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Haakon VIII

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Haakon VIII
Scenes from the Storting building, Karl Johans gate, and the Royal palace during King Haakon VIIIs Oath of Allegiance
Haakon VIII in 2026
King of Norway
Reign28 August 2026 – present
PredecessorHarald V
Heir apparentIngrid Alexandra
Regent of Norway
Regency
See list
  • 25 November 2003 – 12 April 2004
  • 29 March – 7 June 2005
  • 25 September – 31 October 2020
  • 3 March – 22 April 2024
  • 18–28 August 2026
MonarchHarald V
Born (1973-07-20) 20 July 1973 (age 53)
The National Hospital, Oslo, Norway
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2001)​
Issue
Names
Haakon Magnus
HouseGlücksburg[1]
FatherHarald V
MotherSonja Haraldsen
ReligionChurch of Norway
Education
Military career
Branch
Norwegian Army
Norwegian Navy
Norwegian Air Force
Service years
1992–2026
Rank
General (Army)
General (Air Force)
Admiral (Navy)

Haakon VIII (Norwegian: [ˈhôːkʊn dɛn ˈɔtːənə]; Haakon Magnus; born 20 July 1973) is King of Norway, reigning since the death of his father, Harald V, on 28 August 2026.

He is the second child and only son of King Harald V and Queen Sonja. Haakon represents the fourth generation of the reigning Norwegian royal family of the House of Glücksburg. He married Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby in 2001, and they have two children, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus.

Haakon is a trained naval officer and, as king, is formally the Supreme Commander of the Norwegian Armed Forces. He has served as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme and has been involved in a range of philanthropic and international initiatives, including membership of the Young Global Leaders network and its Foundation Board. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master of Science in development studies from the London School of Economics.

Early life and family

The future Harald V, then Crown Prince (second from right, standing), holding his son Prince Haakon in his arms and surrounded (from left to right) by, then, Crown Princess Sonja, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, Princess Märtha Louise, King Olav V and Princess Astrid, in 1974

Haakon was born on 20 July 1973 at The National Hospital in St Hanshaugen, Oslo, the only son and younger child of then-Crown Prince Harald and Crown Princess Sonja, during the reign of his paternal grandfather King Olav V. At birth he was named Haakon Magnus, and the announcement emphasised that he would be known as Haakon. He was baptised on 20 September in the chapel at the Royal Palace.[3] He was named in honour of his paternal great-grandfather, King Haakon VII, his maternal uncle Haakon Haraldsen, and Magnus, after the Norwegian saint and martyr. Haakon's grandfather Olav V died on 17 January 1991,[4] after which his father acceded as King Harald V and Haakon became crown prince.[5]

Haakon has one sibling, Princess Märtha Louise (born 1971). In 1990, the Norwegian constitution was amended to introduce absolute primogeniture, meaning that the eldest child, regardless of sex, would take precedence in the line of succession.[6] Because the amendment was not retroactive, Haakon retained precedence over his older sister.[7]

Education and military service

Haakon served in the Royal Norwegian Navy. He graduated from the Norwegian Naval Academy in 1995,[8] then spent a year serving on various naval vessels.[9] Unlike his father and grandfather, he did not attend Oxford University and instead enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley.[10] He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science in 1999. Haakon subsequently attended lectures at the University of Oslo and completed the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' civil servant introductory course in 2001. He finished his education in 2003 at the London School of Economics (LSE), where he was awarded a Master of Science in development studies, specialising in international trade and Africa.[9]

As of 15 November 2013, Haakon's rank in the Royal Norwegian Navy is admiral, and in the Norwegian Army and the Royal Norwegian Air Force his rank is general.[11] In 2016, Haakon completed the Norwegian Army's paratrooper course and was certified as a military paratrooper. The course was administered by the Special Operations Commando.[12]

Crown Prince

Haakon as Crown Prince, 2010

Haakon served as regent several times when Harald's failing health prevented him from carrying out his duties.[13] In 2003, Haakon was appointed a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).[14] In 2013, he established the SIKT conference.[14] He regularly attends the annual conference of the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO), and in 2016 he met the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) for an introduction to Norway's tripartite cooperation model.[15]

Haakon was a member of the Young Global Leaders (YGL) network from 2005 until 2010, and from 2010 to 2017 he served on the YGL Foundation Board.[14] Haakon and Mette‑Marit established the Crown Prince and Crown Princess's Foundation.[14] He is a patron of 4H Norge, ANSA, the Ibsen Stage Festival, the Nordland Music Festival, and several other organisations.[16] In 2017, he became a patron of the Norwegian Refugee Council.[17] In May 2022, Haakon joined a University of Tromsø expedition aimed at disseminating knowledge about polar history and scientific research taking place in the Arctic. Over the course of two weeks, he crossed the Greenland ice sheet using a snowkite.[18][19] Following the 2022 Oslo shooting, Haakon stated, "We must protect the right in Norway to love whomever we want."[20]

In 2026, Haakon crewed the Myklebust Ship as a rower with Prince Sverre Magnus.[21] The footage from the event was later used by the royal house to support the Norway national football team in response to the Viking Row cheer performed by supporters during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.[22] Following Norway's victory over Brazil during the knockout stage, Haakon joined supporters outside the Royal Palace in Oslo to participate in a synchronised Viking Row celebration.[23] Upon the return of the Norwegian national football team, Haakon led a Viking Row in front of over 150,000 people gathered outside the Royal Palace as part of the official reception.[24] He was joined by Ingrid Alexandra and Sverre Magnus.[25] In addition to his official duties, Haakon has a strong interest in cultural matters and has given patronage to a number of organisations. In 2006, he was one of three founders of Global Dignity, alongside Pekka Himanen and John Hope Bryant.[14][26]

Reign

Upon the death of his father on 28 August 2026, Haakon VIII succeeded to the Norwegian throne.[27] That morning, he met the Council of State for his first King-in-Council as reigning monarch, officially notifying the council of his father's death and announcing his regnal name and royal motto. His chosen motto, Alt for Norge (lit. 'All for Norway'), had been used by every Norwegian monarch since his great-grandfather, Haakon VII.[28]

On 29 August, Haakon delivered his first address to the nation as king at the Royal Palace in Oslo. He spoke of his coming responsibilities, his family, and commemorated the life of his father.[29]

Haakon took an oath of allegiance to the Constitution of Norway in the Storting on 1 September.[28][30]

Personal life

Personal interests

Haakon has long been involved in sport and has shown a particular interest in windsurfing and surfing, although he has not competed at a professional level.[31] He is also known as an enthusiastic music fan and has attended and hosted several music festivals.[32]

Haakon has taken part in several Olympic ceremonies. At the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, King Harald declared the Games open while Haakon lit the cauldron, echoing the family's Olympic heritage.[33] In 2016, his daughter Ingrid Alexandra performed the same role at the II Winter Youth Olympics, also held in Lillehammer.[34]

Haakon accompanied the band Katzenjammer in their recording of the song "Vi tenner våre lykter" ("We light our lanterns") for their 2011 Christmas-themed album of the same name. Proceeds benefited "Their Royal Highnesses The Crown Prince and Crown Princess funds".[35]

Marriage

Haakon and Mette-Marit in 2014

In the 1990s, Haakon attended the Quart Festival in Kristiansand, where he first met Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby, a commoner, at a garden party during the festival season. They met again several years later when she was the single mother of Marius Borg Høiby.[36] When their engagement was announced in December 2000,[37] public and media reaction was largely negative.[38] Many Norwegians expressed concern about Haakon's choice of partner, primarily due to Mette-Marit's status as an unmarried mother.[39][40] The father of her child had been convicted of drug-related offences,[41] and critics also highlighted her limited formal education, previous relationships with convicted felons, and her social circle, which some commentators described as one "where drugs were readily available".[42][43] The couple's eight-month engagement included a period of cohabitation in an Oslo apartment, a decision that drew criticism from the Church of Norway, an evangelical Lutheran denomination.[41]

Haakon and Mette-Marit married on 25 August 2001 at Oslo Cathedral.[44][45] Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark, later King Frederik X, served as best man.[46] They have two children: Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra (born 21 January 2004 at Oslo University National Hospital) and Prince Sverre Magnus (born 3 December 2005 at the same hospital).[47] Haakon is also the stepfather of Marius Borg Høiby.[47] Their official residence is the Skaugum Estate, situated near Semsvannet.[48]

Mette-Marit had contact with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein over several years,[49] while Haakon had met Epstein only once, according to the Royal Palace's communications manager, Guri Varpe.[50][51]

Other relationships

Although briefly dating cosmetic heiress Celina Midelfart in 1993, Haakon's first publicly known and official relationship was with model Cathrine Knudsen, with whom he was involved from 1994 to 1996. Haakon has also been in brief romantic relationships with violinist Marte Krogh [no] and physiotherapist Mona Woll Håland.[52]

Titles, styles, honours and awards

Titles

  • 20 July 1973 – 17 January 1991: His Royal Highness Prince Haakon
  • 17 January 1991 – 28 August 2026: His Royal Highness The Crown Prince
  • 28 August 2026 – present: His Majesty The King

Arms

Honours and medals

National honours and medals

Foreign honours

Awards

  • 14 August Committee's Bridge Building Prize 2011[70]

Notes

References

  1. ↑ "The Royal Family". Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  2. ↑ Ilse, Jess (19 September 2020). "The godparents of Europe's heirs". Royal Central. Archived from the original on 4 July 2022. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  3. ↑ His godparents were the King of Norway (his paternal grandfather); Princess Astrid, Mrs. Ferner (his paternal aunt); Prince Carl Bernadotte (his paternal granduncle); the King of Sweden (his paternal third cousin); the Queen of Denmark (his paternal second cousin once removed); and Princess Anne of the United Kingdom (his paternal third cousin).[2]
  4. ↑ Flint, Peter B. (18 January 1991). "Olav V, Norway's King 33 Years And Resistance Hero, Dies at 87". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 10 December 2022. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  5. ↑ Crown Prince Haakon, Britannica Archived 4 July 2022 at the Wayback Machine. "Harald became king of Norway upon the death of his father on January 17, 1991. Although the succession law had been changed in 1990 to state that the eldest child, whether male or female, would be first in line to succeed to the throne, it applied only to those born after the amendment's passage, and thus Haakon became crown prince."
  6. ↑ "A look at the Norwegian line of succession". Royal Central. 19 July 2019. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  7. ↑ "Absolute primogeniture – How Sweden revolutionized the royal world". The Royal Pages. 13 December 2020. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  8. ↑ "HRH Crown Prince Haakon". Sustainable Ocean Alliance. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  9. 1 2 "Haakon, thirty years as heir". Royal Central. 18 January 2021. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  10. ↑ "Crown Prince Breaks Tradition at Berkeley / Norway's royal son has enrolled at Cal". SFGate. Archived from the original on 25 December 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  11. ↑ "Hans Kongelige Høyhet Kronprinsen utnevnes til admiral og general". 15 November 2013. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  12. ↑ "Completed Army paratrooper course". Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  13. ↑ Rasmussen, Louise (27 August 2026). "Norway's King Harald in 'very serious' condition as royal family gathers at hospital". The Independent. Retrieved 27 August 2026.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 "His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon". Norwegian Royal House Official Website. Archived from the original on 24 August 2020. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  15. ↑ "In focus: Trade, industry and innovation". Norwegian Royal House Official Website. Archived from the original on 27 August 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  16. ↑ "Organisations under the patronage of The Crown Prince". Norwegian Royal House Official Website. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  17. ↑ "Crown Prince becomes patron of the Norwegian Refugee Council". www.nrc.no. 1 March 2017. Archived from the original on 27 November 2021. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
  18. ↑ "Crown Prince crosses the Greenland ice sheet". royalcourt.no. The Royal House of Norway. Archived from the original on 5 June 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  19. ↑ Rød, Mathias Moene (7 June 2022). "Kitekongen over Grønland". NRK. Archived from the original on 7 June 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  20. ↑ Solsvik, Terje; Fouche, Gwladys (25 June 2022). "Horror on Oslo Pride day as gunman goes on deadly rampage at gay bar". Reuters. Archived from the original on 25 June 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  21. ↑ "Her ror de sammen: Far og sønn på nytt kongelig oppdrag". VG (in Norwegian). 25 April 2026. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
  22. ↑ Åsebø, Kjellrun (26 June 2026). "Kongehuset er med på roinga – med lokalt innslag". Fjordenes Tidende (in Norwegian Nynorsk). Archived from the original on 24 August 2026. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
  23. ↑ Bøe, Svanhild (5 July 2026). "Kronprinsen satte seg ned og rodde med folket". VG (in Norwegian). Retrieved 14 July 2026.
  24. ↑ Ødegård, Magnus Hopland (13 July 2026). "Fotball-VM: Kongen tok imot landslaget". NRK (in Norwegian Bokmål). Archived from the original on 14 July 2026. Retrieved 14 July 2026.
  25. ↑ Ragna Kristine Sandholt; Hanne Drange Jensen; Per Møller Pettersen; Henrik Ingebrethsen (13 July 2026). "Heltene våre rodde med folket!". Nettavisen (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 13 July 2026. Retrieved 14 July 2026.
  26. ↑ "Our Story". Global Dignity. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  27. ↑ "Norway's King Harald dies aged 89". www.bbc.com. 28 August 2026. Archived from the original on 28 August 2026. Retrieved 28 August 2026.
  28. 1 2 Doherty, Caitlin (28 August 2026). "King Haakon VIII takes the throne in Norway following death of Harald V". BBC News. Archived from the original on 28 August 2026. Retrieved 28 August 2026.
  29. ↑ Helljesen, Vilde; Revheim-Rafaelsen, Mathias; Sari, Shilan (29 August 2026). "Personlig kong Haakon i sin første tale: – Kjære faren min". NRK. Retrieved 29 August 2026.
  30. ↑ "King Haakon to take the Oath of Allegiance before the Storting on 1st September". Stortinget. 28 August 2026. Retrieved 29 August 2026.
  31. ↑ "Norway's new king confesses his real dream was pro surfing". MSN. 28 August 2026. Retrieved 28 August 2026.
  32. ↑ "Crown Prince Haakon Celebrates his 40th Birthday". TNP. Archived from the original on 28 July 2026. Retrieved 28 August 2026.
  33. ↑ "'94 WINTER OLYMPICS / LILLEHAMMER : Amid the Ice and Snow, Spirit Burns : Opening: A timeless simplicity marks the beginning of a special winter festival". Los Angeles Times. 13 February 1994. Archived from the original on 24 January 2025. Retrieved 28 August 2026.
  34. ↑ "Young athletes share their love of sport as Lillehammer 2016 gets off to a spectacular start". Olympics. 11 February 2016. Archived from the original on 13 October 2025. Retrieved 28 August 2026.
  35. ↑ Katzenjammer – Vi tenner våre lykter Archived 15 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine, accessed 26 October 2012.
  36. ↑ Birkeland, Monika B. (22 August 2006). "Ingen skandaler i Mette-Marit-dokumentar". FVN (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  37. ↑ Contino, Kristin (4 November 2024). "The Former Waitress Who Will Become Queen of Norway". Marie Claire.
  38. ↑ "The scandalous past of Princess Mette-Marit". honey.nine.com.au. Archived from the original on 17 November 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
  39. ↑ Abrams, Margaret (21 February 2018). "Meet Mette-Marit, the Crown Princess of Norway with a wild past that includes drug use and a controversial ex". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 22 October 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  40. ↑ Osborn, Andrew (23 August 2001). "Norway's royal union causes an uncommon row". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  41. 1 2 "Tears of joy from Crown Prince Haakon as he makes Mette-Marit his future queen". Hellomagazine.com. 25 August 2001. Archived from the original on 13 April 2011. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
  42. ↑ Gibbs, Walter (26 August 2001). "Uncommon Royal Couple Exchange Vows in Norway". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 21 November 2024. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  43. ↑ "Norway future queen admits wild past". BBC News. BBC.co.uk. 22 August 2001. Archived from the original on 15 February 2024. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  44. ↑ "Norwegian prince ties the knot". BBC. 25 August 2001. Archived from the original on 23 November 2025. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  45. ↑ Baciero, César Andrés (25 August 2025). "Princess Mette-Marit of Norway and the Wedding Gift She Rarely Wears". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on 17 September 2025. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  46. ↑ "Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit's royal wedding". HELLO!. 15 March 2018. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  47. 1 2 "Prince Haakon. Biography, news, photos and videos". Hello Magazine. 8 October 2009. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  48. ↑ "The Royal House of Norway – Skaugum Estate". Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  49. ↑ Andersen, Elise Rønnevig; Tobiassen, Markus; Alsaker-Nøstdahl, Endre; Brekken, Benjamin; Opsahl, Per; Gorset, Johannes (30 January 2026). "Nye Epstein-filer: Omfattende kontakt med kronprinsesse Mette-Marit" [New Epstein files: Extensive contact with crown princess Mette-Marit]. VG (in Norwegian Bokmål). Archived from the original on 7 February 2026. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
  50. ↑ Myklebostad, Marie; Gaathaug, Jonathan (20 November 2025). "Dette vet vi om Mette-Marits møter med Epstein" [This is what we know about Mette-Marit's meetings with Epstein]. TV2 (in Norwegian Bokmål). Archived from the original on 10 February 2026. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  51. ↑ Nymoen, Ole Christian; Ellingsen, Kasper (31 January 2026). "Epstein-filene: Omfattende kontakt med Mette-Marit" [Epstein files: Extensive contact with Mette-Marit]. Nettavisen (in Norwegian Bokmål). Norsk Telegrambyrå. Archived from the original on 2 February 2026. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  52. ↑ "De han vraket". Aftenbladet. Archived from the original on 18 March 2026. Retrieved 30 January 2026. Hun var kronprinsens første offisielle kjæreste fra 1994 til 1996 [She was the Crown Prince's first official girlfriend from 1994 to 1996]
  53. ↑ "Tildeling av Kong Harald Vs jubileumsmedalje 1991–2016". Kongehuset (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 25 January 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  54. ↑ Archived 12 January 2015 at the Wayback Machine – website typischich.at
  55. ↑ "Reply to a parliamentary question about the Decoration of Honour" (PDF) (in German). p. 1811. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 October 2012.
  56. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "The Decorations of HRH The Crown Prince". The Royal House of Norway. 15 October 2024. Archived from the original on 14 May 2024. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  57. ↑ "Modtagere af danske dekorationer". Kongehuset (in Danish). 12 December 2017. Archived from the original on 12 May 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
  58. ↑ Official website of the President of Estonia (Estonian)
    • Estonia: Member 1st Class of the ((Order of the White Star))
    Estonian State Decorations – Kroonprints Haakon Archived 4 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  59. ↑ "Vabariigi President". www.president.ee. Archived from the original on 3 September 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
  60. ↑ "Statsbesøk fra Island". Archived from the original on 26 March 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  61. ↑ "Le onorificenze della Repubblica Italiana". www.quirinale.it. Archived from the original on 3 September 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
  62. ↑ "Norwegian Crown Prince website". Archived from the original on 10 June 2011. Retrieved 31 August 2012.
  63. ↑ "Par Norvēģijas Karalistes pavalstnieku apbalvošanu..." Latvijas Vēstnesis (in Latvian). Archived from the original on 3 September 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
  64. ↑ "Par Atzinības krusta piešķiršanu". Latvijas Vēstnesis (in Latvian). Archived from the original on 13 July 2023. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
  65. ↑ Lithuanian Presidency Archived 19 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Lithuanian Orders searching form
  66. ↑ Photo Archived 26 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine of a State visit of Lithuania to Norway, March 2011
  67. ↑ "Postanowienie Prezydenta Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej z dnia 15 września 2003 r. o nadaniu orderów". prawo.sejm.gov.pl. Archived from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
  68. ↑ Alvará n.º 2/2004 Archived 6 May 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Diário da República n.º 77/2004, Série II de 3 March 2004. p.5092.
  69. ↑ "Boletín Oficial del Estado" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 January 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
  70. ↑ Crown Prince wins Pakistani prize Archived 2 November 2011 at the Wayback Machine – website Views and News from Norway
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