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Norway

Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette Marit thank Oslo City Mission

Crown Prince Haakon has, over the last few weeks, held several video conferences and video meetings with the authorities and other occupations who are heavily affected by the coronavirus.

On Thursday the Crown Prince was joined by his wife Crown Princess Mette Marit for an video-conference with the Church`s City Mission. The corona crisis has led to major changes in the way the Church City Mission works to reach vulnerable groups. Earlier the same day, the Crown Prince couple had been briefed on the work in a video meeting with eight members of the Church City Mission.

Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette Marit working from the Skaugum Estate. Photo: The Royal Court.

“You have every reason to be proud of the work you do,” said Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess in a greeting to staff and volunteers in the organization. The Crown Prince couple also received a briefing from Assistant Secretary General Johannes Heggland, Chief Security Officer Ellen Nykaas and Secretary General Adelheid Firing Hvambsal in the Church City Mission.

Her Royal Highness continued: “We are so impressed with the work you do – and the way you have changed the organization in such a short time to ensure that people who need the City Mission in their lives still get the support they need, just in a slightly different way than they usually do. The work you do in the Church City Mission is always important, but especially important in this demanding time.”

The royals talking to workers from the Oslo City Mission. Photo: The Royal Court.

The Crown Princess has been involved in the Church City Mission for many years, most recently as protector of the NRK TV charity campaign in 2018 where the money went to the organization’s work for a more inclusive society. Her Royal Highness concluded the meeting by saying: “We would like to send a greeting from us to those you meet out there. There are probably many who are worried and afraid, perhaps especially among the elderly, and they send us an extra good thought for now. The care you show them in this situation is important.”

Norway has seen a stabilisation in the number of new patients and believes that they are now starting on their way to fighting the virus, although it is known that this will take a long time. Norway is now the Nordic nation with the most infected but still the fewest dead. As of 3 April 2020, Norway has reported 5.131 confirmed cases and 50 deaths.

About author

Senior Europe Correspondent Oskar Aanmoen has a master in military and political history of the Nordic countries. He has written six books on historical subjects and more than 1.500 articles for Royal Central. He has also interview both Serbian and Norwegian royals. Aanmoen is based in Oslo, Norway.