King and Queen of Norway welcomed by Australia's Prime Minister

Visit by Their Majesties King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway

King Harald V of Norway and Prime Minister Tony Abbott

"I am pleased that Their Majesties King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway will visit Australia from 22 to 27 February 2015 at the invitation of the Governor-General, His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd).

"Their Majesties will visit Canberra, Sydney and Perth, accompanied by a high-level delegation of senior government and business leaders.

"Australia and Norway share a warm relationship. Trade between our nations last year was worth over $1.2 billion.

"We both have strong oil, gas and mining sectors. Significant Norwegian companies have invested in Australia’s energy, metals and agriculture sectors.

"More than 23,000 Australians have Norwegian ancestry.

"I look forward to meeting Their Majesties during their visit to Australia and welcome the growing strength of the ties between our nations.

The King and Queen of Norway were welcomed to Australia at the Hyatt Hotel on Sunday night in the company of an acclaimed Norwegian choir, a war hero, and children in traditional dress.

King Harald V, who turned 78 on Saturday, was joined by Queen Sonja as the Norwegian vocals of the touring Kori I choir echoed through the atrium of the Yarralumla hotel.

Norwegian flags were raised on Commonwealth Avenue on Sunday afternoon to mark the arrival of the king and queen on their first official trip to Australia.

Their Majesties met Bill Shorten and Tanya Plibersek, the Leader and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition.