Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit's visit to Svalbard - Day 3
On Friday, Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit spent their third and last day in Svalbard as part of their annual county tour.
Crown Prince Haakon first visited Norway's last coal mine. Mine 7 has been operated for over 50 years, but Store Norske has decided to close it in 2023 to focus on renewable energy for cold climates.
Afterward, Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit visited SvalSat which is the world's northernmost satellite station and plays a key role in research on climate change. The couple was briefed on how the station operates and visited both the operations center and the antenna itself.
Their county tour ended with a visit to the University Center on Svalbard (UNIS) which is an education and research center. The Crown Prince Couple’s visit to UNIS focused on meteorology and they heard about how the center works on the weather reports and about the safety assessments that must be taken and the equipment needed when a team is to conduct field studies in Svalbard.
In a press conference to conclude the trip, Crown Prince Haakon said: “We have seen and visited a vibrant community that operates with a lot of different and has a lot of expertise in many areas - mining, tourism, research… An incredibly nice community with many qualities.”
Crown Princess Mette-Marit wore her Max Mara coat with her Gabriela Hearst overshirt and new Chloé trousers. She paired the outfit with her Prada boots and Cartier ring.
