![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/norwegian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2010\/05\/IMG_0121.jpg\" "\\"IMG_0121\\"")
<\/a>Syttende Mai 2006-the Royal Family<\/p><\/div>\n
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It’s hard to believe the beautiful woman som er gift med<\/strong> (who is married to) Kronprins Haakon<\/em> is in her late thirties.\u00a0 That’s the first thing I thought of when I just saw her birthdate.\u00a0 Regardless, tomorrow will mark 10 \u00e5r <\/strong>(years) since Kronprins Haakon<\/em> confirmed his forhold<\/strong> (relationship) with Kronprinsesse Mette-Marit, <\/em>born Mette-Marit Tjessem H\u00f8iby<\/em>.\u00a0 For those of you who don’t know, there was actually quite a bit of controversy surrounding this ektepar<\/strong> (couple) when their forhold<\/strong> went public.<\/p>\n Mette-Marit<\/em> was born in Kristiansand<\/em> to a ”normal” family, not royal or rich.\u00a0 Her parents skilte seg<\/strong> (got divorced) and her father giftet seg igjen<\/em> (married again).\u00a0 She attended several different\u00a0skoler<\/strong> in Norway, as well as Wangaratta High School in Australia as an utvekslingsstudent<\/strong> (exchange student).\u00a0 Although it took her longer than usual to complete her high school education and she took several breaks during her educational career, she is clearly\u00a0an intelligent\u00a0and motivated woman.<\/p>\n She has taken courses at Agder University College, The School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London, and the University of Oslo.\u00a0 She has also and still is involved with several organizations.\u00a0 Mette-Marit<\/em> was a praktikant<\/strong> (intern) at NORAD-Norwegian government’s development organization.\u00a0 She\u00a0was a UNAIDS (Joint United Nations Program on HIV\\AIDS) special representative for years and in this capacity visited both Geneva and Malawi.<\/p>\n Mette-Marit<\/em>\u00a0is president of the following organizations: \u00a0The Norwegian Scouting Association, The Amandus Film Festival, Norwegian Design Council, The Norwegian Council for Mental Health, Ris\u00f8r Festival Chamber of Music, Red Cross Norway, Kristiansand’s Children’s International Film Festival, and the Full Rigged Ship S\u00f8rlandet.\u00a0 She’s a busy gal!<\/p>\n When Kronprins Haakon<\/em> and Mette-Marit<\/em> giftet seg<\/strong>, they requested gifts be donated to ”the Crownprince and Crownprincess Humanitarian Fund that they created.\u00a0 The fund provides support for humanitarian\u00a0projects in Norway, which focuses on children\u00a0and projects abroad, which focus on helse og utdanning<\/strong>\u00a0(health and education).\u00a0 Recipients have inlcuded a hospital unit in Ethiopia, ”F\u00f8lgesvennen” project in Asker, Norway (providing funds for asylum seekers), an AIDS project in Russia, sports education in Zambia.<\/p>\n Clearly this woman is accomplished, which is why her formerly controversial image has become respected and endeared by the Norwegian people.\u00a0 An article in Aftenposten online today is titled ”Fra Alenemor til hele Norges kronprinsesse”<\/strong> (From Single mother to all of Norway’s Crown Princess).\u00a0 Mette-Marit<\/em> gave birth to a son, Marius Borg H\u00f8iby<\/em>, prior to her forhold with kronsprinsen<\/strong>.\u00a0 Marius, needless to say, does not have a royal status in the royal family since he has no royal blood.\u00a0 Mette-Marit<\/em> and Haakon<\/em> have two children together, Prinsesse<\/em> Ingrid Alexandra<\/em> and Prins<\/em> Sverre Magnus<\/em>.<\/p>\n A little piece of trivia about Mette-Marit<\/em> is that she is godmother to Prince Christian of Denmark<\/em> and Prince Odysseas-Kimon<\/em> of Greece and Denmark, in addition to the datter<\/strong> (daughter) of her svigers\u00f8ster <\/strong>(sister-in-law) and svigerbror<\/strong> (brother-in-law), Emma Tallulah Behn<\/em>.<\/p>\n If you’re at the royal palace on syttende mai<\/strong>, keep your eyes peeled for the beautiful blond woman who didn’t have an easy time entering the spotlight, but is now adored by her country and the rest of the world.<\/p>\n