#mmtour

[duchessofostergotlands]

Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s royal tours → Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania, 2018

For their first official tour of 2018, the Crown Princely couple travelled to the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to celebrate the 100th anniversary of their independence. The visit highlighted the past, present and future of the countries. They strolled through the Old Town regions to learn more about the countries and the important sites in their journey to Independence, met with the three respective Presidents, and witnessed the signing of declarations promising future collaborations in digital technology and sustainability. They even managed to see first hand some of the many ways Norway has a presence in the three countries when they visited Norwegian soldiers stationed in the countries as part of the NATO Force Integration Unit and visited a support line for children supported by Norwegian NGO funding. The Crown Princess of Sweden- a close friend of the couple- would travel to Latvia not long after their visit so it was certainly a very royal time for the country! The visits of two future monarchs and their consorts was invaluable in the effort to strengthen relations between Scandinavia and the Baltic States, clearly showing the diplomatic role royals can play. 

[duchessofostergotlands]

Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s royal tours → Scotland, 2017

For their first overseas visit of 2017, the Norwegian Crown Princely couple nipped across the North Sea to visit the Scottish island of Orkney. Orkney is part of the Northern Isles and has a population of just over 20,000. It has a long historical link to Norway as it was owned by the Norwegian crown for almost 600 years, being annexed by Scotland as recently as the 15th century. The two nations continue to mark their close relationship each year when Norway sends Christmas trees to Orkney’s capital Kirkwall in a traditional ceremony. This particular visit was designed to celebrate St Magnus, the patron saint of Orkney, on the 900th anniversary of his death. Magnus was a Norwegian who was made Earl of Orkney. Magnus- a well known figure of peace in the 11th and 12th century- died at the hands of his Norwegian relative and was later canonised. Mette-Marit and Haakon visited a cathedral named after St Magnus and took in performances as part of the 40 year anniversary of the St Magnus International Festival, a cultural programme with Norwegian and Scottish performers. While in the area, they also visited one of Orkney’s most well known sites: Skara Brae. The area is a UNESCO heritage site which features the perfectly preserved remains of a Neolithic village from approximately 3180 BCE. They ended the trip with a lunch at Orkney Brewery. Brewing is a major industry in Orkney and the couple were delighted to be able to experience the local culture and economy.       

[jozierockfit]

Check out this awesome couple #awesomecostumes #mmtour #creepycool @prisonmark https://www.instagram.com/p/B4VYqVen7C8/?igshid=15sjns3d896nu

[duchessofostergotlands]

Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s royal tours → Ethiopia, 2017

For their last tour of 2017, Mette-Marit and Haakon visited Ethiopia. The country has a long history of Norwegian visits and the couple were visiting projects supported by Norway as well as representing their country’s business interests in the country, accompanied by a delegation of 50 business leaders. In Addis Abiba they were welcomed in an official ceremony by the President and the First Lady. They followed this up with a series of meetings with diplomatic and business leaders, including representatives of the UN and the African Union, before a glitzy gala in their honour. The second day focused primarily on their humanitarian interests, with their attendance at a health conference and a field visit to view a sustainable land programme supported by Norwegian funds. The final day was perhaps the most poignant one as they took a trip to Hitsats, a refugee camp. Ethiopia has an open door policy for refugees from surrounding nations and the couple took the chance to learn about education and housing projects supporting the community. The visit was a busy one, but it gave the couple the opportunity to mingle with everyone from the President to business leaders to refugees. 

[valleichtman]

#Repost @alexaolivaofficial with @repostapp ・・・ The shoes of survivors of Rape/Assault #mmtour leaning how to help. #training #summit

[duchessofostergotlands]

Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s royal tours → Canada, 2016

Mette-Marit and Haakon were in Canada as the results of the USA election were announced. Although they refused to comment on the momentous events happening across the border, they made their bond with the Canadian leaders clear as they had an informal dinner with PM Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie. The unofficial meeting launched what was to be a busy and energetic tour. The tour featured a variety of events but many focused on the environment, a strong interest of the Crown Princely couple, including seminars on the Arctic and aquaculture and a visit to the Polar Night exhibition. Other events focused on music, literature, and innovative businesses, as well as a premiere of Norway’s Oscar contender The King’s Choice which focuses on the story of Haakon’s great-grandfather. The couple also took several opportunities to mark the relationship between Norway and Canada: at a meeting with the Governor General they were presented with a sapling from a tree planted by Queen Sonja in 2002; they visited Little Norway Park which commemorates the site of the WW2 Royal National Air Force base; and the Crown Princess gave a speech discussing Roald Amundsen, a Norwegian explorer who led the first expedition to Canada’s Northwest Passage in 1903. The visit may not have caught much attention due to the excitement south of the border, but it certainly improved economic and diplomatic relations. 

[duchessofostergotlands]

Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s royal tours → United States of America, 2015

The Crown Prince and Princess made their latest of many visits to New York City in 2015. They started their two day visit at a Centennial Gala for the Norwegian American Chamber of Commerce, mingling with the CEO of Innovation Norway and Ingmar Bergman’s muse Liv Ullmann. The second day saw the couple celebrating the strong Norwegian industry in the United States. They attended a lunch hosted by Music Norway attended by Norwegian musicians making waves in the US and Scandinavian professionals spearheading new music technology. The two royals are music fans who met at a festival and regularly attend gigs together. They hosted a Demo Day where Norwegian businesses presented to American investors in hopes of earning vital startup funds, similar to another event carried out in the USA in 2013. The visit was completed with a trip to the Seamen’s Church, which they had also visited in 2013. 

[duchessofostergotlands]

Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s royal tours → Jordan, 2014

The Norwegian Crown Princely couple spent just two days in Jordan but the visit was emotionally charged. The trip was designed to bring attention to the struggles of Syrian refugees who had entered Jordan in their thousands as a result of the Syrian Civil War. Norway has donated considerably to the Syrian people, giving 837 million krone of aid in 2014. The couple kicked off the visit with a trip to a refugee camp where they met some of the 600,000 Syrians who have fled there. The Crown Princess- who has a humanitarian fund with her husband and is a patron of the Red Cross- told the press they hoped to “get a more human view of the situation” by talking to ordinary Syrians. The couple learned about the UN and international response to the crisis, toured a vocational centre training refugees in skills they’ll need when they return to Syria, and visited the UNHCR registration centre. Additionally, the future queen consort and her husband had a friendly meeting with King Abdullah. The Crown Prince told the media they knew Jordan’s monarch very well and had met him many times over the years. The short tour was one of the most emotional overseas visits the couple have undertaken. Mette-Marit was said to be particularly struck by the honest discussions she had with young children, leading her to focus heavily on the refugee crisis during her engagements in 2015.