Haakon of Norway's diary has become a minefield as his wife Crown Princess Mette-Marit's explanations regarding her friendship with Jeffrey Epstein have been deemed insufficient by some and have also raised new questions.
The controversy has caused the Crown Prince's schedule to be overshadowed by the issue, although the same cannot be said about his wife's diary, as the future queen has so far only attended official engagements in highly controlled environments - for example, inside the Royal Palace of Oslo and without the involvement of journalists or the public.
On Monday afternoon, Crown Prince Haakon visited several fishing companies in Møre og Romsdal and his royal spouse once again became the topic of conversation. The future king did his best to put an end to the topic, saying: "I don't read all my wife's emails."
© Getty"We've been through a lot, but I think things are better now. She is ill, and that is already something that is a part of our daily life," Prince Haakon said when his expected talk about fishing and sustainability in the area was once again overshadowed by the scandals currently surrounding the Norwegian royals. Questions still surround Mette Marit's link to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, as well as the court sentence the royal's son from a previous relationship, Marius Borg Høiby, is awaiting a verdict while in police custody.
Mette-Marit's health: The reality of pulmonary fibrosis and a possible lung transplant
"It's tough to leave her, but she manages well for a day or a day and a half," the Prince added, after the Princess took the step last Friday of attending an official event for the first time with an oxygen tank - an unusual image that made her chronic illness, pulmonary fibrosis diagnosed in 2018, visible as she normalised it during a Royal Palace event.
© NTB/AFP via Getty ImagesDiary changes are becoming commonplace for the future queen consort. As her doctor stated last December, Mette-Marit is still adapting to a new stage of her illness, where a lung transplant may be necessary.
Prince Haakon made his last official trip abroad, to the United States last autumn, alone, and the same is expected for his scheduled trip to Japan in June.
Haakon on the defensive: 'I'm not going to dwell on that subject'
Despite the interview they gave to NRK last March, Prince Haakon could not prevent the subject from veering towards the Epstein case.
"We're back to the same thing. I don't intend to delve into that subject here and now, I don't read all my wife's emails, and I truly hope no one else does," the future King replied, given that it was the exchange of messages between Mette-Marit and the convicted paedophile that reflected the tone of her relationship with Epstein.
© NRK"I'm not going to dwell on that subject much now, so we'll continue talking about the main topic," Prince Haakon said, trying to steer the conversation back to the day's subject. "We've already spoken about it," he added.
A new royal era? Why Prince Sverre Magnus is stepping into the spotlight
With the Royal House evolving and crises that have yet to dissipate, the coming days will see the spotlight shift toward Haakon and Mette-Marit's son Prince Sverre Magnus, who will attend two official events alongside of his father.
© Getty ImagesThe possibility of this type of joint appearance didn't seem likely a few years ago and but now seems to be materialising. With Mette-Marit out of action and daughter Princess Ingrid studying in Australia, the options for royal engagements are now quite limited. Haakon's sister Princess Märtha Louise has withdrawn from royal life and no longer has official duties.
In this context, Haakon emerges as the only fully operational member of the Norwegian royal family for the time being, compelled to sustain the institutional diary while simultaneously managing the media pressure and public scrutiny generated by so many open fronts.
How Haakon is moving forward
© Getty ImagesThe combination of health problems, scandals and prolonged absences has left the monarchy in a vulnerable position, and every appearance by the Crown Prince becomes a test of his ability to maintain the balance between transparency and institutional continuity.
The coming months will be decisive in gauging the extent to which the institution is capable of regaining stability and trust, and whether the royal PR strategy surrounding Mette-Marit is sustainable.
For now, Haakon continues to move forward despite being faced with very uncomfortable questions, trying to prevent the official diary from being completely overshadowed.
