Norwegian royalty's tarnished image: ZDF reveals how Queen Mette-Marit damaged the esteem
In modern times, marriages between commoners and European royals have become increasingly accepted, moving away from traditional dynastic alliances with nobility or royalty. This trend is exemplified by the marriages of Kate Middleton, now Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, and Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby, Crown Princess of Norway.
Kate Middleton, a commoner without aristocratic or royal titles, married Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, in 2011. Her marriage marked a part of a broader trend in British royal marriages where untitled commoners have been accepted for several generations. Historically, the UK has not practiced morganatic marriage, and marriages with commoners have been part of the royal lineage since at least the 17th century, as seen with figures like Elizabeth Woodville and Katherine Swynford.
Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby, on the other hand, married Crown Prince Haakon of Norway in 2001. Her background, which included past relationships and experiences deemed unsuitable for a future queen consort by some in the public and media, made her marriage more controversial. This reflects enduring tensions in some European royal families about commoners marrying into royal ranks, especially when the commoner's background conflicts with traditional royal expectations or protocols.
The British royal family has notably moved away from strictly aristocratic marriages, with Kate Middleton's marriage symbolizing a modern acceptance of untitled commoners marrying into the monarchy and being widely embraced by the public. Mette-Marit's marriage was more controversial due to her background but similarly represents this evolving dynamic in European royal marriages.
Historically, some royal families required approval or conferred titles on commoners marrying royals to integrate them formally. For instance, in Sweden, commoners who married royals were often granted princely titles and the style "Royal Highness" to become official members of the royal family, as seen with Prince Daniel (married to Crown Princess Victoria). However, in some cases, commoners chose not to adopt royal status or titles, reflecting personal or legal considerations, such as Christopher O'Neill, husband of Princess Madeleine of Sweden.
The first episode of the three-part ZDF documentary series "Suddenly Majesty" traces the path of four civilians becoming members of royal families, including Kate Middleton and Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby. The series, titled "Love and Secret," will be shown on July 29, at 8:15 PM on ZDF. All three episodes are available in the ZDF media library.
Before their royal marriages, both Kate Middleton and Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby were ordinary citizens. Kate grew up in affluent circumstances and attended a private school, while Mette-Marit was the new girlfriend of Prince Haakon of Norway in 1999. Kate and Prince William started a relationship and kept it secret as much as possible until a vacation in 2004. Mette-Marit and Haakon moved in together in 2001 and were warmly welcomed into the Norwegian royal family along with her three-year-old son.
Many Britons disapproved of Kate's non-royal origins, but some celebrated her as a normal girl from the middle class being accepted into the royal family. Mette-Marit defied expectations as she was a rebel, partied hard, experimented with drugs, and had once been pregnant by a man convicted for cocaine possession. Journalist Jakob Steen Olsen states that the royals must walk a fine line to keep the monarchy modern but avoid becoming too normal.
In 2002, Kate walked the runway in a see-through dress at a charity fashion show, which reportedly captivated Prince William. In early 2002, support for the Norwegian monarchy reached its lowest point ever during the engagement of Mette-Marit and Haakon. Despite the controversies, both Kate Middleton and Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby have become integral parts of their respective royal families, symbolising a shift in the traditions of European royal marriages.
[1] Morganatic marriage - Wikipedia [2] Kate Middleton - Wikipedia [3] Mette-Marit of Norway - Wikipedia [3] Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland - Wikipedia [3] Princess Madeleine, Mrs. Christopher O'Neill - Wikipedia [3] ZDF - Wikipedia
Entertainment is now commonly associated with the lives of celebrities like Kate Middleton, once an ordinary citizen who became Duchess of Cambridge, and Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby, who transitioned from being Crown Princess of Norway's controversial girlfriend to an accepted member of the royal family. Their journeys into royalty, highlighted in the ZDF documentary series "Suddenly Majesty," showcase the evolving dynamics in European royal marriages, as untitled commoners increasingly become part of the monarchy.
