Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and his beautiful bride Mette-Marit caused a near riot in London on Thursday when the two turned out for the tree-lighting ceremony in Trafalgar Square. Thousands filled the streets to catch a glimpse of the glamorous Crown Princess as she lit the tree – a towering spruce donated annually by the people of Norway since 1947.
“With all its talent and creativity, Great Britain is not least a cultural inspiration to Norway,” Mette-Marit told the crowd, charming them with her flawless English. “Great Britain holds a great attraction for all the Norwegian students who come here to study music, photography, art or economics.”
The wife of London Mayor Ken Livingstone returned the compliment by briefly speaking in Norwegian. The seasonal event featured a performance by the St Martin’s in the Field choir and concluded with the traditional carol Once In Royal David’s City.
This wasn’t the Crown Prince’s first time at the ceremony, however. The royal heart-throb fondly remembers attending one tree lighting in his youth. “My mother turned on the lights then,” he recalled.
Others on hand for the event included Chancellor Harvey Marshall, the Lord Mayor of Westminster, and Norwegian ambassador Tarald Brautaset. Following the celebrations, Brautaset hosted a reception at his home for the special guests.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
