Crown Prince to live with girlfriend

Crown Prince Haakon and Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby are to live together. PHOTO: SCANPIX

Norway's Crown Prince Haakon announced Saturday that he would move in together with his girlfriend Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby.

The Prince paid more than NOK 5.5 million for a 266-sq.m. apartment in Oslo's Ullevalsveien, where he will live with Mette-Marit and her three-year-old son from a previous relationship.

The child's father has convictions for offences including possession cocaine.

The romance between Haakon and Mette-Marit took off during the summer of 1999 at the Kristiansand rock music festival. The Crown Prince himself appeared on television earlier this year to confirm his relationship with the young woman from Kristiansand.

Reaction to the news in Norway has been mixed, with most people openly supporting the Prince's right to live his life as he chooses.

(Aftenposten Interactive)