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International royalsNorway

Crown Prince Haakon meets the King of Tonga

On Friday, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon began his visit to the Pacific-region. His very first stop was Tonga where he was warmly welcomed by His Majesty King Tupou. Crown Prince Haakon began his visit in the capital of Tonga, Nukuʻalofa. Crown Prince Haakon is accompanied by Norway’s development minister Dag-Inge Ulstein during the journey, where they will see, among other things, how an increasingly higher sea level already affects these countries.

Crown Prince Haakon received a flower wreath from Princess Melenaite Tupoumoheofo Tu’ipelehake upon arrival. Tonga is the only kingdom of the Pacific, and one of the world’s oldest monarchies. Crown Prince Haakon was welcomed by His Majesty King Tupou VI in his residence at the royal palace in Nukuʻalofa. Norway and Tonga have a number of common interests and cooperate in several areas to promote sustainable development, marine health and efforts to combat climate change.

In the evening, Their Majesties King Tupou and Queen Nanasipauʻu held a dinner in honour of the Crown Prince’s visit. During the dinner, His Royal Highness gave a speech and said, “I’m here to see, listen and learn from how Tonga meets the challenges of a rising sea level and frequent cyclones. In Norway, we see the effects of climate change in the form of shorter winters and shrinking glaciers. When the temperature in the sea rises and the glaciers in the north melt, it means higher water levels across the globe. The planet’s future depends on the health of the ocean, the climate and our ability to cooperate”.

The Crown Prince will continue his stay on Tonga during the Saturday. Crown Prince Haakon of Norway will visit the nations of Tonga, Fiji and Samoa. The visit will run from 5 April to 11 April. The purpose of the visit is to strengthen partnerships with small island states in the South Pacific for the promotion of common interests including seas and climate, peace and security. Royal Central will follow the visit closely and bring you the latest news from Crown Prince Haakon’s tour.

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.