Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby is the Crown Princess of Norway. She was born on 19 August 1973 in Kristiansand, Norway, to Sven Olaf Bjarte Høiby (1936-2007), who had worked as a small-scale advertiser and journalist but was twice convicted of violence and spent time unemployed, and Marit Tjessem, a former bank clerk. Before her marriage to Crown Prince Haakon Magnus, she was a single mother to son Marius Borg Høiby (born 1997) from a previous relationship. Her engagement to Haakon, announced on 1 December 2000, sparked controversy due to her personal history and her father's criminal record, though it proceeded with their wedding at Oslo Cathedral on 25 August 2001. The couple has two children together: Princess Ingrid Alexandra (born 2004) and Prince Sverre Magnus (born 2005). They reside at Skaugum Estate in Asker, having moved there in December 2003. As Crown Princess, Mette-Marit has engaged in official duties, focusing on humanitarian issues, education, and health, though her early life drew media scrutiny. Her father's legal troubles, including felony convictions for violence, were highlighted during her engagement period.