Norway Has A New King: What We Know About Haakon VIII

He became head of state today.

On August 28, Haakon—the son of the late monarch Harald V—became the new king of Norway.

This was reported by NRK.

This morning, the Royal Court of Norway officially confirmed the death of Harald V. He passed away at the age of 89 after a serious illness.

The cause was hemolytic anemia—a condition in which red blood cells are destroyed faster than the body can replace them.

On the same day, it was announced that the late monarch and Queen Sonja’s son, Haakon, had ascended to the throne. Prior to this, he held the title of Crown Prince.

Haakon is a member of the Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg dynasty.

In addition, it is known that upon his accession to the throne, he will be known as King Haakon VIII. He is currently 53 years old.

Haakon VIII—what is known about him?

When Haakon was born in 1973, he immediately became heir to the Norwegian throne. It has been clear ever since that he would one day lead the country.

As Crown Prince, Haakon gradually took on more and more responsibilities and carried out new duties as part of the royal family’s work.

Father and son worked together for many years. King Harald V referred to Haakon not only as his successor, but also as a friend and ally. He consulted with his son, shared his own experiences with him, and believed that Haakon had a good understanding of how to carry on the royal tradition.

“Our relationship is growing ever closer. He’s a wise young man. He’ll do just fine when his time comes. It’s nice to know that. I think my father was more anxious than I was. I’m very fortunate that Crown Prince Haakon, of all people, will carry on this work,” Harald said.

According to Harald, Haakon had been by his side throughout his reign and had actively participated in the work.

Although Haakon automatically became the new king of Norway upon the death of Harald V, he must still undergo the official procedure of taking the oath of allegiance to the Constitution.

On August 25, 2001, Crown Prince Haakon married Mette-Marit Tjessem Heiby.

Three years later, the couple had a daughter, Ingrid Alexandra, who is the future heir to the Norwegian throne. In December 2005, Haakon and Mette-Marit had a son, Sverre Magnus. He is third in line to the throne—after his father and older sister.

Haakon also has a stepson, Marius, who was born in 1997 from a previous relationship of Mette-Marit. He has no claim to the Norwegian throne.

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