In Oslo, the Communications Director of the Royal Court of Norway, Ms. Guri Varpe, confirmed to the Norwegian public broadcaster Norsk rikskringkasting (NRK) this afternoon that Her Highness Princess Astrid, Mrs. Ferner, “has had pneumonia.”
The 94-year-old Princess, the eldest daughter of the late King Olav V and Crown Princess Märtha of Norway, is now “on the road to recovery,” according to Ms. Varpe.
Reports that the Princess had been hospitalized first emerged on Friday, when the Norwegian tabloid Se og Hør published photographs of Their Majesties King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway visiting her in hospital, prior to any official statement regarding her condition.
Meanwhile, Their Majesties King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway have begun their Easter holiday, travelling by train to Prinsehytta, their cabin in Sikkilsdalen.
Photos courtesy of Det Kongelige Hoff/ Ole Berg-Rusten/NTB
Photos courtesy of Det Kongelige Hoff/ Ole Berg-Rusten/NTB
In Oslo, Their Majesties King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway hosted an incoming state visit from Their Majesties King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of the Belgians at the Royal Palace, marking the first state visit between the two kingdoms in nearly three decades.
The visit, which includes engagements in Oslo and Stavanger, is centered on cooperation in energy, defense, and broader multilateral priorities. Norway remains a key energy supplier to Belgium, and both countries maintain close coordination as NATO allies.
Their Majesties the King and Queen of the Belgians were formally welcomed at the Royal Palace with full state honours, including the playing of national anthems, an inspection of the King’s Guard of Honor, and the presentation of official delegations.
Once inside the Royal Palace, Their Majesties held a private meeting, described by the Royal Court as a “tête-à-tête,” ahead of the exchange of gifts.
Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway appeared during the indoor program at the Royal Palace, joining Their Majesties King Harald V and Queen Sonja and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon of Norway for official photographs. Her attendance had not been listed in the official press release from the Royal Court of Norway.
The appearance comes days after an interview broadcast by NRK (Norsk rikskringkasting) that prompted widespread criticism in Norway, in which the Crown Princess addressed her past associations with Jeffrey Epstein.
Later in the day, Their Majesties the King and Queen of the Belgians, accompanied by the Crown Prince of Norway, laid a wreath at the National Monument at Akershus Fortress in tribute to those who lost their lives during the Second World War.
A state banquet hosted by Their Majesties the King and Queen of Norway is scheduled to take place at the Royal Palace this evening, bringing together members of the Belgian delegation and representatives of Norwegian public life.
In an interview broadcast on NRK (Norsk Rikskringkasting), Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway has publicly addressed her past association with Jeffrey Epstein for the first time, offering an account that acknowledges regret while raising broader questions regarding judgment and responsibility.
Speaking alongside His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon at their residence, Skaugum, the Crown Princess confirmed that she maintained a friendly relationship with Epstein between 2011 and 2014. She described him as “a friend of a friend,” explaining that the introduction came through trusted international contacts connected to her work.
The Crown Princess stated that she relied on those personal networks, as well as her own inclination to see the best in others, when choosing to remain in contact. This included a period following an incident at Epstein’s residence in Palm Beach that she described as having left her feeling unsafe.
However, correspondence later released by the United States Department of Justice and the House Oversight Committee presents a markedly different tone. The emails show exchanges that appear casual and, at times, flippant, a contrast that has drawn public scrutiny.
Among them is a message sent following the wedding of His Royal Highness Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg and Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy in October 2012, in which the Crown Princess described the event as “boring.” In the interview, she did not dispute the remark, instead acknowledging the difficulty of seeing such comments made public and the potential for them to cause offense.
Other messages include informal references to relationships and infidelity, which the Crown Princess characterized as “banter” and described in Norwegian as “sleivete,” or careless in tone. The nature of these exchanges, given the recipient, has contributed to ongoing criticism.
The Crown Princess stated that she ultimately severed contact after concluding that Epstein was “a bad person.” She further acknowledged that she should have exercised greater due diligence, including more thoroughly investigating his background, and expressed regret that she did not warn others.
While maintaining that she was unaware of the full extent of Epstein’s criminal activity at the time, she also recognized that her association may have conferred a degree of legitimacy upon him, a consequence she described as difficult to confront in retrospect.
The full NRK interview has been made available for those living outside of Norway:
Portrait courtesy of Dusan Reljin/Det Kongelige Hoff
In Oslo, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon of Norway visited the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, a state-funded but academically independent research body established in 1959 to strengthen Norway’s capacity for independent analysis of foreign and security policy.
The institute conducts research on international security, defense policy, development, energy, and global economics, and provides policy briefs and analysis to government ministries and parliamentary bodies. It also maintains partnerships with the European Union, the United Nations, and other international research institutions.
During the visit, the Crown Prince was asked about the health of his father, His Majesty King Harald V of Norway, following the King’s recent hospitalization in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, on the island of Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands.
“The king is doing better. He is responding well to the treatment. We are happy about that and grateful for all the care that has come these days. It seems he is on the road to recovery now,” the Crown Prince said.
The 89-year-old monarch was admitted to Hospital Universitario Hospiten Sur for treatment of an infection and dehydration. His personal physician, Bjørn Bendz, traveled to Tenerife to assist the medical team. The King was discharged on Thursday evening.
King Harald V and Queen Sonja remain in Tenerife. No date has been announced for their return to Norway.
Portrait courtesy of Kimm Saatvedt/ Det Kongelige Hoff
The Royal Court of Norway announced that His Majesty King Harald V of Norway was admitted this evening to the Hospital Universitario Hospiten Sur in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands.
The 89-year-old King is being treated for an infection and dehydration. His condition is described as good under the circumstances.
The Royal Court further stated that the King’s personal physician will travel to Tenerife to assist the local medical team.
The King and Her Majesty Queen Sonja of Norway are currently on a private holiday on the island of Tenerife during their annual winter break.
An update on the King’s health will be provided on Wednesday, February 25, after the personal physician has assessed the situation.
This is the second hospitalization of the King while on private holiday in recent years. In February 2024, while Their Majesties were vacationing on the island of Langkawi, Malaysia, the King was admitted to hospital after developing a serious infection.
During that hospitalization, he received a temporary pacemaker due to a low heart rate. The device was implanted to stabilize his condition and ensure a safer return to Norway while he recovered from the infection.
Their Majesties were subsequently medically evacuated to Norway aboard Scandinavian Airlines flight SK7186. The aircraft was a Boeing 737-783 configured for emergency medical evacuation.
On Thursday, March 10, 2022, Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway visited eh Gamlebyen Elementary school in Oslo.
According to the Norwegian royal court the Gamlebyen Elementary school is participating in a:
“…literature festival arranged for the students at the school. In the school’s library, Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess met with fourth-graders.
The school library is an important meeting place and an area for learning about literature and culture for students both during the reading week and throughout the rest of the year. Every week, all the classes visit the library, which is often referred to as the heart of the school, according to library teacher Elisabeth Jensen Lombnæs.
During the annual reading week at Gamlebyen School, all students read selected books that they discuss together in the classrooms.
This year the fourth graders read the book ‘Jørgen + Anne er Sant’, a Norwegian children’s book about falling in love by Vigdis Hjort. The book was published in 1984.
Together with the fourth graders, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Mayor of Oslo Marianne Borgen and librarian Elisabeth Jensen Lombnæs discussed the book and reflected on the topics it addresses.
The students also talked about other books they appreciated and how they use the school library in everyday life.
The visit to the school library was rounded off with a performance of a poem written by the fourth graders: ‘Imagine that love is here on earth, hiding everywhere and where we live”, said one of the students who read the poem.’ “
To view a photo gallery from today’s visit please click the links below:
Photo courtesy of the Norwegian Royal Court/J. Gomnæs
On Sunday, March 6, 2022, Their Majesties King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway accompanied by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon of Norway attended the 2022 Holmenkollen Ski Festival outside of Oslo, Norway.
This year the world famous ski festival is celebrating its 130th anniversary.
His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon attended the Saturday, March 5, 2022 ski-jumping and cross country skiing events. Please click the link below to view a photo gallery from the photo news agency, PPE.
