Norway begins its Easter holiday on Friday while the country is in the third wave of the pandemic, and everyone is living under strict infection control measures. However, people are allowed to travel to private holiday homes; this was not allowed during Easter of last year. Therefore, the Royal Court announced on Thursday afternoon that the royals would travel to their cabins in the mountains this Easter.
The King and Queen will again spend the holiday at the so-called “Prince Cabin” in Sikkilsdalen, after being at Kongsseteren in Oslo last year. From Kongsseteren last year, in the early stages of the pandemic, the King and Queen spoke to the nation in a holiday greeting and asked the people to trust the authorities and meet the future with a fighting spirit.
Traditionally, the royal couple travels to the Norwegian mountains on the Friday before Palm Sunday. The cabin called “Prinsehytta” (English: The Prince’s Cabin) is usually used by the King and Queen during the Easter festivities. His Majesty also uses the cabin on his annual hunting holiday during the autumn. The cabin is relatively basic and is sheltered from the public and media. There, the Royal Family usually use their time to go skiing and to relax.
It is not confirmed what Princess Martha Louise will do during Easter, but it is expected that she will stay in her private home just outside the capital of Oslo. The Crown Prince’s family will travel to their cabin in Uvdal. On Thursday, the volunteers from the Red Cross met at Sem in Asker, where they were presented with the Red Cross’ plans for emergency preparedness at Easter. This event was attended by Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit. During the event, the Crown Princess said: “It is no secret that this will be a very difficult Easter for many. We really appreciate the work that the volunteers do and that there is a contingency for all those who are struggling.”
The announcement that the royals will not celebrate Easter together is not surprising. It has been several years since Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit, together with their children, travelled with the King and Queen to Sikkildalen. The Crown Prince Couple bought two areas in Uvdal in 2007, and the following year their private cottage was built there.
