Royal Landlord: Norwegian Crown Prince Rents Premier Property Without Approval

After Haakon married Mette-Marit in 2001, King Harald V bestowed the residence upon the crown prince. From the main house Skaugum, there are magnificent views of Oslo Fjord. The property consists of dozens of houses, eleven of which are being rented out by the crown prince, contrary to the Planning and Building Act and related regulations and local land use plans.

Additionally, the property-letting prince has had some of the buildings redecorated to suit their purpose as rented housing without reporting the matter to Asker Municipality. All in all, the Crown Prince's rental income from Skaugen alone was estimated at 1.4 million NOK ($170,000) in 2015.

Crown Prince Haakon admitted via the Norwegian castle's communication manager Marianne Hagen that the renting process had not been carried out in accordance with regulations.

​"In June 2016, we started working on implementing the necessary measures, and the application for certificate of completion for the buildings will be sent to the municipality of Asker as soon as work is completed," a press release from the Royal Household said.

The Skaugum estate is located in Asker Municipality, about 12 miles southwest of Oslo. Owned by the Church in the Middle Ages, it passed through several owners until 1929, when it was sold to Crown Prince Olav V and Crown Princess Märtha. In 1968, King Olav V gave the estate as a wedding gift to his son Crown Prince Harald (later King Harald V) and his wife Crown Princess Sonja. In 2001, King Harald gave the estate as a wedding gift to his son, Crown Prince Haakon, and his wife, Crown Princess Mette-Marit.

​Earlier this year, Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet revealed that money awarded by parliament to the Norwegian Royal House was being spent on maintaining the privately-owned estates of King Harald and Crown Prince Haakon.