The Hindu : Norwegian Princess marries controversial writer

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, May 25, 2002

International

International

Norwegian Princess marries controversial writer

OSLO (Norway) May 24. Norway's beloved Princess Martha Louise married an unpopular writer on Friday in a regal ceremony that many saw as farewell of the King's only daughter to most of her royal duties.

Tens of thousands of Norwegians lined the streets of Trondheim, an ancient seat of power, to watch the 30-year-old Princess ride a horse-drawn carriage to the church. Inside the more than 900-year-old Nidaros Cathedral, Danish-born writer Ari Behn (29), waited for his bride, who was led up the aisle by her father, King Harald V.

Trondheim, about 300 km north of Oslo, was decked out in flowers for the wedding.

The western port city of about 150,000 people and many of Europe's young royals have been celebrating the wedding for days, with concerts, shows, fairy tale readings and light-hearted princess tests for girls.

To the delight of a crowd on Thursday, Princess Louise passed the test herself, and when she kissed a ceramic frog as part of it, Mr. Behn popped up.Mr. Behn, who scores poorly in popularity polls, will have no title and the palace has made it clear that he will not represent the royal house.

Princess Louise also decided earlier this year that she wanted a more normal life and requested a royal demotion, dropping the ``royal highness'' part of her title and her royal allowance. She will run her own small entertainment and media group and only occasionally represent the palace.

Mr. Behn, who grew up in Moss south of Oslo, has written a 90-page book called ``Sad as Hell,'' which got mixed reviews. He also drew sharp criticism when he appeared with Las Vegas prostitutes who were using illegal drugs in a television documentary that he was producing. He said he was only reporting, not endorsing, their lifestyle.

Princess Louise and the royal family are extremely popular in this Scandinavian nation of 4.5 million people, partly because they are seen as down-to-earth. Mr. Behn is seen as the opposite — one newspaper called him a ``dandy'' — contributing to his unpopularity.

Such concerns were forgotten on Friday, with Norwegians delighted about their second royal wedding in nine months.

In August, Princess Louise's younger brother, Crown Prince Haakon, married a single mother who had been criticised for once moving in circles that used illegal drugs. However, his bride's popularity has since soared. — AP

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