Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit are marking 25 years of marriage today, though the milestone is tinged with sadness owing to family health challenges.
The couple opted for a quiet, private celebration rather than the lavish festivities originally envisaged, as the Crown Princess continues to recuperate from a lung transplant she underwent in June following a deterioration in her pulmonary fibrosis.
To commemorate the occasion, the pair released a fresh photograph showing them embracing in a garden setting.
Mette-Marit, 53, was dressed in a pale yellow jumper paired with a floral white skirt, while the heir to the Norwegian throne kept things informal in a blue shirt.
Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit are marking 25 years of marriage today, though the milestone is tinged with sadness owing to family health challenges.
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A second post, captioned “grateful”, featured intimate snapshots from their 2001 honeymoon on Long Island, alongside images from early holidays together showing off their wedding bands and swimming in the sea with Mette-Marit’s son Marius.
A planned gala evening and other large-scale anniversary events have reportedly been shelved in light of the Crown Princess’s recovery.
Simen Lovberg Sund, senior communications advisor to the Royal Court, confirmed the scaled-back plans in an email to the Norwegian news agency NTB: “The Crown Prince and Princess are celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary this year and will commemorate their silver anniversary privately with their family.”
Adding to the sombre mood surrounding the anniversary, King Harald, 89, is currently being treated at Oslo’s National Hospital for haemolytic anaemia, a rare condition affecting the blood.
The Palace disclosed on Sunday that the monarch’s health had “deteriorated”, though it described his condition as “stable”.
An update issued on Monday offered little change, stating: “There are no significant changes in the King’s health, and the situation remains stable.”
The King’s ongoing hospitalisation, following what has been described as a worrying week, lends a bittersweet quality to what should otherwise be a joyful landmark for his son and daughter-in-law.
Their wedding took place on 25 August 2001 at Oslo Cathedral before more than 800 guests.
The bride wore a gown crafted from heavy silk crepe and soft silk tulle in a specially dyed off-white shade, with a two-metre train drawing inspiration from Queen Maud’s dresses and a six-metre veil.
Her tiara, dating from 1910, was a gift from King Harald and Queen Sonja.
Mette-Marit’s arrival in the royal family was not universally welcomed, with her “rebellious” youth leading some to question her suitability.
The couple have two children together: Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 22, and Prince Sverre Magnus, 20.