Prince Ricardo De La Cerda
The Norwegian Royal Family currently has five working members: King Harald V, Queen Sonja, Crown Prince Haakon, Crown Princess Mette Marit, and Princess Ingrid Alexandra. Are there enough members to carry the workload?
The Norwegian Royal Family has a fairly high popularity rating (between 70-80% over the last decade) but finds itself in a fairly precarious position now.
King Harald and Queen Sonja are popular as individuals. The King has handled several recent issues decidedly, such as the global health crisis that began in 2020 and the 2011 Norway attacks. He is still committed to his role as King but as an 87 year old, he is facing an increasing number of health issues.
After another infection in early 2024, the Norwegian Royal Family announced that he would be permanently reducing his workload with some of his duties going to his son, Crown Prince Haakon.
Crown Princess Mette Marit also suffers from chronic health issues. In 2018, she was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, a condition where the lungs become scarred and damaged over time making it increasingly difficult to breathe. She still carries out engagements but unfortunately is forced to rest at various points.
The Crown Princess has also faced criticism in recent weeks after speaking to a woman who made allegations of assault against Mette-Marit’s eldest son from a previous relationship. Marius Borg Hoiby remains under investigation but has admitted since to drug use.
Princess Ingrid Alexandra is currently serving in the military, though she has joined her family for a few official engagements.
This means that much of the workload falls on Crown Prince Haakon and Queen Sonja right now, though Princess Ingrid Alexandra will most likely be carrying out more duties in the next few years.
The Scandinavian monarchies tend to remain slim with few working members. The King and Queen of Norway’s daughter, Princess Märtha Louise, stopped using her royal title in 2019 after she received criticism for using it for business activities and as of 2022, no longer carries out royal duties, so it is unlikely that she will begin again.
Furthermore, her wedding to her partner, Durek Verrett, has also led to criticism for the royal family after the couple did a deal for exclusive coverage with Hello magazine. The Norwegian royal family immediately said it would not be part of the photos but it’s led to a further debate around their role.
Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette Marit do have a second child, Prince Sverre Magnus, who could potentially carry out official duties in the future but he is only 18.
It looks for the foreseeable future that the slim Norwegian Royal Family’s workload will be shouldered by a few.