DECORAH, Iowa (KCRG) – Royalty made its way to Iowa on Monday as Crown Prince Haakon of Norway made his way through Decorah.
The crown prince was in town to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the first organized Norwegian emigration to the United States.
Now two centuries later, Crown Prince Haakon said millions of Norwegian Americans and Americans with Norwegian heritage are spread across the U.S., making a bridge between the two countries.
“They came here to the Midwest, and they built schools, churches, communities, and a life here in the United States. So it was that promise of a brighter future, I think, that drove people to make the crossing to the other side of the Atlantic,” he said.
Crown Prince Haakon visited the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum and met with Decorah community members.
Leaders at the museum said the Prince’s trip has been in the works for months.
“Having a member of the royal family here is just sort of icing on the cake, and it just also celebrates the special relationship that Vesterheim has with the government of Norway and the people of Norway as well. So it’s a great honor to have him here,” said Chris Johnson, Museum president and CEO.
Crown Prince Haakon says it was exciting to see the thriving Norwegian culture throughout the community.
“I’m very impressed by what I’ve seen here. There is a lot of good work that has been done here at Vesterheim. And I think it’s very impressive how the Norwegian-American community continues to be proud of their heritage and keep that story alive today,” he said.
He also received an honorary doctorate for civil law from Luther College for his dedication to human rights, environmental responsibility, and the bonds between the two nations.
The prince’s next stops are Minneapolis and New York.
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