King Haakon VIII of Norway swore an oath before parliament on Tuesday following the death of his father, pledging to uphold the constitution and laws of the Scandinavian country in the latest of a series of ceremonies marking the transfer of the crown, UNN writes, citing Reuters.
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Haakon’s father, King Harald, died on Friday at the age of 89. Since then, tens of thousands of Norwegians have flocked to the royal palace to lay flowers, drawings, candles and flags in memory of the late king.
King Harald V of Norway has died28.08.26, 09:46
Many praised Harald’s warmth and sense of inclusiveness, while Haakon called him a wonderful father in his first address to the nation as sovereign.
Haakon arrived at the ceremony in a 1966 black Lincoln Continental with the top down, traveling along Karl Johan Avenue in central Oslo, lined with soldiers and well-wishers.
Source: VG
The 17-minute ceremony in a 169-seat hall underscored Norway’s status as a constitutional monarchy.
The king was invited inside by Parliament Speaker Masud Gharahkhani, the full cabinet and lawmakers, all dressed in black, to swear an oath of allegiance to Norway’s 1814 constitution, with Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra beside him.
As VG writes, the Crown Princess chose a minimalist look with a long black dress reaching all the way to the floor. She also wore a headband, classic pearl earrings and carried a simple black clutch bag.
The Crown Princess’s black bag appears to be from the London-based brand Aspinal. The model is probably called Large Ella Pouch. On the brand’s website, it costs 2,000 kroner (185 euros).
The Crown Princess also wore a red sash and several decorations and medals on her dress.
Haakon stated: "Parliament of Norway, I promise and swear to rule the Kingdom of Norway in accordance with its constitution and laws, so help me Almighty and All-Knowing God".
In response, Gharahkhani emphasized that the late King Harald "brought values that are the foundation of our liberal democracy".
"Compassion was at the core of his message both in good times and difficult times," said Gharahkhani, who arrived in the Scandinavian country as a child as a refugee from Iran together with his family.
Haakon’s wife, 53-year-old Queen Mette-Marit, who is recovering after a lung transplant in June, was supposed to be by Haakon’s side, as Queen Sonja was in 1991 when Harald swore his oath. But on Tuesday she canceled her participation due to complications following the transplant, according to a statement from her doctor at the royal palace.
"Complications following a lung transplant are not uncommon. The Queen has also experienced complications after operations in the past, including today," said Are Holm, a pulmonologist at Oslo University Hospital.
"As a result, she must remain under observation throughout the day today," he added.
In addition to 22-year-old Ingrid Alexandra, 20-year-old Prince Sverre Magnus and their 89-year-old grandmother Sonja were also present.
According to Dagbladet, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra also took a written oath today in the Storting.
Haakon automatically became king upon his father’s death. There will be no coronation, as Norway abolished the practice in 1908.
Large crowds gathered as members of the public began paying their respects to Harald’s coffin, which will lie in the palace chapel until September 8. His funeral will take place in Oslo on September 9, and heads of state from around the world will be invited.
Additional information
The monarchy remains widely popular in the country: 72% of Norwegians support it, while 20% favor a republic or another form of government, according to a Norstat poll for broadcaster NRK published on Tuesday, the first poll on the issue conducted after Harald’s death.
A previous Norstat poll conducted in May showed support for the monarchy at 64%.