The king Harald has passed away. Long live the king! The characteristic ritual expression that so well defines the continuity of power in any monarchy, as the throne never remains vacant, becomes a reality once again in a Norway that mourns the loss of its sovereign since 1991, Harald V, who passed away at the age of 89, and welcomes the new era with his successor. The former crown prince Haakon is now king Haakon VIII - his great-grandfather Haakon VII was the first monarch of modern Norway since its independence in 1905, although the Scandinavian monarchy has a millennia-old history. Although the formal proclamation of the new Crown holder will take place in a few days when he swears to the Constitution before the Parliament, Haakon is effectively king from the moment his father's death is certified.
"Being a king is something you cannot fully prepare for," he stated in a documentary by the Norwegian channel TV2 in 2020, where he openly discussed his work and mentioned that there wouldn't be many changes in terms of his father's reign style. However, at the end of the interview, the then Crown Prince admitted that he would have to fill very large shoes when assuming the role of king: "But I have to do it my way. I must not try to be someone other than myself, then it will be a little easier." He assured that he will "probably" be a different king than his father because they have "different personalities and we are different people, and we can handle it in slightly different ways."
Haakon takes on the role of head of state at 53. And in very different circumstances than he could have imagined six years ago. Back then, the monarchy enjoyed around 75% approval - one of the highest in all of Europe, the dynasty was widely respected, and as the Crown Prince, he felt deeply loved. Today, it's not that the institution is at risk. Far from it. 65% of citizens want Norway to remain a parliamentary monarchy, and up to 78% trust that Haakon will do "very well" or "quite well" as king, according to a survey conducted by InFact for Nettavisen and released in early March, amidst one of the biggest storms for the institution that have greatly affected its image - the prosecution and subsequent conviction for rape and other crimes of Marius, the son of the unmarried queen Mette-Marit and stepson of Haakon himself, who has raised him as if he were his own descendant; and the scandal over revelations of Mette-Marit's deep friendship with the pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
The issue is that polls and public opinion indicate that the long honeymoon of the monarchy with the Norwegians has ended, and now they demand changes, reforms, total transparency, amidst much more stringent scrutiny. This is something that the new monarch will have to address with audacity and competence to consolidate his reign. Even more delicate, the same survey reflected that only 31% of citizens see Haakon's wife as capable of being queen. After forgiving her for decades for her past excesses and giving her the great opportunity to become a real-life Cinderella, Norwegians have run out of patience due to the behavior of a princess seen as frivolous, lacking commitment to her status, irresponsible, and directly blamed for Marius's poor upbringing and for the serious implications of her crimes on the Crown.
The reputational crisis has coincided for Mette-Marit with her fragile health condition. In June, she underwent a successful lung transplant at the National Hospital in Oslo (Rikshospitalet). During these months, Haakon's wife has remained completely out of the spotlight. Her few public appearances have been visiting her son Marius at the remand prison where he was held, accompanied by Haakon himself, and more recently at the hospital to inquire about the progress of her father-in-law Harald.
Mette Marit, on the left, and Haakon of Norway, alongside Queen Margrethe of Denmark, in an image from a couple of years ago.Rodrigo FreitasAp
In the marital issue, Haakon will have a tough time. But he made it clear that he would not give in. "I always want her on my team". With these words, he settled months ago the speculations and even demands for him to distance himself from his wife for the sake of the institution. "I think it is significant to reflect on the foundations that the Crown Princess and I have built. We are based on something solid. We have been together for over 25 years and have built it in a way that keeps us united. When you get married, it's for better or for worse", concluded the only son of King Harald and Queen Sonja in front of the cameras of Norwegian public television.
Haakon's advantage, his window of opportunity, as mentioned, is that he still maintains high popularity, being a beloved leader in whom Norwegians continue to place their trust. Hence, his initial steps as the new monarch will be crucial to restore the tarnished image of the institution and broaden support once again.
Haakon Magnus was born on July 20, 1973, at the Riskshospitalet Hospital in Oslo. Before him, his sister Princess Märtha Louise had come into the world. However, even though the Salic Law had been abolished in 1971, the succession order regulation respected male-preference cognatic primogeniture at the same level - exactly as the Spanish Constitution still establishes today. Therefore, Haakon became the Heir as soon as he let out his first cry. In 1990, a year before Harald V's accession to the throne, the laws were amended to establish absolute primogeniture, but not retroactively, so Haakon's rights remained secure.
Haakon and Mette-Marit met in 1999, two years before getting married, at a music festival. He would say that he was "surprised by the normality of the brilliant southern woman" and that the fact that she had a nearly three-year-old son was a sign to him that she "was not afraid to take on commitment and responsibility." It was rumored that the prince threatened to renounce his dynastic rights if he couldn't marry her, an option he admitted he never seriously thought he would have to consider. However, the highly respected Harald must have been deeply affected by the vicissitudes he had gone through to marry the seamstress Sonja - even though the only controversial aspect in the biography of the current queen was her commoner origin. Memories softened him, and he swallowed his pride.
The marriage produced two children, the Princess Ingrid, now the new Heir to the throne, and her brother, Prince Sverre Magnus.
As Haakon mentioned, nothing prepares you for suddenly becoming a king. However, he already has extensive experience in governmental tasks, as he has acted as regent on numerous occasions. The first time he replaced his father was in 2003 when Harald underwent bladder cancer surgery. Since then, every time he had to act as a temporary monarch due to his father's convalescence or temporary absences from the country, he has shown great responsibility, as Norway has a well-established system of temporary regencies, like in almost all European monarchies. This will undoubtedly help Haakon VIII assume the highest office of the state in this time of mourning when courtiers must loudly proclaim "the king is dead. Long live the king!".