The relationship between Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and
Mette-Marit Tjessme Hoiby had been under scrutiny from the moment
it became public knowledge. But by the time they took their vows,
in front of the ruling houses of Europe, their romance had become
one of the most celebrated royal love stories of recent times.
However, as they celebrate their silver wedding anniversary, a
string of controversies around the most controversial Crown
Princess of her generation, means the shine has come off this
fairytale.
Mette-Marit was far from a typical royal bride. Born in
Kristiansand in southern Norway in August 1973, she had grown up
enjoying sports and sailing in particular. When she fell in love
with the heir to Norway’s throne, she already had a child from a
previous relationship while her involvement in what was dubbed the
‘party scene’ in Oslo also caused controversy. The couple announced
their engagement in January 2001 and ahead of their wedding,
Mette-Marit made a tearful apology in a TV interview for her past
links with drugs. It led to a big surge in support for the bride
and the wedding.
The bumpy path to the altar was even referenced during the
ceremony itself which took place on August 25th 2001 at Oslo
Cathedral. During his sermon, Gunnar Stalsett, Bishop of Oslo told
the couple ”you have not chosen the easiest path, but love has
triumphed”.
The wedding itself underlined the modern nature of the couple.
Crown Prince Haakon waited for his bride at the door of the
cathedral and he and Mette-Marit then walked down the aisle
together. Herthen four year old son, Marius, was the pageboy while
the ceremony itself featured modern and traditional music.
The bride wore a deep ivory dress designed by Ove Harder
Finseth. It was an effortlessly simple creation made in an
elegantly complicated way. The square cut top with fitted sleeves
gave way to a bodice that flowed into a slightly flared skirt.
Created in crepe and tulle, it featured a long train that fanned
from the full length skirt. The bride’s veil, made of tulle, was
around twenty feet long and extended past the train. She carried a
strikingly modern bouquet of flowers, shaped into a flowing strip
of petals with the bride helping to design its look herself.
Mette-Marit became Crown Princess of Norway as she made her
marriage vows and like many a royal bride before her, she chose to
wear a tiara on her wedding day. Her diadem was made up of diamond
daisies, arranged into a subtle bandeau shape. It was a present to
her from her new in laws, King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway, a
sparkling show of support for the new Crown Princess.
The wedding was also notable for its place in the history books.
Although it had been less than two years since the last wedding of
a European heir to the throne, the start of a new millennium had
taken place in between and Haakon and Mette-Marit’s celebration was
the first regal marriage of the 21st century. And this much talked
about event had an equally well discussed guest list featuring many
of the crowned heads of Europe.
And among those attending the celebrations were two more
potential royal brides in waiting. One had already announced her
engagement and had a regal wedding of her own set to take place in
the coming months. Maxima Zorreguieta arrived at the ceremony on
the arm of her fiance, Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, while
his mother, then Queen Beatrix, also attended. However, another
woman at the event was also tipped as a future princess.
Eva Sannum, a Norwegian model, had spent months seeing her
relationship with Prince Felipe of Spain dissected in the
newspapers. Her arrival at Haakon and Mette-Marit’s wedding was
seen as another indication that an engagement announcement was
imminent. She attended the ceremony itself alone but was
photographed with Felipe at the reception. However, months later
they confirmed they had split up. In 2004, he married Letizia Ortiz
Rocosolano and they are now King and Queen of Spain.
The royal romance celebrated at the wedding itself went from
strength to strength. Crown Prince Haakon Magnus and Crown Princess
Mette-Marit of Norway have two children together with their
daughter, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, setting another modern
precedent. She is ahead of her younger brother, Prince Sverre
Magnus, in the line of succession and is set, one day, to be Queen
of Norway.
However, in recent years the fairytale shine has faded as
Mette-Marit once more became a controversial figure. Earlier this
year, her friendship with convicted sex offender,, Jeffrey Epstein,
came to light when papers relating to the late financier were
released. This time, the power of the TV interview failed to work
its magic with the Crown Princess criticised for a lack of
understanding after she spoke about her ties to Epstein on
Norwegian national programmes. Months later, her elder son, Marius
Borg Hoiby, was sentenced to four years in prison after being
convicted of a number of offences including two counts of rape.
Norway’s royals aren’t making a big deal of the silver wedding
anniversary of the Crown Prince and Princess. Mette-Marit’s wedding
gown has gone on show and a new photo of the couple has been
released. The reasons given are less controversial – Mette-Marit is
recovering from a lung transplant which took place earlier this
year as her pulmonary fibrosis progressed to the point that her
doctors felt she had only a year left to live. In recent days, King
Harald has been admitted to hospital where he is now in a stable
condition after starting antibiotics for a bloodstream infection.
The 89 year old will be out of action for some weeks at least and
his health is causing concern across Norway, with the Prime
Minister speakng out about it.
Twenty five years on from their wedding, Crown Prince Haakon
finds himself regent of Norway while Crown Princess Mette-Marit
continues to recuperate. However, the recuperation of her public
image may take longer. As they mark their silver anniversary, the
shine has come off this royal fairytale.
Lydia Starbuck is a pen name of June Woolerton who has
written extensively on royal history. Her book, A History of Royal Jubilees, is
available now. She is also the author of a popular cosy mystery,
All Manner of
Murder.
