Prince Haakon became the King of Norway on Friday morning immediately following the death of his father, King Harald.
The nation will observe multiple days of national mourning prior to the funeral service for King Harald, which will take place at Oslo Cathedral. The late king will be buried alongside his ancestors at the royal mausoleum in Akershus Fortress, a 13th-century castle overlooking the harbor in Oslo. He will be laid to rest next to his mother, Crown Princess Martha, his father, King Olav, his grandmother, Queen Maud, and his grandfather, King Haakon.
At 53 years old, Haakon becomes the fourth monarch in modern Norwegian history since the Scandinavian nation gained full independence from Sweden in 1905. Although the Norwegian royal family does not use a surname and the new sovereign is permitted to select a new regnal name, he is almost certain to retain his given name and rule as King Haakon VIII of Norway.
Naval Service and California Studies
Born as Haakon Magnus on July 20, 1973, the new king attended a public primary school during the 1980s, in keeping with expectations in egalitarian Norwegian society, before completing his secondary education at a private high school. He subsequently enlisted in the Norwegian Navy to fulfill military service before continuing his education abroad.
Rather than following his father and grandfather to Oxford University in England, Haakon chose to study in the United States, earning a degree in political science at the University of California, Berkeley. He later completed further academic work in development studies at the London School of Economics.
Surfing and Public School Struggles
From an early age, Haakon developed a deep passion for music and surfing. He later noted that had he not been born into the royal family, he would have attempted to build a career as a professional surfer on the World Tour.
Accepting his royal role proved difficult during his youth. In his 2023 autobiography titled Haakon, the monarch reflected on his primary school years, recalling that while he recognized his royal status, he avoided discussing it because it caused him anxiety at school. He recalled wanting to be as far from home as possible and seeking out California's vibrant music scene and ocean waves, writing that the water was the one place where he felt free to be himself.
That connection to the ocean remained central to his adult life. In recent comments, Haakon stated that he feels completely happy in the water alongside his family, explaining that gathering with them among the waves brings him inner peace and that no other feeling compares to it.
Marriage to Mette-Marit
Shortly after returning to Norway in 1999, Haakon met his future wife, Mette-Marit, at a music festival. When their relationship became public, it drew intense scrutiny from Norwegian media because Mette-Marit was a commoner and a single mother who had spent significant time in the country's house music club scene during her youth.
Public controversy subsided after King Harald publicly welcomed Mette-Marit into the royal family. King Harald had himself married a commoner, Queen Sonja, despite opposition from his own father, King Olav.
Haakon later credited Mette-Marit with helping him break out of his shell, describing her as the emotional balance to his analytical mind. He admitted in his writing that he struggled socially, whereas Mette-Marit possessed a natural warmth and ability to connect with anyone in a room.
The couple married in 2001 and have two children together, Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus. Mette-Marit also has a son, Marius Borg Høiby, from a previous relationship.
Royal Family Scandals and Legal Troubles
More than two decades after their wedding, the royal couple faced renewed scrutiny when documents released by the United States Department of Justice in January revealed email exchanges between Mette-Marit and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Mette-Marit made no public statements for seven weeks following the disclosure, during which Haakon issued a statement explaining that his wife needed time to process the matter. When Mette-Marit gave a 20-minute interview to public broadcaster NRK in March, Haakon sat beside her, stating that marriage involves standing together through difficult times as well as good ones. He praised his wife as loving, wise, and strong, affirming that he would always support her through adversity.
The Epstein revelation coincided with legal troubles involving Mette-Marit's son, Marius Borg Høiby. The stepson of King Haakon faced trial on charges of rape and domestic violence, allegations that he denied.
Haakon released a public statement expressing sympathy for the alleged victims while clarifying that he would not attend the court proceedings. Speaking to reporters during a royal visit, Haakon explained that the family supported Marius during the ordeal while ensuring the other children were cared for, emphasizing that his primary focus had been looking after his family.
In June, Marius was convicted of domestic violence and two of four rape charges, receiving a four-year prison sentence. Both Marius and the prosecution have filed appeals against the verdict.
