PRINCE SVERRE MAGNUS STARTS UNIVERSITY IN LISBON — NORWEGIAN ROYAL BEGINS NEW CHAPTER AFTER DIFFICULT FAMILY MONTH
Prince Sverre Magnus has finally begun university in Portugal after a period of mourning delayed the start of his new life abroad.
The 20-year-old son of King Haakon VIII and Queen Mette-Marit began his first semester at Forward College in Lisbon on Tuesday, where he is studying for a bachelor’s degree in Business Management.
Speaking to Norwegian outlet Se og Hør, Sverre Magnus said he was “looking forward to living in Lisbon” and described his new campus in Bairro Alto as “very relaxed”.
Despite his royal status, the prince suggested he does not feel particularly unusual among his fellow students.
Asked whether his classmates thought it was exciting to have a Norwegian prince in town, he replied: “No, I don’t think they think that. They had Princess Sofia from Spain here, so it’s not that strange. It feels very relaxed.”
Forward College confirmed earlier this year that Sverre Magnus would begin the Business Management degree, with the course covering subjects including economics, statistics and accounting.
His first year will be based in Lisbon before he and his fellow students move on to campuses in Paris and Berlin.
The international college charges up to €20,885 a year, while Sverre Magnus will live in student accommodation in Benfica rather than the family’s Skaugum Estate.
The accommodation is considerably more modest than a royal residence.
According to details published by the college, students have private rooms measuring between 13 and 20 square metres, each with its own bathroom. Rooms cost up to £792, or around 10,000 kroner, per month.
Facilities include a gym, media room and laundry, although fellow students have described the accommodation as simple and adequate — and noted the lack of air conditioning.
Away from his studies, Sverre Magnus will also have access to student-run clubs covering hobbies including surfing, reading and photography.
The options could suit the young royal, who launched his own film production company last year.
He will also have a familiar royal connection on campus.
Spain’s Infanta Sofia is already studying at Forward College and is one year ahead of Sverre Magnus. She is due to begin the second year of her bachelor’s degree in political science and international relations in Paris this month.
For Sverre Magnus, however, the move to Lisbon comes after an especially difficult period for his family.
His great-aunt Princess Astrid’s death delayed his university arrival, following the death of King Harald V just weeks earlier.
Harald died aged 89 after more than 35 years on the Norwegian throne. His older sister Astrid, 94, died two days after his funeral on September 9.
Harald was succeeded by his son Haakon VIII, while Sverre Magnus now begins an important new chapter of his own.
The young prince is therefore arriving in Lisbon at a particularly significant moment for the Norwegian royal family, swapping royal life at Skaugum for student accommodation, lectures and a new life among classmates from around the world.
But the wider scrutiny surrounding his family has continued.
Queen Mette-Marit has faced renewed attention following the release of Epstein-related documents concerning her past contact with Jeffrey Epstein. She has said she was misled by him.
Her son Marius Borg Høiby has also remained at the centre of a major legal controversy. In June, he was convicted on two counts of rape and sentenced to four years in prison following a six-week trial. He was also convicted of assault, threats and traffic offences, while being acquitted of two other rape charges.
Høiby denied the most serious allegations, including rape, while admitting some lesser offences. He is appealing his conviction and is currently serving his sentence under house arrest at Skaugum.
Against that backdrop, Sverre Magnus’ move to Lisbon marks a distinctly different chapter — one centred on university, independence and building a future away from the daily pressures of royal life.