The Gorgeous Evolution Of Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit

The following article includes references to alcoholism, drug misuse, and allegations of domestic abuse. 

It's not exactly common for a commoner to marry into any European royal family. However, that's exactly what Princess Mette-Marit did when she tied the knot with Prince Haakon of Norway on August 25, 2001. Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby, as she was once known, was born into a middle-class Norwegian family on August 19, 1973. To outsiders, her childhood appeared fairly normal. As Hello! magazine reported, she partook in sports, such as sailing and volleyball. However, her parents divorced in 1984 — and Mette-Marit didn't take it well, according to royal expert Peter Conradi's book, "Great Survivors."

Unlike some of the more proper members of European and British royalty, the Norwegian crown princess has a troubled past. A 2001 report published in the Los Angeles Times called the gorgeous blonde a "former wild child," referring to the years she spent in the drug-fueled techno music party scene. A report published in The Guardian the same year claimed the princess' ex was involved in dealing drugs.

Despite these scandals, Princess Mette-Marit became Norwegian royalty through marriage. And, as ABC News reported, the princess took on her royal duties to her subjects' satisfaction. However, the princess' major evolution did not go unnoticed by the public. Ever in awe of the ways Mette-Marit has changed over the years, the Norwegian people have nicknamed her Cinderella (via The Guardian). 

Because Princess Mette-Marit grew up in such difficult circumstances, she needed an outlet to get away from her family's unhealthy dynamics. During those grim younger years, one of Mette-Marit's primary escapes was reading. At a press conference in Snåsa, Norway, the princess discussed literature's ability to provide her with a safe space. "I think that the joy I had in being able to disappear into the world of books was strengthened by [my father's alcoholism]," she explained (via The Local). Additionally, in her book "Homeland & Other Stories" (via VG), Mette-Marit wrote, "It was a form of salvation for me, learning to read literature."

As the future princess got older, however, she began to look for different avenues of escape. By the time she started high school in the early 1990s, she was searching for ways to ditch her life in Norway. Ultimately, a foreign exchange program served the young blonde's purposes. Mette-Marit spent six months in the small Australian town of Wangaratta, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. Mette-Marit's Australian host father, Michael Green, claims that it was on this trip that the future princess began to experiment with alcohol. In the TV 2 documentary "The Cinderella of our Time," Green confessed to taking Mette-Marit to a bar. "She asked to have her first drink. I asked what she wanted, and she answered, '[a] cocktail,'" her former host father said (via Fædrelandsvennen).

Following her return to Norway from Australia, the angsty student began dating a man two years her senior, according to royal expert Peter Conradi's book "Great Survivors." As detailed by Conradi, Mette-Marit's older boyfriend was part of the local party scene. He played in a band and often performed at parties that abounded in booze and hashish. Per "Great Survivors," Mette-Marit likely began to misuse marijuana during this relationship.

Following the future princess' high school graduation in 1994, she headed to the west Norwegian town of Lillestrøm. According to the documentary "The Cinderella of our Time" (via Fædrelandsvennen), this is where Mette-Marit developed feelings for another older man, John Ognby. However, the age difference this time was more than just a couple of years. Unlike Mettle-Marit's first boyfriend, Ognby was a whopping 15 years older than her (per "Great Survivors").

Apparently, the significant age gap didn't prevent Mettle-Marit from developing a serious relationship with Ognby. The couple got engaged, and Mette-Marit even purchased a wedding dress, per "The Cinderella of our Time" (via Fædrelandsvennen). However, by Conradi's account, the relationship quickly deteriorated into something dangerous. Mette-Marit eventually ended things with Ognby, who allegedly retaliated by threatening his former fiancée over the phone. The engagement ended definitively when Ognby was arrested for allegedly terrorizing Mette-Marit with a knife.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

On January 13, 1997, Princess Mette-Marit officially became a mother. According to a report by Hello! magazine, the Norwegian gave birth to a son, Marius Borg Høiby, in Oslo. Looking back at that moment, the princess recalled how her baby changed her life forever. In a 2017 open birthday letter to Marius published by the official Kongehuset, website, Princess Mette-Marit wrote, "Ever since I saw Marius open his eyes for the first time 20 years ago, I have been primarily a mother." Per the princess' account, she always took motherhood seriously, despite her other moments of youthful rebellion. "I was 23 years old and was given a great responsibility," she explained.

Because of her new role as Marius' mother, Mette-Marit decided to take a step back from the party world. As the documentary "The Cinderella of our Time" (via Fædrelandsvennen) revealed, the future princess tamed her wild side following the birth of her child. She stopped going out and started to focus on her son. As the princess wrote in her open letter to her son, "My obligation to [Marius] as a mother is to take seriously the responsibility that was given to me at Aker hospital 20 years ago." This sense of duty was perhaps particularly strong, as she did not remain with Marius' father (via International Business Times).

While Prince Haakon had no trouble falling in love with his rebellious fiancée, the same could not be said for the public. Many Norwegians believed Mette-Marit's past made her unfit for a crown princess. As Nordic journalist Rune Saevik told People, "The establishment felt she was not good enough for the prince — too nontraditional, too middle-class — and there were questions about her past." British writer Jon Henley seemed to echo this sentiment in a 2000 piece for The Guardian, in which described Mette-Marit as Prince Haakon's "live-in girlfriend — a single mother whose former lover had multiple convictions for violence, drink-driving, and possession of cocaine."

Hoping to respond to the public's disapproval, Mette-Marit gave a press conference in 2001, just weeks before her wedding to Haakon. As reported by the BBC, the bride-to-be used her platform to address and atone for her past transgressions. "My youth rebellion was much stronger than many others," she confessed. The future princess went on to express regret over her past choices, saying, "I would like to take this opportunity to say that I condemn drugs. ... I cannot make these choices again, even though I would wish I could."

By most accounts, the press conference earned Mette-Marit a degree of public forgiveness. The day following the apology, Mette-Marit was spoken of positively in several newspapers (via NRK).

It's no secret that marrying into a royal family can be challenging. Princess Diana, Sarah Ferguson, and Meghan Markle all famously struggled with their roles in the British monarchy. Luckily, however, Mette-Marit was able to make a much smoother transition into royal life, partially due to the more flexible nature of the Norwegian royal family. As royal expert Liv Berit Tessem revealed in a 2002 interview with ABC News, "The Norwegian royal family is much more relaxed than the English royal family was. I don't think you can compare the two families at all." 

Despite rumored grumblings about Princess Mette-Marit's former commoner status, the newlywed princess was generally accepted by her people. In 2002, just one year after the Norwegian royal wedding, most of Mette-Marit's countrymen reported they were satisfied with her fulfillment of royal duties. Norwegian political scientist Håkon Kavli described the public's reaction towards the princess as positive when speaking with ABC News. "Since the marriage, she has completed all her official assignments to most Norwegians' liking," Kavli said. He added, "Only one out of 10 think she's a bad role model."

Despite Princess Mette-Marit's dedication to the Norwegian monarchy, her life as a royal has not been smooth sailing. In 2018, the princess announced that she'd been diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a rare degenerative lung disorder, as reported by the Daily Mail. According to the IPF Foundation, the disease has a 100% mortality rate for those who do not qualify for a lung transplant. As of this writing, there is no cure for IPF.  

While news of this diagnosis was presumably difficult for the royal family, Princess Mette-Marit is dealing with her disease with a positive attitude. "For a number of years, I have had health challenges on a regular basis, and now we know more about what these are. Although such a diagnosis will limit my life at times, I'm glad that the disease has been discovered so early. My goal is still to work and participate in the official program as much as possible," she explained in a statement (via BBC News).

In late September 2022, the princess had to unexpectantly cancel royal engagements due to her health, and a statement from the royal family revealed she would be having surgery and taking a break from her royal duties until April 2023 (via Hello! magazine).