Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway wrote an open letter to the Norwegian Press on the occasion of her son’s, Marius Borg Høiby, 20th Birthday. It has been announced that Marius will move to the United States to study Business Administration as a private person, and will only appear for family occasions but will not perform any duties on behalf of the Norwegian royal family.
Since 20 years ago Marius open his eyes for the first time, I’ve been primarily a mother. I was 23 years old and got a big responsibility. It has been the greatest gift in my life.
Marius has always had a role that has been difficult to define in the public domain. He is and remains an exceptionally important part of our family. Marius became a symbol of the unusual election we did when we were married, while he will not bear public duties as his siblings. He should not have a public role and is not a public person.
The role has also proved difficult to interpret for people around us in private. Ever since he was tiny. Everything from parents who have come with concerns and well-intentioned advice to teachers who have always had other expectations for Marius their behavior than others.
And I’m no better myself. As a mother I take often have expectations from Marius his behavior that are unrealistic, and different than what I would have had to his siblings.
When Marius was small, we had mostly journalists who firmly stood outside the house where we stayed. NRK TV news followed us when we were playing in Frogner Park in the afternoon. Marius was 3 years. But the fact that Marius has been 20 does not mean that he is fair game again.The last few years have been characterized by a trend I as a Mom rather do without. Marius has been subjected to pressure from parts of the Norwegian press, I do not have them worthy. Some media have chosen to write about youthful indiscretion. It would be unnatural if there were examples of this.
I am certainly glad that all my youth rebellion was not followed with Argus eyes. It had seen much worse. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the media have treated Marius his adolescence with prudence.Life is fragile, you. And beautiful. If we take it seriously so we try well to see the nuances, and people throughout, with options, instead we try to push them into small rooms of prejudice.
I sincerely hope that the archetypes that seem to characterize a small part of the media-Norwegian interpretation of a 20-year-old’s life gets resistance.Marius does not want to live a life in public. My commitment to him as a mother is to take the responsibility that was given me at Aker Hospital 20 years ago seriously. Therefore I will now ask some Norwegian media let him be allowed to drop a focus he wants, when he now partly for that reason choose to go abroad to study.
Tomorrow he travels out into the world. A rare beautiful young man, with an open mind. As a mother, I could not have been prouder. And you others 20- year olds out there. I’m so proud and impressed by who you are.
Through my work and all contact I over the years have had with Marius their friends and acquaintances, I have seen something of what you stand in. I wish you all well.“
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