The Crown Prince and Princess of Norway have begun a visit to the United Kingdom to promote relations between Norway and the UK. The couple stuck to their respective interests on the first day: literature and green initiatives.
Crown Prince Haakon began the day at a joint Norwegian-British business conference to talk about cooperation between companies in green industries, including “offshore wind, hydrogen, CO2 management and technology for renewable energy,” according to the Norwegian Royal Court.
In a speech, Crown Prince Haakon said: “Today’s programme focuses on some of the most pressing issues of our time:
“The urgent need for the green transition, in the face of climate change and the uncertainty surrounding the global energy supply. And how to leverage technological innovation to help create a more sustainable future.
“Tackling these challenges will demand a lot of us, and we must work together across sectors and national borders.”
He added, “We do need optimism. We need innovation and cooperation, bright minds and bold decision-makers,” and encouraged attendees to think about a shared green path forward.
Of course, Crown Princess Mette-Marit took the opportunity to promote literature at an event at the Norwegian Ambassador’s residence in London. The reception saw Norwegian authors featured alongside British publishers, translators, and booksellers.
In a speech, the Crown Princess said: “Literature connects us to the past and to the future, across continents and different ways of life. Literature connects us to each other. And to ourselves.
“I am a passionate reader. Whenever I read a good book, I want to share it with my family and my friends – both at home and abroad. But literature needs help to travel across borders. Thanks to many of you present here—translators, publishers, reviewers, booksellers, librarians, promoters and festival organisers—it can do just that.”
Of British literature’s role, Crown Princess Mette-Marit said: “The UK is a literary superpower. Shakespeare, Dickens and Virginia Woolf have inspired readers and other writers through changing times. Contemporary literary stars like Deborah Levy, Bernardine Evaristo, Kazuo Ishiguro and Douglas Stuart build on your profound literary legacy.
“British literature continues to touch people all across the world.”
There was also a subtle reference to Queen Camilla’s Reading Room, with the Crown Princess saying that she hopes their tour to promote relations between their two countries extends to the literary community so that there will be “even more readers into our shared reading room.”
Later in the day, the Crown Prince and Princess travelled to Brixton to visit the Stockwell Skatepark, where they saw the work of Norwegian company Betongpark to restore the skatepark. And in the evening, the couple attended a reception.
Day two of their visit, March 2 2023, will see them the Prince and Princess of Wales. The Crown Prince and Princess told reporters, “It will be very nice to meet them, we look forward to that. We had a very pleasant visit from them in Norway, so it will be nice to meet again.”
