The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have landed in Oslo for the final leg of their royal tour after being forced to cancel this morning’s scheduled visit to Uppsala Airbase due to heavy snow.
Following their whirlwind visit to Sweden, the royals are kicking off two days of engagements in Norway with luncheon at Oslo’s Royal Palace, followed by a formal dinner, a walk around a sculpture park and a visit to a ski jump before returning to London on Friday afternoon.
The Duchess, who is seven months pregnant, braved the icy Nordic conditions in vertiginous heels and a slate blue Catherine Walker coat as she and William were greeted by Crown Prince Haakon and his wife, Crown Princess Mette-Marit on a red carpet rolled out across the tarmac just before midday local time.
After arriving at Oslo’s Royal Palace for luncheon with King Harald V and Queen Sonja, Kate, 36, removed her coat to reveal a £169 cobalt blue maternity dress from Séraphine featuring a lace bodice and frilled sleeves.
She wisely put on her alpaca fur hat as the two couples met members of the public during a quick walkabout outside the palace.
Following lunch, the couple will visit the Princess Ingrid Alexandra Sculpture Park within the palace gardens, which opened last year to mark the 25th anniversary of 80-year-old King Harald V’s reign.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge land in snowy Oslo as they are met by Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marittour on day three of their Royal Tour to Sweden and Norway – after wintry weather forced them to change their plans
A right royal welcome! 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
Kate’s baby bump was on full display as she joined her hosts (L-R) Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Crown Prince Haakon, her husband Prince William, King Harald V and Queen Sonja for a private lunch before kicking off the day’s engagements
The two royals appeared to be getting along famously as they chatted at Oslo’s Gardermoen Airport. The two couples are now travelling into the city centre for luncheon at the Royal Palace with the King and Queen of Norway
The glamorous Duchess is last to disembark the plane after a short flight from Stockholm to Oslo on Thursday morning. Heavy snow forced the couple to cancel a scheduled visit to Uppsala airbase at the last minute, but they arrived at Oslo on time
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.
Temperatures plummeted to below freezing in the region overnight with snowfall expected throughout the morning, forcing the royal couple and their entourage to fly instead from Stockholm’s Arlanda airport.
Announcing the last-minute change of plan in the early hours of Thursday morning, Kensington Palace said: ‘Unfortunately the snowy weather in Stockholm today has meant that TRH’s travel plans have had to be changed. This morning’s engagement at Uppsala Airbase will not go ahead.’
In a speech on Wednesday night, William said he had been ‘looking forward’ to the scheduled visit to Uppsala Airbase, located an hour north of the Swedish capital.
Speaking at a reception at Stockholm’s Fotografiska gallery, told his hosts: ‘Your security concerns are ours, and it is hugely important that we continue to work ever more closely together to reduce threats.’
The couple were set to receive a short briefing on the Swedish Armed Forces’ operational capabilities at Uppsala this morning, before viewing some of the Gripen aircraft of the type deployed by Sweden as its commitment to the Joint Expeditionary Force. The briefing, led by Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist, went ahead in Stockholm instead.
Snow surrounds the royals’ private jet at Oslo’s Gardermoen Airport. Temperatures plummeted to below freezing in the region overnight, with snowfall expected throughout the morning. The couple instead flew from Stockholm’s Arlanda airport
An air traffic ground control crew worker guides the jet safely to landing. The flight took just over an hour, with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arriving on time despite this morning’s setback due to averse weather conditions
Busy day: After lunch at Oslo’s Royal Palace this afternoon, the couple will visit the Princess Ingrid Alexandra Sculpture Park within the palace gardens, which opened last year to mark the 25th anniversary of King Harald V’s reign
The Duchess looked elegant in the slate blue coat from Catherine Walker which skimmed over her tummy showing just a hint of baby bump. She paired the slate blue number with black heels, a small box clutch and gloves featuring bow detail
Snow queen! Kate braved the icy conditions in vertiginous heels, as did her host, former waitress Crown Princess Mette-Marit – perhaps mindful that luncheon with the King and Queen of Norway was next on the agenda
The Duchess of Cambridge donned a slate blue coat, from Catherine Walker, as she landed in Oslo with William on Thursday afternoon – after a short briefing with Sweden’s Defence Minister on Thursday morning
The Duchess and Crown Princess embrace after meeting on the tarmac. William and Kate’s royal tour 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’
Despite a last-minute change of schedule, the royals looked to be in excellent spirits as they touched down in snowy Oslo, a visit that marks William and Kate’s first official trip to the country – 34 years after Princess Diana visited on a solo tour
Velkommen! Crown Prince Haakon, who is first in line to the Norwegian throne, shakes William’s hand as he welcomes the royal couple to Oslo. The two couples are set for a busy few days before Kate and William fly back to London tomorrow
Packed schedule: After today’s lunch, the couple will visit the Princess Ingrid Alexandra Sculpture Park within the palace gardens, which opened last year to mark the 25th anniversary of King Harald V’s reign
The Duchess was wearing a cobalt blue maternity dress from Séraphine underneath her Catherine Walker dress – a bespoke number named the Marlene featuring a lace bodice and frilled sleeves
Kate, who is seven months pregnant, wore a slate blue Catherine Walker coat over a Séraphine maternity dress as she and William were greeted on the tarmac by Crown Prince Haakon and his wife, Crown Princess Mette-Marit
Mother-of-three Crown Princess Mette-Marit was beaming as she welcomed the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to Oslo. The party of four will now travel on to the Royal Palace for luncheon with King Harald V and Queen Sonja
This morning, British Ambassador to Sweden David Cairns tweeted a picture of the royals’ private jet preparing to depart an icy Stockholm Arlanda just before 11am local time, writing: ‘Hej då and farewell #RoyalVisitSweden. Next stop #RoyalVisitNoway!’
After lunch today, Kate and William will meet 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.
The couple will round off their first day in Norway with a dinner at the Palace alongside members of government, business leaders and people from the Norwegian creative industries.
Friday will begin with a visit to Hartvig Nissen School in Oslo, which was the location for the hugely successful Norwegian television programme ‘Skam’.
There, the couple will meet the stars and producers of Skam to hear more about the series, before meeting students to learn about the effect Skam had on bringing challenges teenagers face out into the open, and the role played by social media.
The royal couples received a formal salute after touching down at Gardermoen. After a private lunch, they are set to visit a sculpture park before later enjoying a formal dinner attended by members of government and leaders in business
Despite an initial setback this morning, the couple looked to be in excellent spirits as they chatted to officials after touching down at Oslo. Kate wrapped up in a smart blue coat while Mette-Marit looked chic in a black ensemble
Oslo’s Gardermoen Airport looked like a winter wonderland thanks to a thick dusting of snow which fell overnight. While William, Haakon and Mette-Marit were wrapped up in scarves, Kate opted for a high-collared number from Catherine Walker
Final pitstop: The couple will round off their first day in Norway with a dinner at the Palace alongside members of government, leaders in business and people from the Norwegian creative industries
Last 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.
On arrival, the Duchess wrapped up in a black fur-trimmed coat by Swedish designer Ida Sjostedt and wore her locks swept back in an elegant updo, mirroring the hairstyle of Crown Princess Victoria who looked glamorous in a black satin pencil skirt and red blouse with voluminous sleeves.
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.
The couple were at the Fotografiska Gallery in Stockholm, where they mingled with guests from the worlds of music film, TV, art and sport.
They had arrived at the waterside gallery by boat and were reunited with Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel, with whom they had spent the day on engagements around the city.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Duchess of Cambridge displayed her growing baby bump as she and Prince William were invited for an informal tea party with some of the youngest members of the Swedish royal family.
Right-hand woman: Kate’s PA-turned stylist, Natasha Archer, was seen stepping off the place with what appeared to be a hat box and vanity case. Archer is married to Getty’s royal photographer Chris Jackson, who is also on the Scandi tour
Kate’s hairdresser Amanda Cook Tucker, who has been cutting the royals’ hair for years, was seen getting off the plane. Last week a photo she shared on Instagram, showing the Duchess’ exhaustive hair armoury including 13 brushes, went viral
The Duchess wore her brunette locks in a simple chignon and accessorised with a pair of black bow gloves believed to be from Cornelia James. Her host donned a royal blue coat teamed with a red scarf and matching belt (right)
The royals were given a warm welcome to Norway as they touched down in snow Oslo – with Kate and Mette-Marit’s choice of footwear proving rather less practical than one of the airport officials who wore sensible snow boots (far left)
William and Kate met the adorable offspring of Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel – Princess Estelle, five, and Prince Oscar, who turns two in March.
After kicking off their second day in Stockholm with a meeting on mental health, they stopped in at Matteusskolan comprehensive school in the city centre.
Kensington Palace announced the change of plans in a tweet
While dozens of pupils waved hand-drawn flags and bunches of flowers, some lucky youngsters managed to get a high-five from the Duchess as she greeted the crowds assembled outside.
The couple spent around ten minutes shaking hands with the schoolchildren, with William repeatedly telling them ‘you’ve got cold hands’ and complimenting them on the flags they were waving.
Once inside, the four royals watched pupils at Matteusskolan, which has 700 children aged between six and 15, take part in a role-playing exercise exploring family problems. They also spent time privately talking to young people about the emotional issues they face.
The royal party were marking the 10th anniversary of the Youth Aware Mental Health (YAM) programme, which encouraged young people aged between 14 and 16 to help each other battle a wide range of emotional and mental health problems.
After their school visit on Wednesday, William and Kate visited one of Stockholm’s busiest shopping centres where they browsed an exhibition on UK design, fashion and brands that operate in Sweden put together by the British Embassy at the NK department store.
Hallo Norway! William and Kate wave from their chauffeured vehicle after landing at Oslo’s Gardermoen airport. They are kicking off their first official visit to the country with lunch with the King and Queen at the Royal Palace
The couple had a briefing on the Swedish Armed Forces’ operational capabilities this morning, with (L-R): Swedish Minister of Defence, Peter Hultqvist; Chief of staff of Air Force, Major General Mats Helgesson; and CEO of Saab, Håkan Buskhe
The focus of the exhibition was sustainability and innovation – with everything from vegan shoes to Bluetooth-operated bags on display. William joined Crown Princess Victoria on one side of the room while Kate and Prince Daniel chatted to company founders.
The Duke of Cambridge joked to one group about the fact that they had been running late earlier in the day, admitting: ‘We’re not very good with time.’
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 this afternoon, the Duke and Duchess, accompanied by Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit, will attend an event held at MESH, a co-working space for entrepreneurs and start-up companies.
That evening, the Duke and Duchess have been invited by their hosts to an official dinner in their honour at the Royal Palace.
Royal welcome: 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)
Friday, 2 February
The final day of the tour will begin at the Hartvig Nissen School, which was the location for the hugely successful Norwegian television programme ‘Skam’.
Later that 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.