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| King of Norway reigns on Facebook after diversity speech | King of Norway reigns on Facebook after diversity speech |
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| A 79-year-old monarch is perhaps not the most likely person to deliver a rousing speech in support of refugees, religious tolerance, diversity and LGBT rights, and a royal garden party may not be the most likely place to hear it. | A 79-year-old monarch is perhaps not the most likely person to deliver a rousing speech in support of refugees, religious tolerance, diversity and LGBT rights, and a royal garden party may not be the most likely place to hear it. |
| But an impassioned five-minute address on the need for inclusiveness and acceptance by Norway’s King Harald last week to 1,500 slightly startled – but ultimately delighted – guests in the park of the Royal Palace in Oslo has gone viral. | But an impassioned five-minute address on the need for inclusiveness and acceptance by Norway’s King Harald last week to 1,500 slightly startled – but ultimately delighted – guests in the park of the Royal Palace in Oslo has gone viral. |
| A spokeswoman, Marianne Hagen, said the palace had received a huge number of requests for an official English translation of the speech, which had received nearly 80,000 likes and been viewed more than 3m times on Facebook. | A spokeswoman, Marianne Hagen, said the palace had received a huge number of requests for an official English translation of the speech, which had received nearly 80,000 likes and been viewed more than 3m times on Facebook. |
| Interest in the speech has been such that Harald, who celebrated 25 years on the Norwegian throne earlier this year, was quizzed about it at length during a state visit to Finland this week, Hagen said. | Interest in the speech has been such that Harald, who celebrated 25 years on the Norwegian throne earlier this year, was quizzed about it at length during a state visit to Finland this week, Hagen said. |
| Explicitly backing gay rights, the king, who will be 80 in February, said Norwegians were “girls who love girls, boys who love boys, and girls and boys who love each other”. He also voiced support for religious diversity, saying Norwegians believed “in God, in Allah, in the universe – and in nothing”. | Explicitly backing gay rights, the king, who will be 80 in February, said Norwegians were “girls who love girls, boys who love boys, and girls and boys who love each other”. He also voiced support for religious diversity, saying Norwegians believed “in God, in Allah, in the universe – and in nothing”. |
| Calling on people to embrace “trust, solidarity and generosity”, he said the notion of home could not be confined within national borders. “It is not always easy to say where we are from, what nationality we are. Home is where our heart is.” | Calling on people to embrace “trust, solidarity and generosity”, he said the notion of home could not be confined within national borders. “It is not always easy to say where we are from, what nationality we are. Home is where our heart is.” |
| Norwegians came, the king continued, in all ages, abilities, heights, family statuses and careers, just as their musical tastes varied from Edvard Grieg to DJ Kygo. “In other words,” he said. “Norway is you. Norway is us.” | |
| Rightwing, anti-immigration rhetoric has been mounting in Norway since the election three years ago of a centre-right coalition that has been widely criticised for trying to deport asylum seekers to Russia and last month suggested erecting a fence along the two countries’ Arctic border. | Rightwing, anti-immigration rhetoric has been mounting in Norway since the election three years ago of a centre-right coalition that has been widely criticised for trying to deport asylum seekers to Russia and last month suggested erecting a fence along the two countries’ Arctic border. |
| The Nordic nation of 5 million is struggling to integrate an estimated 30,000 asylum seekers who arrived last year, including 5,500, most of them Syrian, who rode bikes across from Russia. | The Nordic nation of 5 million is struggling to integrate an estimated 30,000 asylum seekers who arrived last year, including 5,500, most of them Syrian, who rode bikes across from Russia. |
| Harald insisted Norwegians came not only “from north Norway, central Norway, southern Norway and all the other regions”, but from “Afghanistan, Pakistan and Poland, from Sweden, Somalia and Syria”. | Harald insisted Norwegians came not only “from north Norway, central Norway, southern Norway and all the other regions”, but from “Afghanistan, Pakistan and Poland, from Sweden, Somalia and Syria”. |
| If they were surprised by the unexpected royal intervention, many of his citizens seemed genuinely pleased. “I’m immeasurably proud to be Norwegian, and to have such a great king and royal family,” said one commenter, Yngve Gasoy Romdal. “Yes, we love this country!” | If they were surprised by the unexpected royal intervention, many of his citizens seemed genuinely pleased. “I’m immeasurably proud to be Norwegian, and to have such a great king and royal family,” said one commenter, Yngve Gasoy Romdal. “Yes, we love this country!” |
| Another expressing approval on the state broadcaster NRK’s Facebook page, Lars Jacob Schärer, said it was “really hard to be republican with this royal family – they are unique, and down-to-earth like most Norwegians. What an example of Norwegian values in practice!” | Another expressing approval on the state broadcaster NRK’s Facebook page, Lars Jacob Schärer, said it was “really hard to be republican with this royal family – they are unique, and down-to-earth like most Norwegians. What an example of Norwegian values in practice!” |
| Even more enthusiastic was Rizwan al-Huq: “This is why we have you, dear king. When monarchy can live hand in hand with democracy, why not support a diverse society and a nation that chooses his own identity with such fine words?” | Even more enthusiastic was Rizwan al-Huq: “This is why we have you, dear king. When monarchy can live hand in hand with democracy, why not support a diverse society and a nation that chooses his own identity with such fine words?” |
| Harald, a champion sailor who in his younger days represented his country three times in the Olympic Games, praised Norway’s beauty, from the “high mountains and deep fjords” to “lush farmland and rolling moors”, but urged its unity. | Harald, a champion sailor who in his younger days represented his country three times in the Olympic Games, praised Norway’s beauty, from the “high mountains and deep fjords” to “lush farmland and rolling moors”, but urged its unity. |
| “My greatest hope for Norway,” he said, “is that we will be able to take care of one another. That we will continue to build this country. That we will feel that we are – despite our differences – one people.” | “My greatest hope for Norway,” he said, “is that we will be able to take care of one another. That we will continue to build this country. That we will feel that we are – despite our differences – one people.” |