ST. PAUL — On Oct. 9, 1825, 53 Norwegians arrived in New York via a ship called the
, marking the beginning of Norway emigration to the United States.
On Tuesday, almost exactly 200 years later, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon of Norway arrived at Norway House in Minneapolis as part of a
commemoration of that turning point for our two countries.
It was a moment of goodwill that bridged continents, cultures and languages.
The prince smiled as he stepped out of a Volvo and was cheered by a Minnesota-nice crowd of people wearing Norwegian sweaters and bunads (traditional folk costumes) and waving Norwegian flags in the crisp October morning air.
“We are honored to have you!” said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey to the royal delegation (accompanying the crown prince was Ambassador Anniken Huitfeldt; Espen Barth Eide, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Cecilie Myrseth, Minister of Trade and Industry; and other members of the embassy and royal palace).
As part of the official welcome on the red carpet, the prince accepted a bouquet of flowers from 4-year-old Nora White of Minneapolis, leaning down to chat with her and her cousin, 4-year-old Lachlan Meeker of Edina.
“He was really sweet with them,” said Molly White, Nora’s mom. “He got down to their eye level and asked them their names.”
Lachlan’s sister, Maisie Meeker, 7, stood next to her cousins, impressed at the royal encounter but also remembering that it was she who handed a bouquet to the crown prince’s mother, Her Majesty
when the queen visited Norway House back in 2022.
John Autey / Pioneer Press
The royal has had a packed itinerary during this visit to the United States. The official schedule began on Monday in Iowa, including a visit to Luther College, and on Tuesday the agenda started with a stop at Norway House, a nonprofit that not only celebrates Norwegian heritage, but also aims to build connections between contemporary Norway and the United States. One such connection is
His Majesty, King Harald V of Norway,
who is Norway House’s royal patron.
52, is King Harald’s son and the heir to the Norwegian throne.
The prince’s Minnesota portion of the tour also included a stop in St. Paul, where he met with Gov. Tim Walz at the State Capitol.
After that brief gubernatorial meeting, Haakon talked to reporters about this month’s emigration anniversary.
The royal said that more than 800,000 Norwegians left their country in search of a better life in a period of migration following those first arrivals 200 years ago — around one-third of the country’s population at the time.
“Many of them came to this area, to the Midwest, and they were looking for farmland, for religious freedom, and, of course, a better future,” the crown prince said. “We are very proud of how the people, the Americans with Norwegian heritage, look after their culture, and we see that they are proud of it as well.”
During their meeting in the governor’s reception room, Walz told Haakon that he and Minnesota were committed to the ongoing partnerships between Minnesota and Norway in defense, trade and promoting their shared cultural heritage. He also praised the visiting royal for his work to improve the lives of the young, something the governor often emphasizes in his speeches.
“Your leadership around improving the lives of children, both in Norway and globally, is a mission that we share,” Walz said.
On Tuesday, the prince was also received by Maj. Gen. Shawn Manke, the senior leader of the Minnesota National Guard, to honor the partnership between the Norwegian Armed Forces and the Minnesota National Guard. One example of that partnership, the prince’s press materials state, includes joint air exercises between Norwegian F-35s and American F-16s.
In the afternoon, the royal returned to Minneapolis to
, the Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church located next to Norway House, where there was a signing and christening of the church ship model of the Restauration.
John Autey / Pioneer Press
By evening, the crown prince was scheduled to meet with
of the Minnesota Wild, one of Norway’s most prominent and successful hockey players, to hear about his work promoting youth participation in sports.
After visiting St. Olaf College in Northfield on Wednesday, the royal delegation heads east, where His Royal Highness will be on hand Thursday to welcome a replica of the Restauration as it sails into New York on the emigration anniversary.
On Monday, the day before the royal visit, there was a flurry of activity at Norway House.
“We are putting out the red carpet, the balloons and the flowers and getting everything ready,” said Christina Carleton, president and chief executive officer of Norway House. “We are so honored.”
On Tuesday morning, after speaking to those gathered at the USA-Norway Business Summit at Norway House, the crown prince headed downstairs to cut the ribbon for the
, a new and permanent exhibit that is located within the Haugo Bibliotek.
He was a fitting representative to hold the ceremonial scissors.
“One in five Minnesotans claim Norwegian ancestry,” Carleton said, “so there’s a very large contingent of Norwegians who still think very fondly of their ancestors who came from Norway and settled here in Minnesota.”
(Such Norwegians include Carleton, who is originally from Oslo and stayed in Minnesota after attending college here.)
The Saga Center, which is adjacent to a special collections room for genealogy research, celebrates Minnesotans’ Nordic roots, as well as Norway in general.
“It’s very highly interactive and should be fun,” Carleton said.
The fun includes animated walks through Norway.
“The whole idea is to spark curiosity,” said Carleton.
The crown prince’s curiosity seemed sparked on Tuesday as he was shown how to go on a virtual walk through a Norwegian landscape displayed on a large, interactive screen.
“He was actually really good at it, he knew exactly what to do,” said Race Fisher, Saga Center spokesperson. “I wonder if he plays video games with his children.”
(The prince and his wife,
Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit
, have three children.)
“It was fun to see him use it,” Fisher said of the interactive element that returned the royal to Norway for a moment. “I hope it reminded him of home.”
Saga Center at Norway House
In the Haugo Bibliotek at Norway House, 913 E. Franklin Ave. in Minneapolis, the new Saga Center features an interactive exhibit that explores connections to Norway; general admission is $10.
For more info on membership rates, hours and more, visit
This story was originally published on TwinCities.com
Text Example
____________________________________
This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here.