After the glitz and glamour of last night’s gala dinner, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were back to reality with a bump as they visited a secondary school in Oslo.
William and Kate, who are on the final day of their royal tour of Sweden and Norway, travelled to Hartvig Nissen School, which was the location for the hugely successful Norwegian television show Skam.
The Duchess, who is seven months pregnant with her third child, wrapped up in a plum-coloured double-breasted Dolce & Gabbana coat for her first engagement of the day.
Last night, Kate chanelled her inner Greek goddess in a sweeping Alexander McQueen gown for an opulent banquet at Oslo’s Royal Palace hosted by Norway’s King Harald V and Queen Sonja.
After arriving at this Hartvig Nissen morning, the Duchess spent time chatting to locals, telling one teenager his English was ‘very good’ after he complimented her on the colour of her coat, and wishing others good luck with their upcoming exams.
Accompanied by their hosts, Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit – who arrived separately – the couple are set to meet the stars and producers of Skam including Josefine Frida Pettersen to hear more about the series, and will then meet students to learn about the effect it has had on bringing challenges teenagers face out into the open.
The Duchess, who is seven months pregnant with her third child, wrapped up in a plum-coloured Dolce & Gabbana coat for her first engagement of the day – a visit to Hartvig Nissen School, which was the location for the hugely successful Norwegian television programme ‘Skam’
Busy morning: The couple are set to meet the stars and producers of Skam to hear more about the series, and will then meet students to learn about the effect it has had on bringing challenges teenagers face out into the open
Glitz and glamour: Last night, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attended a dinner at Oslo’s Royal Palace with their Norwegian hosts. Pregnant Kate accessorised with the diamond bracelet the Queen wore on her wedding day
The couple were accompanied by their hosts, Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit – who arrived separately. Mette-Marit looked chic in a grey pleated skirt, paired with knee-high suede boots and a lace scarf
They will also hear about the role played by social media in teenagers’ lives, something which is certain to be of interest to the couple who have put the issue of mental health – and the ability to talk as openly and comfortably about it – as a cornerstone of their public work.
Their penultimate engagement today marks the end of an action-packed few days for William and Kate, who have been hosted by Sweden’s Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel, and Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit.
After a private lunch at Haakon and Mette-Marit’s official residence, Skaugum Estate, on Friday afternoon they will watch a skiing event at Tryvann before flying home to London.
They are set to take a short tour of the Holmenkollen ski museum before ascending to the top of ski jump to talk with and observe junior ski jumpers from Norway’s national team, before moving to the Royal Box to observe the jumpers landing.
The Duke and Duchess will then attend an event organised by the Norwegian Ski Federation, where they will see a group of local nursery children taking part in an afternoon ski school session on the slopes.
The couple will join children taking part in a number of outdoors activities, from experiencing Sami tents, to roasting sausages on an open fire.
They will also speak to some of the ski instructors that deliver sessions throughout the year to keep children active and engaged with sport as well as visit the adjoining nursery.
Their engagement this morning comes after pregnant Kate, 36, stole the show in a blush pink gown by Alexander McQueen featuring crystal flower embellishment on the neckline, adding extra glamour with jaw-dropping diamond earrings and the bracelet the Queen wore on her wedding day.
The Duchess wished teens good luck with their upcoming exams. Accompanied by their hosts, Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit – who arrived separately – the couple are set to meet the stars and producers of Skam today
Wrapping things up: Their penultimate engagement today marks the end of an action-packed few days for William and Kate, who have been hosted by Sweden’s Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel, and Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit
Kate and William travelled to Oslo earlier on Thursday and spent the evening enjoying an official dinner with their Norwegian counterparts, Crown Prince Haakon and his wife Mette-Marit.
Ahead of the glittering event, they posed for a photo with King Harald V and Queen Silvia and were reunited with Haakon and Mette-Marit after spending the afternoon together at a technology event.
They were also joined by Haakon’s sister, Princess Martha Louise, who opted for a black halter neck gown with tiered ruffles, and Princess Astrid, the older sister of King Harald V.
William’s trip this week comes exactly 34 years after his mother, Princess Diana, was hosted by King Harald V and Queen Sonja on a two-day solo visit to the country in 1984.
After their whirlwind visit to Sweden, the royals kicked off two days in Norway this afternoon with luncheon at Oslo’s Royal Palace, followed by a walkabout in the palace grounds with the royal family.
Royal glamour: The couple was sporting a bouncy blow dry on Friday morning. Later on Friday, the couple will join children taking part in a number of outdoors activities, from experiencing Sami tents, to roasting sausages on an open fire
Making friends: The Duke and Duchess have received a warm reception throughout their Scandinavian tour, with crowds of well-wishers lining the streets to catch a glimpse of the royals. Many brought gifts and begged for selfies
William and Kate’s royal tour will give them a taste of ‘the Scandinavian way of life’ according to Kensington Palace. They were keen to ‘see how people of all generations battle the elements to make the most of their surroundings’
Despite frosty conditions, the Duchess wore a pair of pointed suede stilettos, teaming her Dolce & Gabbana coat with thick black tights, a Mulberry clutch and a pair of chic gloves featuring an elaborate bow cuff
Kate spent time chatting to locals, many of whom reached out to high-five her or shake her hand. She told one teenager his English was ‘very good’ after he complimented her on the colour of her coat
Final day in Oslo: Later this afternoon, after a private lunch at Haakon and Mette-Marit’s official residence, Skaugum Estate, on Friday afternoon they will watch a skiing event at Tryvann before flying home to London
The Duchess braved the icy Nordic conditions in vertiginous heels and a slate blue Catherine Walker coat as she and William were greeted by Haakon and Mette-Marit, on a red carpet rolled out across the tarmac at Gardermoen Airport.
In the Palace, the two families exchanged gifts – with Kate and William providing their hosts with a signed portrait, while the Norwegian King and Queen gave them books, an ornamental bowl, a framed portrait, and a set of cosy woolly jumpers.
Following lunch, the couple were given a tour of the Princess Ingrid Alexandra Sculpture Park within the palace gardens, Slottsparken , which opened last year to mark the 25th anniversary of 80-year-old King Harald V’s reign and is named after the young princess.
Huge crowds came out to catch a glimpse of the royals, who handed bunches of tulips to Kate and children’s books to William, while many begged the Duchess for a selfie.
After lunch on Thursday, Kate and William met a number of Norwegian and UK companies based at Oslo’s first co-working space, MESH, to hear about how some start-ups are tackling issues such as the environment, and mental health and wellbeing.
Royal gathering! Left to right: Princess Martha Louise, King Harald, Queen Silvia, Prince William, the Duchess of Cambridge, Crown Prince Haakon, Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Princess Astrid of Norway at last night’s gala dinner
On Wednesday night, Kate wrapped up her last evening in Stockholm in style, donning a blue velvet dress from Erdem for an event at Stockholm’s Fotografiska Gallery, which boasts glittering views over the city at night.
In a speech at the event to celebrate Swedish culture The Duke of Cambridge said he and Kate have been impressed by the ‘inspiring’ Swedish lifestyle that encourages children to play outdoors, whatever the weather.
William and Kate’s visit will give them a taste of ‘the Scandinavian way of life’ according to Kensington Palace. They are keen to ‘see how people of all generations battle the elements to make the most of their surroundings.’
In a statement ahead of their visit, Kensington Palace said: ‘The Duke and Duchess are keen to experience a taste of the Scandinavian way of life for themselves, and to see how people of all generations battle the elements to make the most of their surroundings, whether ice-skating in Stockholm’s local parks, or skiing off-piste in the hills that surround Oslo.
‘The UK’s links with each country are extensive, and Their Royal Highnesses are looking forward to building a lasting friendship with the people of both Sweden and Norway.’
Who are the Swedish and Norwegian royals?
The Swedish and Norwegian royal monarchies are two colourful families whose pasts are inextricably linked, as King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and King Harald of Norway are second cousins, once removed.
Sweden’s ruling House of Bernadotte was founded in 1818 while Norway’s House of Oldenburg was founded just seven years later in 1825.
King XVI Gustaf’s great-great-uncle Prince Carl, brother of King Gustav V had a daughter named Princess Märtha, born in 1901.
Princess Martha was King Gustav’s first cousin, twice removed and went on to marry Crown Prince Olav of Norway.
Their son who is now King Harald of Norway, was born in 1937 and is the second cousin once removed of King XVI Gustaf of Sweden.
Here Femail reveals some of the royals who make up these distinguished families…
Meet the Scandis! Members of the Swedish and Norweigan royal households (1) Prince Daniel of Sweden, (2) Princess Sofia of Sweden, (3) Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, (4) Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, (5) Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, (6) Crown Princess Haakon of Norway, (7) Queen Silvia of Sweden, (8) King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, (9) Queen Sonja of Norway, (10) King Harald of Norway, and (11) Princess Märtha-Louise of Norway
NORWEGIAN ROYAL FAMILY
King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway
King Harald V, 80, took to the throne in 1991 after the death of his father Olav V of Norway. He and his wife Queen Sonja are parents to Princess Märtha Louise, 46, and Crown Prince Haakon, 44 – who will take to the Norwegian throne ahead of his older sister due to the country’s laws of succession.
Crown Prince Haakon and Princess Mette-Marit of Norway
Norway’s heir, 44, is famous for his fondness of pranks, confusing guests by shaving off his beard during his parents’ formal 80th birthday celebrations last year. He and his wife, Princess Mette-Marit, are also parents to Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 14, who is the goddaughter of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, while Mette-Marit has son Marius Borg Høiby from a previous relationship.
Princess Märtha Louise of Norway
Märtha Louise, 46, split with novelist Ari Behn in 2016 after 14 years of marriage and the pair are parents to Maud Angelica Behn, 14, Leah Isadora Behn, 12 and Emma Tallulah Behn, nine. In a joint statement, they said they felt ‘guilty’ that they could not make their marriage work but concluded that it would be ‘unwise’ to continue in their unhappy union. Märtha Louise runs the Her Royal Highness Princess Märtha Louise’s Fund to help disabled children.
How are Norway and Sweden’s royal families linked?
King XVI Gustaf’s great-great-uncle Prince Carl, brother of King Gustav V had a daughter named Princess Märtha, born in 1901.
Princess Martha was King Gustav’s first cousin, twice removed and went on to marry Crown Prince Olav of Norway.
Their son who is now King Harald of Norway, was born in 1937 and is the second cousin once removed of King XVI Gustaf of Sweden.
SWEDISH ROYAL FAMILY
Carl XVI Gustaf and his wife Silvia, the King and Queen of Sweden
At the age of 71 Carl is the second-longest reigning monarch in Swedish history, who took to the throne in 1973 . He and his wife Queen Silvia, 74, a German-Brazilian former flight attendant, have three children: Victoria, 40, Carl, 38 and Madeleine, 35, and six grandchildren, and have increasingly been handing responsibilities down to heir apparent, Crown Princess Victoria.
Crown Princess Victoria, eldest daughter of King Carl XVI Gustaf, and her husband Prince Daniel
Victoria, 40, was not expected to take to the throne when she was born in 1977 but a change in the law of succession three years later changed that. In 2010, Victoria married her former personal trainer Daniel Westling, and the couple share two children, Princess Estelle, five, and Prince Oscar, who turns two in March 2018.
Prince Carl Philip, son of King Carl XVI Gustaf, and his wife Princess Sofia
Prince Carl Philip, 38, caused a stir when he married former glamour model Sofia Hellqvist in 2014. The Prince, who is dyslexic, accused the public of ‘bullying’ her at the time, but the duo went on to welcome Prince Alexander, in April 2016 and another little boy, Prince Gabriel, in August the following year.
Princess Madeleine, youngest child of King Carl XVI Gustaf and her husband Christopher O’Neill
Princess Madeleine, 35, broke off her engagement to a lawyer to marry a ‘commoner’, financier Christopher O’Neill, in 2013. He declined a royal title when he married the princess so he was free to pursue his career and the couple live a relatively private life in London. Currently seventh-in-line to the Swedish throne, the keen equestrian and art history graduate shares Princess Leonore, three, and Prince Nicolas, two, with her husband, and is expecting their third child in 2018.
What will William and Kate be doing in Sweden and Norway?
Tuesday, 30 January
After touching down in Sweden, the Duke and Duchess visited Vasaparken, an outdoor ice-skating venue in the centre of Stockholm. There they learned about the sport bandy hockey.
The couple then travelled to the Royal Palace of Stockholm to attend a luncheon hosted by King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia. Crown Princess Victoria and her husband Prince Daniel also attended.
The Duke and Duchess, accompanied by Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel, walked through the picturesque cobbled streets of Stockholm from the Royal Palace to the Nobel Museum.
Once inside the Museum, Their Royal Highnesses met a number of Nobel Laureates, and heard more from the Museum’s curator about Science in Sweden and the Nobel Laureate system.
The Duke and Duchess then visited Ark Des, Sweden’s national centre for architecture and design.
That evening, the couple attended a black tie dinner at the Residence of the British Ambassador, attended by members of the Swedish royal family alongside representatives from government, and popular culture, including actors Stellan Skarsgård and Alicia Vikander.
Tuesday: Kate takes part in a game of bandy hockey, the couple’s first activity after touching down in Stockholm on Tuesday. She kept warm in a pair of trendy snow boots, skinny jeans, a bobble hat and a Burberry shearling coat
Tuesday: After their game of hockey, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attended an event celebrating architectural collaboration and the best of Swedish design at Ark Des in Stockholm – rounding off a busy first day in the country
Tuesday: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, accompanied by Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden, walk from the Royal Palace of Stockholm to the Nobel Museum on the first day of their visit to Sweden
Tuesday: The couple rounded off an action-packed first day with a glittering dinner thrown by the British Ambassador and attended by Oscar winner Alicia Vikander (L-R) Kate, William, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel
Wednesday, 31 January
William and Kate, accompanied by Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel, began the morning at the Karolinska Institute, which accounts for over 40 per cent of the medical academic research conducted in Sweden.
Both royal couples then headed to Matteusskolan, a comprehensive school in the heart of the city centre.
On Wednesday afternoon, the two Royal couples visited one of Sweden’s leading department stores – NK – to open an interactive exhibition of UK design, fashion and brands that operate in Sweden.
From NK, they travelled to Haga Palace, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel’s official residence, for a private tea with the Royal couple.
The Duke and Duchess later attended an event at the Fotografiska Gallery, which at night boasts glittering views over Stockholm.
Wednesday: Kate and William kicked off their second day with a visit to the Karolinksa Institutet in Stockholm. The Duke and Duchess have put the issue of mental health – and the ability to talk as openly and comfortably about it – as a cornerstone of their public work
Wednesday: Kate and William then joined their hosts for a meeting with a panel of experts. The Karolinska Institutet is one of the largest and most prestigious medical universities in the world and accounts for over 40 per cent of the medical academic research in Sweden
Wednesday: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge spent ten minutes chatting to children at Matteusskolan. After speaking to Kate and William, Malte Bregqvist, 15, a ninth grade pupil, said: ‘It’s generous of them to take time and shake everybody’s hands’
Wednesday: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were invited for an informal tea party with some of the youngest members of the Swedish royal family (pictured with Crown Princess Victoria and her children Prince Oscar, 23 months and Princess Estelle, five)
Wednesday: The royal couples posed for a photo together at the end of a busy day of joint engagements at Fotografiska in Stockholm. Kate opted for a velvet devoré dress by Erdem featuring fluted sleeves and a belted waist showcasing her growing bump
Thursday, 1 February
The Duke and Duchess were forced to cancel a visit to Uppsala Airbase this morning due to heavy snow, flying instead from Stockholm airport to Norway for the second leg of their journey.
The Duke and Duchess landed in Norway at Oslo Gardermoen Airport in the late morning, where they were met by Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit.
From there, the two couples travelled directly to the Royal Palace, where the Duke and Duchess are staying at the invitation of King Harald and Queen Sonja.
Following luncheon, the Duke and Duchess visited the Princess Ingrid Alexandra Sculpture Park within the Palace Gardens.
Later that afternoon, the Duke and Duchess, accompanied by Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit, attended an event held at MESH, a co-working space for entrepreneurs and start-up companies.
That evening, the Duke and Duchess were invited by their hosts to an official dinner in their honour at the Royal Palace.
Thursday: The Duke and Duchess landed in Norway at Oslo Gardermoen Airport in the late morning, where they were met by Crown Prince Haakon (third left) and Crown Princess Mette-Marit (second right)
Thursday: After arriving at Oslo’s Royal Palace for luncheon with King Harald V (second right) and Queen Sonja (far right), Kate, 36, removed her coat to reveal a £169 cobalt blue maternity dress from Séraphine featuring a lace bodice
Thursday: The royals made for a colourful group as they took a stroll around the Princess Ingrid Alexandra Sculpture Park within the palace gardens, Slottsparken , which opened last year to mark the 25th anniversary of 80-year-old King Harald V’s reign
Thursday: The couple pose for a photo for well-wishers, many of whom snapped pictures and waved Union flags. They were also given gifts including books, knitwear and flowers by enthusiastic fans lining the railings outside Oslo’s Royal Palace
Thursday: William and Kate, dressed in an elegant blue Séraphine dress with a lace bodice, looked delighted at the gifts from their royal hosts. Crown Princess Mette-Marit looked chic in a navy coat dress paired with a colourful red belt
Friday, 2 February
The final day of the tour has begun at the Hartvig Nissen School, which was the location for the hugely successful Norwegian television programme ‘Skam’.
Later this morning, The Duke and Duchess will travel to Skaugum, the official residence of The Crown Prince and Princess of Norway, for a private lunch.
The final engagements of the tour will take place in the beautiful setting of Holmenkollen, the snowy hills that overlook the city of Oslo.
From Holmenkollen, The Duke and Duchess will depart for the airport, and on to London.