Skaugum Manor

Skaugum Manor is a prominent estate located in Asker, Norway, approximately 19 kilometers southwest of Oslo at the foot of Skaugumsåsen mountain. The property encompasses 48 hectares of agricultural land and 50 hectares of woodlands, serving as the official residence of Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit. The current main house was completed in 1932 and designed by architect Arnstein Arneberg in the Functionalist style. It was constructed from stone on the foundations of a previous Swiss chalet-style residence that had burned down in 1930, a deliberate choice made to prevent future fire damage.

The site holds deep historical significance, having originally been church property during the Middle Ages before passing through various private owners. In 1929, it was purchased specifically for Crown Prince Olav and Crown Princess Märtha, and their son, the future King Harald V, was born there in 1937. During the Second World War, the manor was seized by Nazi officials, becoming the official residence of Reichskommissar Josef Terboven. The estate witnessed a dramatic end to the occupation when Terboven committed suicide in the manor's bunker in May 1945 by detonating fifty kilograms of dynamite shortly after Hitler's death.

Following the war, the estate returned to royal use. In 1968, King Olav V gifted the property to his son Harald and daughter-in-law Sonja as a wedding present. This tradition continued when King Harald later bestowed the estate upon his own son, Crown Prince Haakon, for his marriage. While primarily a private home and working farm, the location has also been associated with modern controversies involving criminal allegations within its cellars. Today, it remains a key functional property within the Norwegian royal family's portfolio, blending agricultural utility with its status as a historic royal dwelling.