The little-known Australian past of Europe’s new queen, Mette-Marit of Norway

Years before she became Europe’s newest queen, Mette-Marit − the wife of Norway’s Haakon VIII − lived in anonymity in Australia.

While Mette-Marit has been a prominent member of Norway’s royal house since marrying into the family 25 years ago, the spotlight on her has increased significantly following her husband’s accession to the throne.

Once heavily criticised for her former life as a party girl, the single mother was later embraced by Norwegians before being condemned, again – this time for her past links with Jeffrey Epstein, revealed late last year, and the rape trial and conviction of her son.

Mette-Marit’s recent lung transplant led to an outpouring of support, months after polling suggested Norwegians didn’t want her to be queen.

Now, public affection has risen after King Harald V’s death, ending a 35-year reign and heralding in a new era led by his son King Haakon VIII and his commoner-born wife.

Haakon ascended to the throne on Friday with the death of his father, and his reign was formally inaugurated on Tuesday when he swore an oath of allegiance to uphold Norway’s constitution.

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But Queen Mette-Marit was missing from the most important moment of her husband’s new reign, so far, because of complications after her recent transplant.

The 53-year-old was admitted to hospital on Tuesday, though the doctor in charge of her care said complications were fairly common after such a procedure including bouts of rejection and infection.

“It is not uncommon for complications to occur after a lung transplant,” Professor Holm said, via a statement released by the Royal House.

“The queen has had complications on some occasions since the operation,” he said, adding she would remain under medical observation.

Mette-Marit had been due to step back from public-facing duties during her year-long recovery, but was seen with Haakon during several mourning events, including the procession of the monarch’s coffin through the Royal Palace on Monday.

King Haakon visited his wife in hospital before and after his swearing-in, a ceremony held instead of a coronation which Norway did away with following its last in 1906.

In Queen Mette-Marit’s place at the Norwegian parliament, known as the Storting, was Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, the 22-year-old who is now heir to the throne.

Ingrid Alexandra will one day make history by becoming Norway’s first female reigning monarch in more than 600 years. The crown princess is the first to be affected by changes to succession laws in 1990, allowing females to inherit the throne.

The crown princess had been living in Australia for just under a year when her mother’s impending lung transplant saw her abruptly return to Norway, in June.

Ingrid Alexandra begun a three-year degree at Sydney University, and in May this year carried out her first, and what is likely to be her only, official engagement in Australia.

Her decision to study in Australia, which came at a precarious time for the monarchy, surprised many in Norway.

While her exact reasons have never been disclosed, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra’s mother lived in Australia, briefly, years before marring Norway’s future king.

New queen’s Australian school experience

In the early 1990s, when she was known as Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby, the now-queen came to Victoria on exchange.

The daughter of a journalist and a bank employee, Mette-Marit was living with her single mother when she moved Down Under.

She spent around six months at Wangaratta High School as part of the Youth for Understanding student exchange program, between 1990-1991.

In one school group photo, taken in 1990 of ‘Year 11D’, Mette-Marit can be seen standing in the second row, wearing the blue and white checkered uniform.

She became close friends with fellow student Anna Wearne, whose mother Ann was invited to the royal wedding years later.

Sadly, Anna had died four years before Mette-Marit became Crown Princess of Norway, but her mother attended the ceremony in her place.

“It was like a fairy tale ... Though the wedding was grand, it was still intimate because Mette and Haakon’s love shone through,” Anne told an Australian magazine in 2001.

Ann was among the 400 guests invited to the wedding reception held inside Royal Palace in Oslo following the historic nuptials − Norway’s first royal wedding since that of King Harald and Queen Sonja’s in 1968.

“We partied until six in the morning, I’ll never forget it.”

Ann was asked whether Mette-Marit had changed much since her days as a student in Australia.

“Not at all, she’s the same lovely person I knew in Australia. Naturally, she’s matured, but she’ll make a wonderful princess and, eventually, queen.”

Such was Anne’s special place in Mette-Marit’s heart, she was invited on board the royal yacht Norge as part of a small gathering in the lead up to the wedding, joining 25 other royals from across the world.

She was later invited to an intimate dinner for Mette-Marit’s 28th birthday: “There was just me, the king and queen, Prince Haakon and Mette’s family.”

After her time in country Victoria, the future royal returned to Norway where she finished her final exams at Kristiansand Cathedral School in 1994. She later went on to study at Oslo University, where her daughter is now a student.

While Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra remains a student of Sydney University, she started at Oslo University on exchange in August, weeks after Mette-Marit’s lung transplant.

Ingrid Alexandra’s new role as crown princess − and the demands the job will bring − will likely mean she is unable to return to Australia to complete her studies.

However, before the change of throne, Haakon said his daughter hoped to complete her studies − a bachelor’s degree in social science, specialising in international relations and political economy − in Australia.

Soon after moving to Sydney for university, Ingrid Alexandra was joined by her parents in a top secret visit to Australia.

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Mette-Marit travelled to Sydney ahead of her husband in August last year, helping her daughter settle into campus life. Ingrid Alexandra had taken up residence inside the prestigious St Andrew’s College, in a private room with a shared bathroom, where the annual fee is around $44,000 per year.

The then-crown prince couple were photographed walking through Sydney Airport as they left Australia after visiting their daughter on campus.

Mette-Marit mourns late king

Next week, Queen Mette-Marit is expected to be by King Haakon’s side as Norway farewells King Harald V at a state funeral inside Oslo Cathedral.

It is expected to be the largest gathering of royalty since the funeral of Pope Francis in April 2024 and the coronation of King Charles III in May 2023.

Denmark’s King Frederik X and Queen Mary, along with Sweden’s royal family and those from the Netherlands, Japan and Belgium, will be there. Other royals will soon confirm their attendance.

Mette-Marit was close with her father-in-law, who died aged 89 following years of health issues and a recent blood infection.

King Harald was a constant support and embraced her, and her young son Marius Borg Høiby, when she became Haakon’s bride.

Soon before the wedding, Mette-Marit she issued a tearful apology as outrage over her relationship with the future king reached fever pitch.

“My youth rebellion was much stronger than many others,” Mette-Marit said.

“That resulted in me living quite a wild life. We overstepped the limits. It was a costly experience for me. I cannot make these choices again, even though I would wish I could”.

In his wedding speech, King Harald said of his daughter-in-law: “Your ability to care is obvious. The queen and I have grown to love you very much, and we have deep respect for what you stand for.”

Harald considered Mette-Marit’s son, who was four when she marred Haakon, to be part of the royal family, though he was never given a title or role.

The late king was accepting of Mette-Marit’s controversial past and became a father figure to her, and when her own father died of cancer in 2007 the king changed his official program so he could attend the funeral.

“King Harald has been a person she has been able to lean on, and someone who has stood by her side − not only when life has been easy, but also when it has been stormy,” royal commentator for Norwegian magazine Se og Hør Caroline Vagle said.

“Most recently, he defended her with all the criticism surrounding her relationship with Epstein.

“Once again he showed his wise, generous and non-judgmental power.”