A great royal visit to = Coffee

Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit visited = Oslo Monday morning..Photo: Ole Berg-Rusten / NTB scanpix

Homeless and drug addicts often have difficulties over Christmas. But when the Crown couple visited  = Oslo’s coffee shop in Akersgata on Monday morning, the atmosphere was good.

– What a wonderfully cozy place! It is very nice to see that there is so much care. Coffee made with love, I would say , said Crown Princess Mette-Marit after a cappuccino at = Coffee.

The coffee shop in Akersgata 32 opened in June this year. = Coffee has nine permanent employees, six of whom are baristas from the open drug environment. The coffee bar received a surprise royal visit on Monday morning, and it was Barista Frank who made the coffee.

– I did not know they wre coming, so it was a very lovely surprise. It is very important that they visit here, at least for us who work here, he says to NTB.

“I wish them happy Christmas and a Happy New Year.  It was nice that they enjoyed the coffee, Frank continues, who is also a salesman for the magazine = Oslo.

Christmas present to the king
The Crown Prince pair chatted spontaneously about family life, the coffee shop and Christmas plans with the barristas. Barista Anniken had even brought Christmas presents for King Harald, which she handed to Crown Prince Haakon after asking if everything was well.
‘He is doing very well,  said the Crown prince and and joked about with the employees.

The Crown couple also heard about the good team spirit at the coffee shop.

“We are a coffee family, said one of the staff members.

Earlier in the morning, the crown prince had breakfast with eight of the sellers in = Oslo’s premises in the capital. The meetings with both sellers and barristas were positive, says the Crown Prince.

“I know some of them from previously and have followed them for several years. Today I have met many who have managed without drugs for a while, and that is very uplifting and good, says Crown Princess Mette-Marit.

– Important work
– = Oslo does a very important job. There are many different services that are needed in our society, and = Oslo is one way to provide a structure in everyday life, the Crown Prince adds.

But the royals did not hide the fact that Christmas time to many can be tough and challenging.

“Christmas is not just hard for those who live on the street, but too many others are also having a hard time. That is something we all know. I send warm thoughts to all who live on the streets right now, ” concludes Crown Princess Mette Marit.

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