Crown Princess of Norway
Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit carries out a wide range of official duties and represents Norway both at home and abroad.
On 25 August 2001, Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby married Crown Prince Haakon and became Norway’s Crown Princess.
Together with the Crown Prince, she established the Crown Prince and Crown Princess’s Foundation, which supports projects for young people at risk. The foundation was created in connection with the wedding and was originally known as the Crown Prince and Crown Princess’s Humanitarian Foundation.
Official duties
Crown Princess Mette-Marit attends a wide range of events across Norway each year and is particularly engaged in issues related to literature, mental health, youth, social inclusion, and crafts. The Crown Prince and Crown Princess also promote Norwegian interests through official visits abroad, both together and individually.
Young people and mental health
Crown Princess Mette-Marit has a strong and long-standing commitment to mental health, with a particular focus on young people and inclusion. Since 2001, she has served as the patron of the Norwegian Council for Mental Health, using her role to highlight the importance of openness, community, and resilience.
She regularly attends events and meetings with professionals, organisations, and young people sharing their experiences. The Crown Princess aims to foster greater understanding and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health challenges.
International involvement
For many years, Crown Princess Mette-Marit has been deeply committed to a broad range of international issues.
Crown Princess Mette-Marit has been deeply committed to a broad range of international issues. In 2006, she was appointed Special Representative for UNAIDS (Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS), and has worked to combat discrimination and stigma related to HIV and AIDS globally.
For many years, the Crown Princess regularly attended international AIDS conferences and other forums related to global health issues.
Literature and culture
Crown Princess Mette-Marit is eager to share her love of reading and spread good literature. Through initiatives such as the literary train tour and numerous visits to libraries and schools, she has helped bring literature to the forefront of the national agenda in Norway. In 2017, the Crown Princess took on the role of ambassador for Norwegian literature in the international arena. She has participated in international literary events, including those in Frankfurt and Cairo, where Norway was selected as the Guest of Honour.
– I cannot imagine a life without books. Ever since I was a child, I have been read to and given the opportunity to enter a world of fantasy. The act of reading, the internal images it creates, the emotions it evokes – I believe this makes us better, wiser, and more thoughtful persons.
Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Bjørnson Festival 2014
In honour of Jon Fosse, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2023, the Norwegian government established the annual Fosse Lecture and an annual Fosse Prize for Translators. The event is organised by the National Library of Norway. Crown Princess Mette-Marit is patron of both the Fosse Lecture and the Fosse Prize for Translators.
In April 2025, the first Fosse Prize was awarded, and the first Fosse Lecture was held, with the Royal Palace in Oslo serving as host.
