Representing Norway abroad

The Royal House represents Norway abroad, both on special occasions and on more extensive travels, such as state visits.

The Royal House represents Norway at events abroad. These may include, for example, commemorations at which it is important for Norway to be present, such as ceremonies marking the Normandy landings, the liberation of Auschwitz, or the inauguration of a new pope.

The Royal House also supports Norwegian sport, art, and culture by attending major sporting events, opening exhibitions featuring works by Norwegian artists, and promoting Norwegian literature abroad.

Queen Sonja attended the opening of the exhibition «Edvard Munch Portraits» at the National Portrait Gallery in London, 13 March 2025. Photo: Simen Sund, The Royal Court

Crown Princess Mette-Marit in a bookstore in Cairo, where the owner, Amal Mahmoud, includes Norwegian novels on the shelves. The Crown Princess visited Egypt to promote Norwegian literature at the Cairo Book Fair. Photo: Cornelius Poppe / NTB.

Queen Sonja was given a tour of the exhibition "The Sámi Pavilion". Photo: OCA / Marta Buso

Queen Sonja visited Egypt in 2006 on the occasion of a production of Peer Gynt in front of the Sphinx on the Giza Plateau outside Cairo. Photo: Heiko Junge, NTB.

State visits

During a state visit, one head of state pays an official visit to another head of state. They are accompanied by a delegation representing various sectors of society, with the business community in particular being broadly represented. The purpose is to build relationships and strengthen Norway’s interests abroad.

State visits include a number of fixed ceremonial elements, such as a welcoming ceremony, the laying of wreaths, and a gala dinner. During the visit, a large number of meetings take place at different levels, along with conferences, the promotion of culture and business, and visits to social and cultural institutions.

When Their Majesties The King and Queen undertake state visits abroad, they are accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and other representatives of the Government. When foreign heads of state pay state visits to Norway, The King and Queen act as hosts.

State visit from Norway

The visit to Jordan in 2020 was their 50th state visit all together. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB

Culture – including historical sites such as Petra – business, research, and education are on the agenda during state visits. Photo: Tom Hansen, Hansenfoto.no

State visit to China: The King and Queen laid a wreath at the Monument to the People's Heroes. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB

King Harald and Queen Sonja threw flowers into the Rio de la Plata in Argentina in remembrance of those who lost their lives. Photo Heiko Junge / NTB

The Royal Yacht Norge can be used for state visits and other official duties when distance and geography make it appropriate. Here, on an official visit to Denmark, the Danish Royal Yacht Dannebrog escorted Norge into Aarhus. Photo: Mikkel Berg Pedersen / Scanpix

Other official travels

Their Royal Highnesses The Crown Prince and Crown Princess also represent Norway on official visits abroad.

The purpose of these visits resemble those of a state visit, but they are conducted with less ceremony and fewer top level meetings. However, the purpose is often the same: To build relations and promote Norwegian interests abroad.

Crown Prince Haakon visited several states in the United States in 2024, including California, where the electrification of ferries on San Francisco Bay formed part of the programme. Photo: Tom Hansen / Innovation Norway.

There are close ties between the Norwegian and Swedish royal families. In 2022, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel hosted an official visit by Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit. Photo: Simen Løvberg Sund, The Royal Court.

The Queen visited Norwegian communities in Minnesota in 2022 and, among other engagements, officiated at the opening of the new Norway House in Minneapolis. Photo: Simen Sund, The Royal Court.

The Crown Prince visited Iceland on the occasion of the annual Arctic Circle forum in October 2022. Both Norway and Iceland are Arctic nations with many shared interests.

Norwegian film featured on the agenda during the Crown Prince Couple’s official visit to Canada in 2016. They attended the Canadian premiere of The King’s Choice. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB.

The business community is usually strongly represented in delegations on both state visits and other major official journeys. The role of acting as a door-opener for Norwegian business abroad was developed by King Harald when he was Crown Prince, a role he has continued as monarch and one to which His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon also attaches great importance.