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www.aftenposten.no
While some members of Norway's royal family settled in at an historic farm in Lillehammer, Crown Prince Haakon took his wife Mette-Marit and her son Marius to Brazil for the Easter holidays. Meanwhile, a new little royal baby is due any day.
King Harald, Queen Sonja, their highly pregnant daughter Princess Martha Louise and her husband Ari Behn paraded for the press over the weekend, making small talk and posing for publicity photos before retreating for the Easter holidays.
It's the first time they're spending Easter at the historic Nordre Joerstad farm that's connected to the Maihaugen museum in Lillehammer. The farm features centuries-old timber buildings and priceless antiques, while the queen insisted the area also offers "great touring possibilities."
The royals traditionally have spent the long Norwegian Easter holiday at another of their many properties, a lodge in Sikkilsdalen, west of Vinstra. But this year, with the queen recovering from a variety of health problems and the princess due to deliver within two weeks, they opted to spend a few days together in Lillehammer.
Moreover, neither Crown Prince Haakon nor his wife, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, opted to come home to Norway for Easter. The couple has been living in London since last fall, with Haakon attending classes at the London School of Economics and Mette-Marit doing some studying, too.
They chose to fly down to Rio de Janeiro last week, and they took Mette-Mette's son Marius with them. They'll reportedly visit the crown prince's aunt, Princess Ragnhild, and her family, who have lived in Rio since the 1950s.
The Royal Palace wouldn't comment on the younger royals' holiday plans, saying they were private. Nor would King Harald comment on revelations late last week that their living expenses in London top NOK 100,000 (about USD 15,000) a month.
"It's expensive to live in London," King Harald said in response to a question from reporters assembled for the photo op in Lillehammer. Princess Martha Louise questioned whether the figure was correct, even though it had been released along with an official accounting of royal expenses on Friday.
Royal minders quickly brought a halt to any more questions from the press.
ML looks happy. Harald looks happy! 
