Ten years ago, today, the Norwegian regional newspaper, Fedrelandsvennen, broke the news that Crown Prince Haakon’s newest girlfriend was called Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby and was from Kristiansand, although she was living in Oslo.
Other media outlets jumped onboard, but there were no immediate comments from either the Palace or Mette-Marit herself. According to an anonymous friend who was cited as a source in VG, 30-12-1999, the couple had been quietly together since the summer that year.