haakon is visiting the Tanzanian Pavillion!

 

[Anita]

I find that Haakon is more and more handsome, day after day ...

 

[Alisa]

She doesn't seem to be. We would definitely have heard about it if she was there. Maybe a mix of her fear of flying and wanting to spend time with Ingrid Alexandra and Marius? I don't know. Or maybe only Haakon was invited?

Thanks norwegianne.

 

[hrhcp]

I find that Haakon is more and more handsome, day after day ...

.. if only he would shave that beard thing of his.

 

[Danielle]

.. if only he would shave that beard thing of his.

Oh, I think it suits him. Most people don't look all that great with beards, but he and Ari are exceptions.

 

[Anita]

Oh, I think it suits him. Most people don't look all that great with beards, but he and Ari are exceptions.

I agree with you , the beard suits him well !

 

[marezdote]

Does Haakon have brown or green eyes? In some pics the look green to me and others they look brown. Anyone know?

 

[GrandDuchess]

Beardie boy AKA Crown Prince Haakon today, Tuesday 12 April, as he visited the exhibition "Extreme North" in Tokyo, Japan. Pictures from Getty:

 

[pdas1201]

Prince Haakon met Prince Naruhito at the Togu Palace on April 12, 2005.

 

[pdas1201]

Prince Haakon visited the Akasaka Elementary School. He saw them use Norwegian Salmon and Trout in their cooking class.

 

[HMQueenElizabethII]

Thanks lots for photos.

 

[Danielle]

Thank you all for the photos. As to Haakon's eyes, maybe they are both. Some people have greeny-brown eyes that change according to light.

I love that lime green lounge. How cute that the children used Norwegian salmon and trout. Maybe that's what he will do next; write his own cookbook.

 

[marezdote]

As to Haakon's eyes, maybe they are both. Some people have greeny-brown eyes that change according to light.

.

Thanks Danielle!

 

[agisele]

The japanese woman in the 1st picture starting from the right of pdas1201's post, looks a bit shellshocked doesn't she? lol
the expression is all too familiar, it's one that appears a lot when people try to take candid shots of me. (C:

 

[eireann]

Perhaps tinted contact lenses can explan Haakon's changing eye colour ;-)

 

[Lena]

Article from the daily Yomiuri (first seen on the crown princess Mary board). Here is the part on Haakon:

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20050415wo42.htm




Nordic royals prepare for life of duty

The Yomiuri Shimbun

Young, vivacious, positive--a Nordic crown prince and crown princess ready themselves to face the challenge of modern monarchy.

In exclusive interviews with The Yomiuri Shimbun, Swedish Crown Princess Victoria and Norwegian Crown Prince Haakon emphasized their eagerness to take on the challenges of being a 21st century monarch. Both gave their views on marriage, royal responsibility, current affairs, politics and their roles in contemporary society.

They both visited Japan earlier this month to attend 2005 World Exposition Aichi for their countries' national days--Sweden's on April 6 and Norway's April 11.

Crown Prince Haakon was speaking in Oslo to Shuichi Habu, chief of The Yomiuri Shimbun's European General Bureau. Crown Princess Victoria met with Mikio Ikuma, Yomiuri Shimbun staff writer, at the Swedish Embassy in Tokyo.

Best known outside Norway for his 2001 wedding to a single mother with a 4-year-old child, four years later Crown Prince Haakon has grown into a serious-looking and mature heir to the throne, wearing a neatly trimmed beard and mustache.

"I was so happy when we had our first baby," the crown prince said with a smile. The child, Ingrid Alexandra, is now 1 year old and second in line to the throne. Norway amended its Constitution in 1990 to give the firstborn daughter the right of succession.

Talking at the Norwegian Royal Palace in Oslo a few days before his arrival in Japan, he emphasized that he and his wife, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, would not give their daughter any special education, even though one day she will be head of state. "I was educated in public schools and went to the United States because I wanted to study politics. I want our daughter to choose whatever she wants to study," Prince Haakon said.

"Having a family is great, because the family is the cornerstone of my life. After I became a father, I became more concerned with the future and paid more attention to the way society works and environmental issues," he said. Prince Haakon is, very open-minded, as are his counterparts in other Nordic royal families, and he does not shy away from controversy.

"The Norwegian monarchy is a young monarchy, only 100 years old. Yet we have 100 years of tradition to build on. That is something. We would like to bring the best of tradition into the future. But at the same time we should be a monarchy for our time. Openness is one of the factors that play into that," he said. At the same time, Prince Haakon also is intent on challenging tradition. "We made the decision to open up quite a bit on the way the monarchy works and also to focus on some issues that have been less focused on before. We have different ethnic groups in our country and people think it is very important that women and men should have the same opportunities. I think we change the way the monarchy works as society around us changes," he said.

 

[hrhcp]

Prince Haakon visited the Akasaka Elementary School. He saw them use Norwegian Salmon and Trout in their cooking class.

the main thing is that they didn't use puffer fish.