It's been a difficult year for Norway's royal family. The institution has had to wait until the summer for some good news, in a year so unsettling that it has plunged King Harald's institution into an unprecedented crisis. On top of Marius Borg's sentencing to four years in prison on two counts of rape and more charges of abuse and drug offenses, Princess Mette-Marit underwent a lung transplant, a major operation she needed to live. Against that backdrop, the 2026 World Cup has become a breath of fresh air.
Mette-Marit, a princess on the mend
© Det Norske KongehusetWhile Princess Mette-Marit still recovers from surgery, Crown Prince Haakon is keeping a lighter schedule to care for his wife. Since King Harald and Queen Sonja are both aging, the family sent two of the youngest members to support their national team. Princess Ingrid and Prince Sverre were sent to the stadium in New York/New Jersey to cheer on the Norway national team, a group of players that have become one of the breakout stories of this World Cup.
The "Viking Row"
© Det Norske KongehusetThe royal siblings took in an electric match with joy. Wrapped in team scarves, the pair celebrated Norway's 3-2 win over Senegal, clapping, shouting, and hugging through a historic moment in a stadium packed with "Vikings" who never let up on the Viking Row, the now-viral fan celebration sweeping this World Cup.
The viral moment involves thousands of fans sitting on the ground in rows, shoulder to shoulder, miming the motion of rowing a Viking warship while chanting "Ro! Ro! Ro!," serving as a rallying cry to their ancestors' Viking-age roots. Centuries later, the chant is used to channel strength to the team and a sense of unity, with the stands "rowing along" with the players.
The tradition is so beloved that the royal siblings themselves gave it a try on camera for Norwegian public broadcaster NRK.
© Getty ImagesLucky charms for the Norwegian squad
After Norway's historic win, Princess Ingrid and Prince Sverre will continue their trip through the US, with a visit planned in the coming hours to the TINJE soccer school at Gjoa Youth Soccer Club in Brooklyn, New York. The destination is a free summer camp sponsored by the Norwegian Football Federation and the dairy brand TINE, held at the oldest soccer club in the Big Apple, founded by Norwegian immigrants in 1911. The camp serves kids ages 6 to 13, with daily sessions covering ball mastery, technical training, coordination, and small-sided games.
With the princess sidelined and the prince caring for her, it's their children who are stepping in to cover the family's public duties abroad.
© NTB/AFP via Getty Images
