Prince Sverre Magnus, 20, begins first day of university abroad after double family heartbreak


The youngest child of King Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit said the atmosphere at Forward College in Lisbon felt 'relaxed' as he began his first day


Prince Sverre Magnus of Norway at the Royal Palace on September 9, 2026 © Getty
Eleanor Dye
Eleanor DyeOnline Royal Correspondent
1 hour ago

Prince Sverre Magnus has begun his first day at university after a difficult summer for the Norwegian royal family. 

The 20-year-old son of King Haakon is studying for a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management at Forward College in Portugal – the same university that Infanta Sofia of Spain, 19, attends. 

Speaking to the Norwegian outlet Se og Hør on his first day, the Prince said the atmosphere at the international college "feels very relaxed". 

Asked what his classmates think of having a royal around, he said: "They had Princess Sofia from Spain here, so it's not that strange. It feels very relaxed."

Prince Sverre Magnus of Norway celebrates at Slottsplassen in Oslo after the team's return to Norway from the USA © NTB/AFP via Getty Images
Prince Sverre Magnus of Norway has started university

The royal's fresh start comes after he attended the funeral of his grandfather, King Harald, earlier this month. 

Just two days later, the family suffered fresh heartache with the news that Harald's older sister, Sverre Magnus's great-aunt, Princess Astrid, had passed away.

WATCH: Princess Ingrid Alexandra shares tender moment with Sverre Magnus at funeral

What will Prince Sverre Magnus be studying?

Prince Sverre Magnus will be studying Business Management, with classes held in Lisbon for the first year, before subsequently taking place in Paris and Berlin. 

The course will also include an introduction to economics, statistics, and accounting, and will provide accommodation in each of the three cities.

According to the course's website, potential careers after the programme include becoming a consultant, analyst, or operational manager.

Forward College, Berlin
Forward College offers students an international experience. Pictured: The Berlin campus

The university costs £55,000 a year and promises an international education, shared kitchens, three cities and zero fanfare.  

Boris Walbaum, president and founder of Forward College, previously told HELLO!: "Every teacher at Forward College knows the names of their students.

"When people want to go to [a university] where they want to live together, want to share together, want to study and visit three countries, it means you are open-minded. It means that you want to meet people, and with that comes some sort of responsibility. At least that's what we see with our students."

Infanta Sofia, daughter of Spain's King Felipe and Queen Letizia, is in her sophomore year at Forward College© Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images
Infanta Sofia, daughter of Spain's King Felipe and Queen Letizia, also studies at Forward College

Announcing the news last month, the Royal Palace said: "Prince Sverre Magnus will start a bachelor's degree in Business Management at Forward College this fall. The subjects in this degree include, among other things, an introduction to economics, statistics, and accounting."

A difficult time for the Norwegian royal family

Sverre Magnus arrived in Lisbon last Friday after a difficult couple of weeks for the family. 

Princess Astrid with glasses and a black fur coat holds a pen, surrounded by others.© Alamy Stock Photo
Astrid had been seen at Harald's funeral just days earlier

It's unclear whether he will attend Princess Astrid's funeral this week, which will be held on Wednesday at Ris Church in Oslo. 

Sverre walked alongside his family during the state funeral for King Harald and remained in Norway to support his father, King Haakon, through the early days of his reign. 

Meanwhile, his older sister, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 22, is continuing her studies at the University of Oslo after returning home from her time in Australia. 

More Royalty
See more
Conversation

For more information on our conversation section, please read our Community Guidelines. Comments featured and views shared are not endorsed by HELLO!.