Christmas parties, called julebord in Norwegian, are often drunken affairs where colleagues eat, drink and are merry at the expense of their employers.
Event firm Gyro was particularly generous with its workers this year, reports newspaper VG. It paid none other than Princess Märtha Louise to read erotic fairy tales for adults at its company party over the weekend.
The princess' manager, Jan Sollesnes, won't say how much she was paid for her appearance but wouldn't rule out that she's available for hire by other companies as well.
"All queries will be evaluated," he told VG, "as long as they conform to her form of cultural promotion."
Ingebrigt Steen-Jensen, one of Norway's leading advertising and public relations moguls, said the princess' julebord appearance is more proof that she's exploiting her royal background to earn money.
"She crossed the line long ago on what she can allow herself in the commercial arena," Steen-Jensen said. "This doesn't surprise me."
Communications consultant Ole Christian Apeland said her appearance indicates that the princess sees herself first as a business woman, not a member of the royal family. He estimated that she could probably demand a fee of around NOK 30,000 for reading out loud to her audience.
Princess Martha Louise's critics have long expressed concern that her commercial enterprises, including her classes for teaching people how to communicate with angels, cheapen the monarchy in Norway. King Harald and Queen Sonja, however, have continued to publicly support their daughter.
