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norwegian Crown Prince Haakon Norwegians are marking the 200th anniversary of organized migration from their homeland to the United States with a trip to the heart of America, highlighting the deep connections between the two countries.
The Upper Midwest has some of the largest concentrations of Scandinavian Americans in the U.S., and his tour takes them Tuesday minnesotaWhere over 800,000 residents claim Norwegian ancestry, according to state demographers. This is higher than any other state, although less-populous North Dakota actually has a higher percentage of residents with Norwegian roots. Members of the royal family have made several trips to the region over the years.
Haakon’s journey is part of the Crossing 200 memorial North America This year.
Approximately 5 million North Americans now claim Norwegian ancestry. The US was a relatively welcoming place for Scandinavians during the main waves of emigration that began in the 1800s. They were drawn to the Upper Midwest by cheap land and jobs.
But much has changed since then, and today immigration is a controversial issue for both the US and Scandinavian and other European countries.
The crown prince visits Iowa
Haakon visited Westerheim on Monday, a museum in Decorah, Iowa, that tells the story of Norwegian immigrants to America. He met up there with descendants of three people who arrived at the restaurant, aboard a ship carrying 52 Norwegians, which had left Stavanger on July 4, 1825. One of the passengers gave birth on the long journey, so 53 arrived in New York. More than 800,000 other Norwegians eventually followed.
The Crown Prince visited Luther College in Decorah, a school founded by Norwegian immigrants in 1861, which presented him with an honorary degree.
“I will take it as a symbol of the close friendship between the United States and Norway,” Haakon told students and faculty. “Thank you for keeping alive the stories that bind us together across oceans, across generations, across time.”
According to the school, this was the ninth visit to Decorah by members of the Royal Family since 1939. The most recent previous visit to the city was by his parents, King Harald V, Europe’s oldest monarch, and Queen Sonja, in 2011.
Minnesota again
On Tuesday, Haakon was due to visit Norway House, a cultural center minneapolis It focuses on bringing contemporary Norway to America through arts, business and culture.
The Crown Prince was due to cut a ribbon and tour the new saga centerpiece of Norway House. It is an immersive, interactive exhibition for families to explore their connection with Norway, where they can also navigate 3D outdoor and urban landscapes to learn about the country’s Friluftsliv (outdoor life) and Byliv (city life).
Haakon was also due to speak at a business forum focused on health care and defence. He was also scheduled to meet with Gov. Tim Walz at the state Capitol in nearby St. Paul.
The Crown Prince’s agenda also included a visit to Mindekirken, the Norwegian Lutheran memorial church in Minneapolis, which still holds services in Norwegian. Sonja visits the church in 2022 for its 100th anniversary. In the evening, Haakon was due to meet with Minnesota Wild winger Mats Zuccarello, one of Norway’s most prominent ice hockey players.
Haakon has a trip set for St. Olaf College in Northfield, south of Minneapolis, on Wednesday. This is another school founded by Norwegian immigrants, which has hosted several royal visits.
and on new york
On Thursday, the 200th anniversary of the restaurant’s arrival in New York, the Crown Prince is to welcome a replica when it sails to Pier 16 by the South Street Seaport Museum, where a Norwegian cultural festival will also take place.
Support for the Royals has been tested at home
The Crown Prince’s visit to the US comes as support for the Norwegian royals swells at home.
Not making the trip because of a lung ailment is Crown Princess Mette-Marite, whose estranged son from a previous relationship, Marius Borg Høiby, was indicted in August on charges that included rape.
Haakon’s sister, Princess Mártha Louise, raised eyebrows when she married an American self-inflicted shaman. Norwegian news report says Netflix The documentary on their courtship and marriage, “Rebel Royals: An Unruly Love Story,” which premiered last month, ruffled some royal feathers.