It has long been clear that something had to be done in the case of Princess Märtha Louise. When respected health organizations came out and said they didn’t want the princess’s patronage because of the less-than-scientific machinations of her fiance, alarm bells probably went off inside Slottsplassen 1. Royal patronage is supposed to be something coveted, a gold dust sprinkled over the heroic day-to-day work of idealistic men and women. When this gold dust is something these organizations want to brush off as soon as possible, there is danger afoot. Patronage had become a burden, not a reward. Being a princess is something twofold. On the one hand, there is a role, which involves representing the people of a country, funded by them, and without doing or saying anything that might be too divisive or controversial. On the other hand, there is an identity. The princess title is what says you are your parents’ daughter, your brother’s sister. It is not difficult to imagine that the king was at pains to take from his daughter the very thing that marks the affinity between the two. Today, what can be called a compromise solution to the problem became known. Princess Märtha Louise retains her title, but steps away from almost everything else to do with her royalty. She shall not use it in connection with her commercial activities in any way. It makes sense in principle, but may prove to be difficult to implement in practice. There are many situations where just being a first name, like if you’re Neymar or Adele, can seem artificial. It is easy to imagine that interviewers and PR people may be tempted to sneak in a “princess” here and there. And then, suddenly, we are sitting here discussing again. This debate is by no means just Norwegian. In all modern monarchies there are challenges related to what to do with those, the princes and princesses who will not ascend the throne. A hundred years ago it would have been so much easier. Then they would marry into other rich families and continue to live much as before. Now it is expected that they build a life of their own and an income of their own. And there is not much that is as lucrative and income-generating as a royal title. It has proved difficult to insist that the Royal Reserves do not sell the most marketable things they have. In Denmark, Queen Margrethe finally chose to strip four of her grandchildren of the titles of prince and princess, much to the consternation of her own son. The princes and princesses at the center of these storms must think the world is unfair. It is difficult for them to take ordinary jobs as police or nurses, all the time they usually have to have bodyguards with them wherever they travel. At the same time, they are criticized if they do something off the beaten path. But there are also examples of men and women who are in a monarch’s close family, and who have nevertheless managed to be professionally active without there being any fuss about it. Princess Margaret’s son, David Armstrong-Jones, the current Earl Snowdon, has worked as a cabinetmaker and furniture designer since his twenties. Princess Märtha, for her part, chose a path that was very difficult to combine with a neutral, inclusive and representative royal role, namely the controversial and hyper-commercial alternative industry. Princess Märtha Louise and fiance Durek Verrett on their way to the gala dinner for Princess Ingrid Alexandra at the castle on 17 June this year. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB It became even more difficult when she became engaged to the shaman Durek Verrett, who advocated theories that contradicted medical science and sold items with promises of health benefits that they were unlikely to be able to keep. By all accounts, the princess has functioned very well as a royal protector, and is known for easily getting in touch with others. One can imagine that another solution would have been possible, one in which she and especially her new life partner toned down the commercial side of their work to some extent and dampened the challenging rhetoric. Then presumably the princess would be able to continue with her royal duties, thus also relieving her brother. Crown Prince Haakon already carries a significant workload now that his parents are old and Crown Princess Mette-Marit has limited work capacity for health reasons. Because this is also how it is in royal life: One person’s choice has consequences for all the others. Precisely because it is not only a public role, but also a sense of belonging in a community which ultimately only consists of a single family.
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This could have been avoided – Statement
