Who is Norway's new King Haakon VIII?

Norway's new monarch, King Haakon VIII, has ascended to the throne following the passing of his father, Harald V. He has adopted his father's enduring motto, "Everything for Norway," a phrase that resonates deeply within the nation. Many believe he faces a significant challenge in living up to the legacy of his father, King Harald, who was exceptionally popular among ordinary Norwegians, as evidenced by consistently high approval ratings and a widespread outpouring of grief preceding his death.

Haakon marks the fourth king to lead Norway's contemporary monarchy, which was re-established in 1905 after the country achieved independence from Sweden. Among his initial duties as sovereign, he presided over an extraordinary cabinet meeting where he formally declared his royal title and embraced his father's motto. Many observers believe he is well-prepared to follow in the footsteps of his predecessors.

As crown prince, Haakon collaborated closely with his father in fulfilling royal duties and, in recent years, assumed greater responsibilities, frequently serving as regent during King Harald's periods of illness or absence. King Harald himself acknowledged his son's capabilities, writing in his biography, *The King Tells*, "I am so lucky that Crown Prince Haakon is the one who will carry this forward."

Historian Trond Norén Isaksen informed the BBC that Haakon will present a different style of kingship compared to his father, yet will command no less respect. Isaksen noted, "King Harald... [was] very charismatic, he [had] a great sense of humour, which everyone appreciates, and Haakon is a bit more reserved, a bit more like his mother." He added, "But in recent years he has also become a bit more relaxed and opened up a bit and showed a bit more of his sense of humour... he has been pulling enormous weight for many years given his parents have become older and his wife has been ill."

Haakon is a great-great-great-grandson of Britain's Queen Victoria. His daughter, Ingrid Alexandra, 22, now holds the title of crown princess and heir to the Norwegian throne. Haakon was ahead of his older sister, Princess Märtha Louise, in the line of succession. A constitutional amendment in 1990 granted women the right to inherit the throne, positioning Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra to become Norway's first female head of state since the 15th Century.

King Haakon assumes the throne during a turbulent period for Norway's royal family. While the monarchy generally maintains broad popularity among Norwegians and has been lauded for its modern outlook, it has recently faced several scandals. This year alone, Haakon's wife, Mette-Marit, apologized for her past associations with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and her son, Marius Borg Høiby (from a previous relationship), was convicted of rape in a high-profile trial, a conviction he is currently appealing.

Born in 1973, King Haakon is the youngest child of the late King Harald V and Queen Sonja. By his own admission, he struggled at times to accept his royal status in his early years. In his 2023 autobiography, he recalled his experiences in a state primary school in the 1980s, writing, "Yes, I was a royal, but I did not want to talk about it... At school it made me anxious." He became crown prince in 1991 at the age of 17, following the death of his grandfather, King Olav V.

Uncharacteristically for a royal, he attended local state schools before embarking on a four-year naval career, graduating from the Norwegian Naval Academy in 1995. He chose not to follow his father and grandfather to Oxford University, instead enrolling at the University of Berkeley in California, where he studied political science.

Shortly after returning to Norway, Haakon met his future wife, Mette-Marit, at a music festival in her hometown of Kristiansand in 1999. The press dubbed her the "Cinderella of Kristiansand," referencing her humble origins. Ahead of their 2001 wedding, the then-Crown Prince Haakon stated of Mette-Marit, "What we two found together was so strong that I could not let it go."

Their relationship, however, was not without controversy, sparking a fierce public debate in Norway from the moment Haakon announced they were dating. Some commentators even warned that their union could lead to the demise of the Norwegian monarchy, drawing comparisons to the infamous marriage between American divorcee Wallis Simpson and British King Edward VIII, which resulted in his abdication in 1936.

Mette-Marit was not the first commoner to marry into the Norwegian royal family; King Harald had already broken with tradition by marrying Queen Sonja three decades earlier. However, Mette-Marit was a single mother to a four-year-old child whose father had served time for cocaine possession. The royal couple's cohabitation in an Oslo flat also drew criticism from the conservative Lutheran Church of Norway, though polls at the time indicated that most ordinary Norwegians were unconcerned by either factor.

What many Norwegians did question, however, was whether her past party lifestyle was compatible with that of someone married to the future king. In an emotional interview three days before their marriage, Mette-Marit publicly apologized for her "wild past" and condemned drug use, following reports that drugs were consumed at parties she attended in Oslo during the 1990s. She did not specify whether she had used them herself. This moment was widely seen as a turning point. She gained the affection of ordinary Norwegians and, for years, has been regarded as an embodiment of a modern monarchy capable of challenging convention.

The couple has two children together, Ingrid and Prince Sverre Magnus. In her role as crown princess, Mette-Marit championed popular causes, including support for people with HIV and promoting literacy. Her diagnosis with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018 also garnered widespread public sympathy. Haakon has credited Mette-Marit with helping him become more outgoing, describing her as an emotional counterbalance to his analytical mind. He wrote, "I am not very good socially. Mette is a natural talent. She can go into a room and get along with everyone."

In recent times, Haakon's family affairs have been subjected to increasing public scrutiny and criticism. Marius Borg Høiby's rape conviction casts a shadow over the family, particularly as one of the rapes occurred on Haakon's estate at Skaugum, outside Oslo. Høiby has always been treated as a member of the family, though the royal house has consistently emphasized that he is not a royal. Days before his trial commenced, documents were released revealing Mette-Marit's frequent contact with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. She later apologized to King Harald and Queen Sonja for her three-year friendship with Epstein, admitting to "poor judgment," and stated in a national TV interview that she wished she had never met him.

Several polls conducted earlier this year indicated that nearly half of Norway's population felt the crown princess could not become queen, despite it being her destined role. Two days after her son's trial concluded, Mette-Marit underwent a lung transplant, eight years after her initial diagnosis. Her doctors will not declare her stable until a year after the transplant, meaning the new king will face a challenging period of succession while continuing to support her.

Caroline Vagle, royal correspondent for *Se og Hør* magazine, believes that regarding Epstein, the most crucial action the royal family can take is to be "completely open about what actually happened, and not allow public speculation to take on a life of its own." She added, "But I also don't think we should overestimate the impact of one or two difficult cases. What will ultimately matter is how the royal family handles them, and how Haakon and the next generation manage to build on the trust that Harald has earned over a lifetime."

Tove Taalesen, royal correspondent for *Nettavisen*, believes the scandals will be challenging but that Haakon is "very much ready for the task." She stated, "I'm sure that in the future he will be respected and loved, similar to King Haakon VII, King Olav V and also King Harald V." Haakon's reign begins against the backdrop of these scandals, and how he navigates them may ultimately define his monarchy.