Photo: Hans Kristian Riise / Oslo Havn
The Princess Royal unveiled a monument in Oslo harbour
The Coastwatchers monument honours Norwegian and British agents in the wartime resistance. The Princess Royal unveiled it at Normandieplassen together with Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, with a Spitfire flypast overhead.
On Tuesday the Princess Royal unveiled the Coastwatchers monument at Normandieplassen in Oslo harbour, together with Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide. The sculpture honours Norwegian and British agents who worked in secret during the German occupation of Norway.
"It is a very special pleasure to take part in the unveiling of the Coastwatchers monument here today, in this harbour, where so much of Norway's history has unfolded", the Princess said in her speech.
She also pointed out that the sculpture is historically significant in more ways than one. It stands as a reminder of the cooperation between the two countries in liberating Norway, and is, as far as is known, the first sculpture anywhere publicly acknowledging the wartime work of the British Secret Intelligence Service.
Two figures on watch
The sculpture is by the artist Håkon Anton Fagerås and shows two men: a coastwatcher standing with binoculars, and a radio operator crouching with his transmitter. The Association of Norwegian Sculptors held an open competition in 2025, three finalists produced models, and Fagerås's proposal won.
"We decided that the sculpture should show how observers, primarily coastwatchers but also agents on reconnaissance missions, carried out their work. We wanted the figures to be general representations and not to depict particular people", says Tony Insall, one of the founders.
A Spitfire over the square
During the ceremony the singer Helene Bøksle performed "Heiemo og Nykkjen" and "Einn". One of the highlights was a Spitfire flypast, which turned every face towards the sky. The Princess and the Foreign Minister laid flowers at the monument.
Among those present were the Chief of Defence Eirik Kristoffersen, Port Director Ingvar M. Mathisen and descendants of the agents who served with SIS and SOE.
"Normandieplassen already tells important stories about Norway's maritime history and its fight for liberation. With Coastwatchers we have a new monument that makes visible the work Norwegian and British agents did in secret during the war", says Mathisen. The monument now stands alongside Monument Orlogsgast and the Normandy memorial on the square.
Behind the project
The Princess Royal is Patron of The Anglo-Norwegian Resistance Commemoration Project, a role she took on in 2023. The project was started by John Andrews and the British historian Tony Insall, and aims to increase awareness of the cooperation between the British services SOE and SIS and the Norwegian resistance members they worked with, among them the Linge Company and Milorg. During the war more than a hundred SIS stations were operating in Norway, with agents gathering intelligence on German shipping along the coast.
In his closing speech John Andrews said: "Coastwatchers symbolises that there will always be Norwegians willing to step forward when the situation demands it, whatever the risk."
The visit lasted three days and was the Princess Royal's second trip to Norway in a short time. She attended King Harald's funeral on 9 September. The Princess Royal is 76 and the elder sister of King Charles.