On Thursday, the Norwegian Royal Family concluded their summer holiday with a week-long cruise with the royal yacht to the islands of Svalbard. Friday was, therefore, the first official workday for the royals. King Harald met with his government to begin the autumn’s weekly council of states which are held at the Royal Palace in Oslo.
This also marks the end of the tourist season at the Royal Palace in Oslo and the King and Queen moving back from the Bygdøy royal estate to the Royal Palace in downtown Oslo. In Norway, the King and Queen change their official residences during the summer. From early May to mid-August. The royal estate at Bygdøy (Bygdøy Kongsgård) is the home of Their Majesties. This house is smaller, more private and the King and Queen can relax here.
But what have the royals done this summer? According to tradition, King Harald went on a short holiday with his friends to fish for salmon. For two days in mid-July, King Harald was by the Altaelva River in Finnmark, Norway’s northernmost county. Together with a few good comrades, they fished for Norwegian salmon. On the two days of the holiday, the King and his friends managed to catch three large salmons. His Majesty struck all records and caught the biggest fish – a salmon of over 13 kilos.
On 20 July, large parts of the Norwegian Royal Family were gathered to celebrate Crown Prince Haakon who was turning 45-years-old. They celebrated the big day at the Royal Family’s country house at Mågerø in Tjøme, where the whole family were gathered for a private birthday celebration.
Due to the forest fires in Greece, King Harald sent his condolences to the president of Greece at the end of July. “I am saddened by the news about the terrible forest fires that have struck the Attica region of your country, causing the loss of so many lives and people missing, many injuries and so much destruction”, wrote King Harald in an official letter to President Pavlopoulos.
The summer was not just fun for the Norwegian royals. In late July, a longtime friend of the royals, former politician Thorvald Stoltenberg, passed away. His Majesty King Harald, alongside Her Majesty Queen Sonja and Princess Astrid (King Harald’s older sister), attended the funeral of Thorvald Stoltenberg on 5 August. Thorvald Stoltenberg was the father of NATO’s General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg and former Minister of Defence and Minister of Foreign Affairs in Norway.
And yesterday Their Majesties The King and Queen, together with Their Royal Highnesses the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, and Princess Märtha Louise, ended their week-long holiday on the Norwegian royal yacht “KS Norge”. They then officially visited two locations on Svalbard. They first visited the University Centre (UNIS) and then Svalbard Museum.
Now the summer in Norway is over, and the royals are back at work. Stay tuned, as Royal Central will keep you updated on what the Norwegian royals do through the next season.
