COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Norway has a new king, Crown Prince Haakon, who ascended to the throne as King Haakon VIII following the death of his father, Harald V, at the age of 89 on Friday. His responsibilities will include stabilizing the monarchy and enhancing the royal family's public image amid controversies involving his wife's past associations and his stepson's legal issues. Haakon, 53, adopted the motto "All for Norway," which has historical significance in the royal family. His wife, Mette-Marit, is now Queen, and their eldest child, Ingrid Alexandra, is the new Crown Princess and heir to the throne.
Haakon has experience in royal duties, having served as regent during his father's declining health in recent years. Norway's monarchy has deep historical roots, dating back to King Harald Fairhair in the ninth century. The monarchy was restored in 1905 following a national plebiscite where three-quarters of voters supported it. Although the monarchy's role is largely ceremonial, the royal family plays a significant role in representing Norway internationally.
Born two years after his sister, Princess Märtha Louise, Haakon became the heir apparent following the death of his grandfather, King Olav, in 1991. The Norwegian Constitution was amended in 1990 to allow firstborns, regardless of gender, to inherit the throne, but this change was not retroactive.
Haakon has a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of California at Berkeley and a master's degree in development studies from the London School of Economics and Political Science. He graduated from the Royal Norwegian Naval Academy in 1995 and completed a diplomatic trainee program with the Foreign Ministry.
He has expressed a passion for sports, particularly surfing and skiing, and has a fondness for music, especially rock and rap. Haakon met Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby at a music festival in 1999. Their relationship faced public scrutiny due to her past as a single mother and her previous associations with illegal activities. Despite initial skepticism, they married in August 2001 at Oslo Cathedral, and their popularity grew as they balanced royal duties with a relatable family life.
The couple has two children, Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus, and Haakon is also the stepfather to Mette-Marit's son, Marius Borg Høiby, who recently received a four-year prison sentence for rape. Høiby was convicted on two of four charges and is appealing the verdict.
Mette-Marit has faced scrutiny for her past connections with Jeffrey Epstein, a deceased sex offender. She has publicly apologized for her associations and stated that she felt manipulated by him. In 2018, she was diagnosed with a rare form of chronic pulmonary fibrosis, which has affected her ability to perform royal duties, leading to a lung transplant in June.
As King, Haakon's challenge will be to maintain public support for the monarchy, which has seen a decline in recent years, particularly following Høiby's trial. A poll from Dagbladet in late 2022 indicated that 68% of respondents supported the monarchy, down from 81% in 2017. The royal family has faced additional scrutiny due to the actions of Haakon's sister, Märtha Louise, who has distanced herself from official royal duties amid public concerns about her fiancé's claims of spiritual abilities.