Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon has ascended the throne following the death of his father, King Harald V, who died at the age of 89. Get the latest updates on our WhatsApp channel.
Haakon, who is now King Haakon VIII, took over as monarch shortly after his father’s death at Oslo University Hospital on Friday morning.
Harald V was Europe’s oldest monarch before his death and was also a distant cousin of Britain’s King Charles.
The new king begins his reign at a difficult moment for Norway’s royal family, which has faced intense scrutiny over issues involving members of the family.
Haakon’s wife and Norway’s new queen, Mette-Marit, has come under attention over messages she reportedly exchanged with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Haakon’s stepson has also been convicted of rape.
Haakon is Harald V’s youngest child and became heir apparent in 1991 following the death of his grandfather, King Olav V.
At the time, Norway operated under an agnatic-cognatic succession system, which gave male heirs priority in the line of succession.
Although Norway later changed its constitution to introduce absolute primogeniture, meaning the eldest child could inherit the throne regardless of gender, Haakon remained heir to the throne.
His sister, Princess Märtha Louise, is currently third in the line of succession, behind Haakon’s daughter, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, and his son, Prince Sverre Magnus.
Ingrid Alexandra, 22, is expected to become Norway’s future queen and would be the country’s first female monarch since Queen Margaret, who ruled over the Kalmar Union, comprising Norway, Denmark and Sweden, between 1387 and 1412.
Despite growing up as a member of Norway’s royal family, Haakon has previously spoken about feeling uncomfortable with the level of attention surrounding his position.
During his childhood in the 1980s, he preferred to remain away from the spotlight.
His approach to education also differed from that of his father and grandfather.
After graduating from the Royal Norwegian Naval Academy, Haakon went on to study at the University of California, Berkeley, rather than following the path taken by his father and grandfather, who studied at Oxford University in England.
While studying in the United States, Haakon asked Norwegian media outlets to respect his privacy.
He graduated with a degree in political science in 1999 and later recalled how much he valued the freedom he experienced while away from the intense attention that came with being a member of the royal family.
In his book, he said he wanted to be “as far away as possible” and remembered, “I could be myself” while surfing.
Haakon met Mette-Marit at a music festival before they eventually married.
In his book, the new king also spoke warmly about the role she played in his life, crediting her with helping him become more comfortable and open with others.