The shoppers at the Kiwi supermarket in Rødberg, Norway, weren’t expecting to shop alongside their newly crowned king.
King Haakon VIII, dressed casually in black, was spotted picking out fruit in the produce section of the discount store in the small mountain community. A freelance photographer happened to be at the location at the same time, capturing the moment.
The sighting caused a stir among customers, and several of them, especially the younger ones, went over to say hello, as reported by the local newspaper Laagendalsposten. The king took his time, chatted with them and kept smiling at everyone who recognized him.
It was a brief stop. Haakon told shoppers he was on his way to the family’s cabin in Uvdal to spend the autumn break there.
Royal commentator Tove Taalesen told the outlet Nettavisen that Haakon and Queen Mette-Marit had shopped at the same grocery store several times as crown prince and crown princess without drawing much attention. What made this visit different was the fact that this time around he’s the nation’s king.
© PAUL S. AMUNDSENA summer of loss
The quiet getaway comes at the end of one of the saddest summers of Haakon’s life. His father, King Harald V, died on August 28, making him king. Then on September 11, two days after attending her brother’s state funeral, Haakon’s beloved aunt, Princess Astrid, died at 94. She was the oldest member of the Norwegian royal family.
All of that has coincided with the start of a new reign and various challenges. Queen Mette-Marit is still recovering from the lung transplant she underwent in June, and the case against her son, Marius Borg Høiby, is headed back to court in February.
The family’s mountain hideaway
© Private CollectionWith all that weighing on him, it’s no surprise that Haakon has sought refuge at the family’s private retreat. The cabin sits in the municipality of Nore og Uvdal, in the mountainous terrain of the Hardangervidda plateau, Norway’s vast high-mountain wilderness.
Haakon and Mette-Marit bought the land in 2007 and transformed it into the family’s getaway with their private funds. They purchased two plots, since the property also needed a separate cabin for their security detail. The main house measures roughly 1,600 square feet and was designed as a contemporary take on a mountain lodge, built from solid wood, with high ceilings and bright interiors. Mette-Marit herself helped design it.
The remote setting also explains the grocery run. Kiwi is one of Norway’s biggest supermarket chains, operating in the country since 1979 and having over 700 stores. It bills itself as a low-price chain with strong deals on fresh fruit and vegetables, which, judging by where the king was spotted, he put to good use.
Recharging before a historic day
© NTB/AFP via Getty ImagesThe break won’t last long. Haakon, Mette-Marit and Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra are recharging before Oct. 2, when the king will formally open the Storting, Norway’s parliament.
It’s one of the most important dates on the country’s official calendar and the first opening of the new reign. It will also mark Mette-Marit’s first time attending as queen, according to the Royal House’s official program.
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