Four beautiful photos to mark Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway's birthday have been released. The royal celebrated her 43rd birthday on 19 August, and fans of the royal family were quick to praise the stunning portraits of the mother-of-three.
The Norwegian royal family revealed the photos of the 43-year-old on Facebook, and credited Jørgen Gomnæs as the photographer for the snaps which were taken at the royal court. One fan of the princess wrote: "Happy birthday, may luck always follow you and your family, your Royal Highness, you guys are some amazing ambassadors for our country," while another wrote: "Happy Birthday Dear Crown Princess Mette Marit! I think you're doing a fantastic job. Hope you have a great day with your family."
The royal posed for several photographs to mark her birthday
In the photos, Prince Haakon's wife smiles for the camera in a series of different outfits, from a bold pink dress to a plain white tailored blouse, perfectly complementing her shoulder length blonde hair. In another photo, the princess looks regal in an elegant pleated gown with a red sash and tiara.
Mette-Marit married into the Norwegian royal family after tying the knot with Crown Prince Haakon in a stunning ceremony in Oslo in 2001, with members of the aristocracy including Britain's Earl and Countess of Wessex in attendance.
Mette-Merit wore a range of different outfits for the photos
Crown Prince Haakon has previously spoken out about his wife, telling national newspaper Dagbladet: "Mette has this great talent of connecting with people, so that they open up and feel good. Her empathy is a talent. The same thing happens with the children. If they have problems, they go to her. She knows how to deal with them well."
He continued: "Relationships are, and believing that there is good in this world. Human beings are very complex. We can be optimistic and pessimistic, so it's about finding those positive aspects within ourselves to be the best we can be."