Official visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to Norway - Program

Photo: Kongehuset.no

Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will pay an official visit to Norway on 1. and 2. February 2018.

The Duke and Duchess will be welcomed by Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Haakon and Crown princess Mette-Marit at the entrance of the Gardermoen Airport in Oslo along with the military on the morning of Thursday 1. February.

After a private lunch at the Royal Palace, the Duke and Duchess will be shown around Princess Ingrid Alexandra's sculpture park.

On Thursday afternoon, accompanied by the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, the Duke and Duchess will visit NorwegianBritishitish start-up companies and entrepreneurs at MESH Tordenskioldsgate, Oslo.

King Harald and Queen Sonja are hosting a dinner for the British guests at the Palace on Thursday evening.

On Friday morning, the Duke and Duchess will bid farewell to the King and Queen. Accompanied by the Crown Prince Couple, the Duke and Duchess will go from the Palace to Hartvig Nissens school to meet the creators and actors behind the success of the series "Skam". It is the introduction to the discussions with students, teachers, and actors about the challenges that young people may face while growing up in today's society - identity problems, bullying, sexual abuse and eating disorders.

Then, the Duke and Duchess are invited to a private lunch with the Crown Prince Couple at Skaugum.

After lunch, the visit in Oslo will have ended. Then the pair will first pay a visit to the ski museum, the tower and the ski jump. Then to Øvresetertjern at Tryvann where the british guests get to meet the children and see how playing and activities are a natural part of growing up in Norway.

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Opening of the Princess Ingrid Alexandra sculpture park.

Photo: Lise Åserud, NTB scanpix

The Princess Ingrid Alexandra Sculpture Park opened on 19 May. Princess Ingrid Alexandra stood at the unveiling of the sculptures and hundreds of small and big guests were in place in the Palace Park.
The Princess Ingrid Alexandra Sculpture Park is a park from children - for children. It is established on the occasion of the King and Queen's 25th jubilee, and both the King and Queen, Crown Prince Couple, Prince Sverre Magnus and Princess Astrid, Mrs. Ferner, were present along with Princess Ingrid Alexandra at the opening.

Photo: Lise Åserud, NTB scanpix

His Majesty King Harald gave the opening speech and wished all children a warm welcome. 

This day is a day we in Royal Family have looked forward to. For many years we wanted a sculpture park especially for children. And finally it stands ready, initially with three sculptures. Two of them are brand new, the third stood at Akershus Fortress. Eventually, there will be more. They are here for you, they are to take on, and not just for decoration.

Photo: Lise Åserud, NTB scanpix

And the kids took King Harald's words - it did not take long from the unveiling of the sculptures when they were already in use.The sculptures are the first of a nationwide contest that will run for several years and result in a total of 10 sculptures. Sculpture park is a gift from Sparebankstiftelsen DNB.The two new sculptures that were unveiled, a Geometric fox and rabbit in trouble created by Sofie Sollid Gjertsen, from Setermoen school and Emma Hansen, from Ballangen School. Their two contributions were selected from hundreds of contributions from northern Norway. The kids make the characters, while craftsmen have built the sculptures.

Photo: Lise Åserud, NTB scanpix

In addition to the two, "Pillow Man" by Jonas Gjerstad, Martin Formation and Mathias Svendsen from Sagdalen skole was borrowed from the sculpture trail at Akershus Fortress.Approximately 900 kindergarten children were guests at the event. Together with their adult companions, they were served bowls and juice of Akiko's employees. 2500 bowls and 400 liters of sap went with.

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Queen Sonja and Crown Princess Mette-Marit lay the foundation stone for the new National Museum.

Photo: Heiko Junge/NTB Scanpix

The foundation stone of the new National Museum was laid today. Queen Sonja and Crown Princess Mette-Marit attended together the ceremony. The ceremony took place at the triangle plot by Western Railway in Oslo, where the National Museum is expected to be completed in 2019, opening the following year.
Together, the Queen and Crown Princess let foundation stone casket. The coffer contains a Coat of arms of Norway, drawings of the building, construction documents, a årssett of coins, a årssett of stamps, invitation and guest list for the foundation laying ceremony. With the casket in a sack, performance artist Tori Wrånes was hoisted up by a crane and transported over the construction site where the stone would be laid down. Live music and a salute from boats at the docks gave a masterful setting for the event.

Photo: Heiko Junge/NTB Scanpix

The new National Museum was designed by the German architect Klaus Schuwerk. On the site there are at least 800 people working on the building, and the area is over 54,000 square meters. The total exhibition area will be 13,000 square meters, the equivalent of two football fields.
The new National Museum will be a continuation of the National Museum, established as Norway's first public art museum by the Parliament in 1837. Later, this, along with the Museum of Decorative Arts, Museum of Architecture, and the Museum of Contemporary Art, merged into National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, Oslo in 2003.

Photo: Heiko Junge/NTB Scanpix

Statsbygg is responsible for the construction of the new museum. An estimated 750,000 visitors will stop by each year.

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Literature train 2016.

For the third year in a row, Crown Princess Mette-Marit is out on the literature train with good writers and books on board. This year's theme is 'Outside cabinet'. Literature Train 2016 runs along the Bergen Line. In 2014 it went from Bodo to Stjørdal, and in 2015 it also stopped on Dovrebanen.

Photo: Erlend Aas/NTB Scanpix

Litteraturhuset in Bergen is the venue for the first event on 1 June, the night before the departure. The train arrives to Oslo on June 3, where there will be a closing event at the House of Literature there. The literature train has one purpose: to inspire the love of reading. There is a book for everyone!
On the trip from Bergen to Oslo the Literature train will stop at Voss, Gol and Hønefoss, before the last event at the House of Literature in Oslo.
At each stop there will be activities in the form of discussions with authors and readings from the books at the local library. The authors participating are: Jonas Hassen Khemiri (Bergen), Agnes Ravatn (Voss), Lars Saabye Christensen (Hønefoss) and Geir Gulliksen (Oslo). There will also be meeting with biographer Kim Friele in Gol.
There is also the opportunity to visit a library wagon on the train. It is equipped in cooperation with the Oslo Public Library, where one can enjoy themselves and get acquainted with new books and authors. Many of the Crown Princess's own favorite books will also be found aboard Kong carriage.

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Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit visit Alna.

Photo: Cornelius Poppe/NTB Scanpix

On 01 March, the official opening of the new library in Furuset took place. Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit got a tour of the new house and met children from Pine Trail kindergarten and held a conversation about books. They tried also a kind billiard game together with teenagers.

Photo: Cornelius Poppe/NTB Scanpix

"I think this will be a terrific gathering place, both for those who want to read and draw and for those who want to express themselves with music and dance," said Crown Prince Haakon

Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess also visited the sports facility Furuset Forum and Alna School - a leadership program that has given young people between 18 and 25 years training in community leadership. In 2012  the King also paid a visit to Alna School.

Photo: Cornelius Poppe/NTB Scanpix

On Alna health awaited a meeting with Solveig Ude. She was named the year's nurse in 2015 and is also the winner of Stine Sophie Foundation children's rights Prize for her work against violence and neglect against children.

Photo: Cornelius Poppe/NTB Scanpix

The Crown Prince Couple's visit concluded when they visited the World Park in Furuset, a name given to reflect the cultural diversity in the district. The park was finished in 2014 - in part designed for input from the community, who wanted good meeting places outdoors.

Photo: Cornelius Poppe/NTB Scanpix

The couple were given a show on the parkour obstacle course, where one should be able to get from A to B in the most efficient way.

Photo: Cornelius Poppe/NTB Scanpix

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Crown Princess Mette-Marit celebrates Kindergarten Day.

Photo: Håkon Mosvold Larsen / NTB scanpix

HRH Crown Princess Mette-Marit celebrated Kindergarten Day today, along with children from Stein Røysa kindergarten.
Stein Røysa kindergarten had made the trip from Noida to Goat Myra fare center for children, located in Sagene in Oslo. Along with Geitmyras Andreas Viestad, they made a delicious chicken soup with vegetables and the Crown Princess was able to taste it.

Photo: Håkon Mosvold Larsen / NTB scanpix

2015 is the year of Outdoor Recreation, and therefore the work of the kindergarten with nature and outdoor activities stand in the commemoration of Kindergarten Day 2015. Children from Stein Røysa nursery made a poster that they gave to Crown Princess Mette-Marit. Here they had set up their best travel tips.

Kindergarten Day was established in 2005 and celebrated in March in kindergartens across the country. This opens the doors to the outside world in order to highlight the kindergarten content and quality.

Photo: Håkon Mosvold Larsen / NTB scanpix

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200th Anniversary of the Convention of Moss.

Photo: Vidar Ruud/NTB Scanpix

On August 14, 1814, the Convention of Moss was signed. King Christian Frederik chose peace. It was the beginning of the union and the 200 years of peace between Norway and Sweden. Both Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit visited Moss on the occasion of the anniversary. Crown Prince Haakon gave the main speech during the gala event at the Mill Arena.
Crown Prince Haakon began his speech by describing the situation and the difficult choice the Norwegian king faced:

He could choose for Norway to keep fighting for independence of nation-state, thus risking another war with Sweden's superior military power. Or he could go for the negotiation option that will hopefully save lives, ensure the Constitution and a certain degree of national autonomy. 

Photo: Vidar Ruud/NTB Scanpix

The Crown Prince went on to talk about the importance of the choices we all must do, as individuals and as a society and how we as we celebrate Constitution Bicentennial not only celebrates the choices that were made in 1814, but also good choices we have made since to build and safe society.

The King's difficult decision was the beginning of 200 years of peace between the Nordic countries. (...) Throughout the proceedings he contributed, along with the Swedes, to save the Norwegian Constitution, and created largely foundations for the society we have today. He doubted his way to the result - as we often do in our main choices. And although we may not experience the fateful in our choices so clearly, we can choose the right thing for ourselves and for others. Every day. 

Photo: Vidar Ruud/NTB Scanpix

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Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit visit the Spydeberg Rectory.

Photo: Vidar Ruud/NTB Scanpix

On 14 August, Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit attended the opening of Spydeberg rectory garden.
Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit arrived by horse and carriage on the morning, escorted by 16 riders from Aggershusiske Riding Jaeger Corps. The couple got a briefing on the vicarage history, and the dramatic agustdagene in 1814 They also got to see an excerpt of "game of the Constitution", where King Christian Frederik must make his choice between the royal crown and peace with Sweden.

Photo: Vidar Ruud/NTB Scanpix

The Royal couple signed a book, and it will be transferred to a memorial celebration.
The Crown Prince and Crown Princess also got a tour of the listed vicarage before they traveled to Moss, where they attended the celebration of The Convention of Moss' 200th anniversary.

Photo: Vidar Ruud/NTB Scanpix

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Crown Prince Haakon's 41st Birthday.

Photo: Heiko Junge, NTB scanpix

Happy Birthday! Today, the Norwegian Crown Prince turns 41 and to celebrate, the Norwegian court released new photos of the Crown Prince Family, who is celebrating privately in Dvergsøya, Kristiansand.

Photo: Heiko Junge, NTB scanpix

Photo: Heiko Junge, NTB scanpix

Photo: Heiko Junge, NTB scanpix

Photo: Heiko Junge, NTB scanpix

Photo: Heiko Junge, NTB scanpix

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Vacation for all

Their royal highnesses Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit visited on Thursday volunteers and participants on the summer camp the Red Cross arrange on Haraldvigen outside of Kristiansand. «Vacation for all» is a free vacation offer for families who have financial issues

Crown Princess Mette-Marit on a canoe trip with Betty (7), Joshua (2) and Kristin in Røde Kors (Foto: Thomas Andre Syvertsen, Røde Kors)

 The Red Cross makes sure all families gets the opportunity to go on vacation together. The stay gives the family with bad economy a possibility to create memories together.

Heraldvigen Summer camp has this week had 65 children and adults, together with volunteers from the Red Cross. The participants has been apart of several indoor-and outdoor activities such as fishing, swimming in the sea, canoeing, sailing, etc.

The Crown Prince Couple was welcomed Heraldvigen by the camp leader Øistein Hagen. Acting Secretary-General in Red Cross Grete Herlofsen then gave the couple a briefing on vacation offer.

Foto: Thomas Andre Syvertsen, Røde Kors

During the hour long visit the Crown Prince Couple toured the island, and they participated in a conversation with a family staying at the camp.

Foto: Thomas Andre Syvertsen, Røde Kors

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Crown Princess Mette-Marit at the park library.

Photo: Lise Åserud, NTB scanpix

On 19 June, Crown Princess Mette-Marit opened a library at the Queen park's gazebo. The Crown Princess visited the pavilion, where more than 400 books that were tipped off from the Crown Princess literature train (2) to borrow for the park's guests.
During the literature train, several hundred of book tips were posted on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. These tips were from other book lovers and Crown Princess Mette-Marit who got together with some of their favorite books.
With help from the Oslo Public Library, the Queen's park gazebo was filled with books on 19 and 20 June. Each title comes with a recommendation by other readers - and everyone can bring one of them out of the park. Proust's "In Search of Lost Time" or Grim's world history is perhaps a bit long project for a park visit - but here is a golden opportunity to sniff at work. For the purpose is to inspire reading.
It's a book for everyone, says Crown Princess Mette-Marit. At the gazebo there are small and large books, easy to read books and heavier books. What they have in common is that someone else liked them so much that they would recommend them to others.

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Football match in Skaugum.

Photo: Cornelius Poppe, NTB scanpix

While the world's best battle for glory is out in Brazil, Skaugum was the stage of a match today. Together with the Norwegian Football Association, the Crown Prince Family hosted a friendly match between Røa Unified and Team Norway.
The aim was to focus on grassroots football, and how important is the integration for the sport. And not least: that football is first and foremost should be fun.

Photo: Cornelius Poppe, NTB scanpix

Røa Unified is a football team from the Oslo region. The team has been around for almost 20 years, they have a great passion for football and good social atmosphere in the group. The team has been involved in Special Olympics in Shanghai in 2007.
Team Norway consisted for the occasion of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess (captain), Mads Møller Dæhli, Jan Åge Fjørtoft, Hanneli Mustaparta, Kjetil André Aamodt and Tina Wulff, Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus.

Photo: Cornelius Poppe, NTB scanpix

It was very even between the teams, and after two innings score 5-5. It took extra time and golden goal to to break the deadlock.
Match's major profile was Røa's Pål Berntsen, with number eleven on the back. He scored four of Røa six goals and, naturally enough named player of the match.

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Crown Princess Mette-Marit recieves prize.

Photo: Kevin Tachman

During a charity gala in New York on Tuesday 10 June, Crown Princess Mette-Marit reciever the amfAR Award of Inspiration for her longtime AIDS work, awarded by the American Foundation for AIDS Research. AmfAR has conducted research on AIDS for nearly 30 years. Recently they launched a research initiative aiming to develop a vaccine that can cure HIV by 2020. The foundation will invest $ 100 million in this work.
For the benefit of this, amfAR organized on Tuesday night a charity gala at the Plaza Hotel in New York. During this event, Crown Princess Mette-Marit was awarded a prize for her work in the HIV and AIDS field for many years.
The award was presented by Dr Mervyn Silverman and Franca Sozzani, editor of Italian Vogue.
Dr Mervyn Silverman was president of amfAR from 1986-1996, and is currently the head of the foundation's research programs. In his award speech to Crown Princess he pulled partly up her first meeting with her, which was during a gathering of young leaders in San Francisco in 2008 - where young people from the whole world were invited to discuss how to combat HIV and AIDS.

For someone who has been in the frontline in the fight against AIDS since day one, it is a great pleasure to see that young people the world over can draw strength from such an inspirational leader: Crown Princess Mette-Marit, he said among other things.

In their acceptance speech, the Crown Princess said:

I dedicate this award to all my wonderful young HIV-positive friends around the world, which requires universal access to medicines - and who work for a future free of AIDS. This award belongs to them.

• Read the full acceptance speech. 
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Crown Princess Mette-Marit speaks at the United Nations General Assembly.

Photo: Justin Lane/EPA

Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Foreign Minister Brende spoke at a high-level meeting on human rights and development goals of the United Nations General Assembly today. This is the sixth and last high level meeting that is being held in conjunction with the UN's new sustainable development goals by 2015.
Crown Princess Mette-Marit held a speech at the high level meeting "Human Rights and the Rule of Law in the Post-2015 Development Agenda" for the opening of the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-mon and President John W. Ashe in the UN General Assembly.

"In my own work, I have focused Particularly on empowering young people and supporting the development of leadership skills. I am proud to say that over the past few years, we have seen an incredible expansion of the youth movement in the AIDS response."

Crown Princess raised the importance of a continued strong commitment towards spreading, stigma and discrimination also after 2015.

"Ending the AIDS epidemic is possible in the post-2015 era. And it is indeed an issue of human rights."

She completed her speech by quoting former U.S. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt:

"Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home - so close and so small that they can not be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person, the neighborhood he lives in, the school or college he attends; the factory, farm or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless those rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. "

• Video and photos. 

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Crown Princess Mette-Marit attends conference on climate-friendly urban development.

Photo: Lise Åserud, NTB scanpix

Crown Princess Mette-Marit attended the FutureBuilts conference "Climate for Innovation?" In Asker.
Under the heading "Olympic gold in sustainable urban development" lecturer David Stubbs gave a lecture about how the Summer Olympics in London in 2012 were used as a driving force for positive change and climate-friendly development in East London.
Psychologist and founder Per Espen Stoknes highlighted good examples and talked about how we can make smart, green growth and sustainable development. It is estimated that seven billion people living in cities in 2050, and it must rethink. After the speeches were given, Crown Princess Mette-Marit meet Nilas ( 7) and his father Jens Jensen who was third in the international ideas competition "Get a bike. Break free!".

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Prince Daniel and Crown Princess Mette-Marit attend the Stockholm Food Forum.

Prince Daniel and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway attended the EAT Stockholm Food Forum organized by the Grand Valley Foundation and the Stockholm Resilience Centre at the Clarion Hotel Sign in Stockholm. 

The EAT Stockholm Food Forum, which runs for two days, involves cupping between food, health and sustainability. The forum is a mixture of lectures, panel discussions and conversations between scientists, politicians and the business community. 

Photo: Henrik Montgomery / TT

Participants included HRH The Prince of Wales who made a video statement. "The global food system: A sustainable future", former U.S. President Bill Clinton gave the keynote speech and Professor Hans Rosling, who talked about "Diets, development and Global Health: Fact-Based World View" . 

Prince Daniel and Crown Princess Mette-Marit participated in a conversation based on consumer perspective on food and health.

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Constitution Celebration in Eidsvoll

Photo: Berit Roald / NTB scanpix

Today the Norwegian Constitution turns 200 years! The main celebration of this anniversary year took place in Eidsvoll. Both King Harald and Queen Sonja and the Crown Prince Couple attended - along with both the Danish Regent couple and the Swedish Royal couple. 

The Parliament's gala performance from the park outside Eidsvollbygningen collects the celebration of the Constitution, the Council and 200 years of peace in the region. Artists from all Scandinavian countries contributed. 

Photo: Anette Karlsen/ NTB scanpix

Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik, King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia, King Harald and Queen Sonja and Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit arrived Eidsvoll Building, at 19:00. They were welcomed by the President of the Storting Olemic Thommessen - and "Prince Christian Frederik" and his two adjutants. The royal procession was accompanied to the Royal stands and gala performance in could begin.

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Norwegian National Day 2014.

Photo: Lise Åserud, NTB scanpix

200 years ago, Norway got a Constitution and today the whole country is celebrating it along with National Day. Per tradition, the Royal Family greeted the people who gathered at the parade in Oslo from the palace balcony. Crown Prince Haakon, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, Prince Sverre Magnus and Marius Borg Høiby greeted first the children at the traditional Children's Parade in Asker, outside Skaugum. 

Photo: Lise Åserud, NTB scanpix

King Haakon and Queen Maud instituted the custom of greeting the parade in Oslo from the palace balcony in 1906. The practice has been upheld ever since. The only exceptions were in 1910 when Queen Maud's father, the English King Edward VII was buried, and during the war years 1940-1944. 

Photo: Lise Åserud, NTB scanpix

Tonight will be a big celebration of the Constitution Bicentennial at Eidsvoll, where it all started. King Harald V, Queen Sonja, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, Prince Henrik of Denmark, King XVI Carl Gustaf of Sweden and Queen Silvia of Sweden will be present.

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King Harald and Queen Sonja hold reception for Norwegian mayors.

Photo: Sven Gj. Gjeruldsen, Det kongelige hoff.

On the occasion of the Constitution's Bicentennial, King Harald and Queen Sonja held a reception for the country's mayors at the Royal Palace on 15th May. Both the King and Queen, Crown Prince Haakon, Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Princess Astrid, Mrs Ferner, were present.

Photo: Anette Karlsen, NTB scanpix

- We thought it was time to invite you on a return visit - since we've been fortunate enough to visit many of you on your hometowns, said King Harald on his welcome address to the mayors.
- For us, the Royal Family you are valuable local guides that give us insight and understanding of life in all parts of Norway. You show us the finest you have, but also tells us about life and reality as it is. That we greatly appreciate. We are a lucky country, a fortunate people. We'll be extra thankful when this year celebrates the 200th anniversary of the Constitution. 

Photo: Anette Karlsen, NTB scanpix

On the occasion of Constitution Bicentennial, all the country's mayors have been invited to Oslo on 14 and 15 May. The reception at the Palace rounded off the visit, which included both visits to Parliament and a gala dinner at the Oslo City Hall. 

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