HRH The Crown Prince: Extended biography

On 25 August 2001 Crown Prince Haakon married Miss Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby in Oslo Cathedral. The Crown Prince and Crown Princess’s daughter, Her Royal Highness Princess Ingrid Alexandra, was born on 21 January 2004. Their son, His Highness Prince Sverre Magnus, was born on 3 December 2005. The Crown Princess also has a son, Marius Borg Høiby, who was born on 13 January 1997.

The Crown Prince and Crown Princess and their family reside at the country estate of Skaugum, near Oslo.

Early life

King Olav informed the Government of the birth of the Crown Prince at an extraordinary meeting of the Council of State at the Royal Palace on 23 July 1973. The King announced that the prince would be given the name Haakon Magnus, but would be known as Haakon. Both have a long tradition as royal names in Norway. The Crown Prince was christened in the Palace Chapel on 20 September 1973 by Bishop Kaare Støylen. His godparents include the three Scandinavian monarchs: King Olav, King Carl Gustaf of Sweden and Queen Margrethe of Denmark.

The Crown Prince and his sister spent their childhood years at Skaugum Estate in Asker, outside Oslo. His parents attached great importance to giving their children an upbringing that was as similar as possible to that of other Norwegian children, and the Crown Prince and his sister attended a municipal day-care centre and a local primary school.

Education

Like his father before him, the Crown Prince attended Smestad school and, like other Norwegian children, he was accompanied by his parents on his first day of school in 1980. He completed his lower and upper secondary education at Kristelig Gymnasium in Oslo in 1992.

Upon leaving school he entered the Royal Norwegian Navy’s naval recruit training school on board the KNM Harald Hårfagre at Madlamoen, near Stavanger. After a five-week-long training course, he continued his military education at the Naval Cadet College at Karljohansvern in Horten, and then completed a three-year naval officer’s training programme at the Royal Norwegian Naval Academy in Bergen. In August 1995 he began his compulsory service in the Navy on naval torpedo boats, finishing the year as second-in-command of a Norwegian naval vessel.

In autumn 1996 the Crown Prince moved to the USA to study political science at the University of California at Berkeley, where he was awarded a BA in spring 1999. In August 1999 he followed courses of studies at the law and political science faculties at the University of Oslo, and in October and November of the same year he attended the UN General Assembly in New York as a member of the Norwegian delegation. In spring 2001 he completed the Foreign Ministry’s trainee programme for diplomats.

From autumn 2002 to autumn 2003 the Crown Prince and Crown Princess lived in London, where the Crown Prince continued his studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science, earning an MA in international politics, specialising in development studies.

Official duties

The Crown Prince undertakes official engagements together with the Crown Princess. He attended his first Council of State when he came of age in 1991 and in May 1992, while the King was abroad, he acted as Regent and presided over the Council of State for the first time. After receiving his BA at the University of California at Berkeley, he made an official tour of parts of the USA where there are considerable communities of people of Norwegian descent.

Each year the Crown Prince and Crown Princess pay a visit to a Norwegian county and travel abroad in their official capacity.

In autumn 2003 the Crown Prince was appointed Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). He also participates actively in the international sphere as a member of Young Global Leaders (YGL), a forum under the auspices of the World Economic Forum. The Crown Prince founded the Global Dignity initiative with two other YGL members.

Leisure interests

The Crown Prince has a wide variety of interests and plays a number of different sports. He is a keen cross country skier, and enjoys Telemark skiing in particular. He also enjoys wind surfing in the summer, paddling and cycling. Like his sister, the Crown Prince is interested in art and culture, particularly film, music and theatre. One of his favourite authors is Henrik Ibsen, and his taste in music is eclectic.

The Crown Prince has a strong sense of social engagement. He was actively involved in the establishment of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess’s Humanitarian Fund in connection with their wedding.

The Crown Prince and Crown Princess have a busy family life and spend a great deal of time with their young children enjoying indoor and outdoor recreational activities, including sport and cultural activities.