Princess Mette-Marit
Final details of their party will remain under wraps forever
© Dana Press
In 2023, Princess Mette-Marit and Prince Haakon celebrated their 50th birthdays with a big party – and the Crown Princess with another, more intimate party. The court’s annual financial statements, which have now been published, make it clear that all interested parties have to forego one detail.
You can’t put a price tag on memories and shared moments. When it comes to organizing a big party, yes. And so it hardly seems surprising that not only the Norwegian media, but also royal fans are in favor of the final score of the birthday party Princess Mette-Marit, 50, and Prince Haakon, 50, are interested. In addition, the Crown Princess gave another party on a smaller scale. In addition to the guest list, which was already criticized in summer 2023, the costs for this event are also likely to cause dissatisfaction. Because: The annual report from the Norwegian court confirmed on April 18, 2024 that the finances remain under lock and key.
Princess Mette-Marit’s party was paid for with appanage – and it remains private
In November 2023, the palace justified its secrecy as follows: “The private celebrations were privately financed, so we are not disclosing the costs.” In its annual financial statements for 2023, which the court will publish on April 18, 2024, we look back on the past calendar year. Among other things, the 100-page document also remembers the celebrations for the milestone birthdays of Mette-Marit and Haakon. However, not a word is said about the Crown Princess’s smaller party.
For this purpose, the palace explains in the “Corporate Management” section and under the heading “Financial Management” that the royal couple and the crown prince couple will receive benefits. These payments are “to cover living expenses […] “determined”, in addition, Haakon and Mette-Marit “also pay for the private expenses of the Royal Family” with their allowance. It can be assumed that the 50-year-old paid for her personal birthday party with her part of this financial contribution. However, the court does not In the same breath: “The use of the appanage is not reported and so the last chance to create more financial openness is passed.”
Princess Mette-Marit + Prince Haakon: This is how much their celebration cost
The heir to the Norwegian throne hosted a big party on August 25, 2023 in honor of their milestone birthdays and their 22nd wedding anniversary. As the Norwegian website “Se og Hør” stated in November of the same year, the court rejected the first inquiries about the cost of the celebration a few weeks ago. At that time it was stated that the total would only be published after the settlement for the third quarter of 2023 had been completed. According to the website, this should have happened in October. The business magazine “Dagbladet Børsen” has now followed up again.
When asked, Guri Varpe, head of the palace’s communications department, said: “The Royal Court’s expenses related to the Backyard Party in honor of the Crown Prince Couple’s 50th birthdays totaled approximately two million Norwegian kroner.” That’s the equivalent of around 170,500 euros. The total includes the costs for “food, drinks, sound/light, tents and other costs related to organizing the event. The farm’s personnel costs are not included in this amount,” Varpe continues.
Mette-Marit’s private celebration took place on August 20th. The Crown Princess invited a close circle of friends and family. After a service in the Oslo Palace Chapel, the community moved on to the Litteraturhuset, where the birthday child was able to enjoy gifts and a nice get-together
Sources used: borsen.dagbladet.no, Seher.no, kongehuset.no