With the heir to the throne

Haakon made his first official appearance as king

Grief is written all over the faces of King Haakon and Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra.(Bild: AFP/LISE ASERUD)

“The king is dead—long live the king!” True to the motto of the Norwegian monarchy, Haakon made his first appearance as King of Norway just a few hours after the death of his father, Harald, on Friday.

With the death of King Harald in the early hours of Friday morning, his son Haakon officially became King of Norway. Shortly after the government declared a period of national mourning until the late monarch’s funeral, the new king made his first public appearance.

Ingrid Alexandra supports her father
A first photo showed Haakon in a black limousine pulling up in front of the palace in Oslo. He was wearing his official uniform. Seated next to him was not his wife, Mette-Marit, but his daughter, Ingrid Alexandra, who has been the heir to the throne since early Friday morning.

This is made possible by a 1990 amendment to the law, which stipulates that the order of birth—rather than gender—determines the line of succession.

King Haakon was accompanied at his first public appearance by his daughter Ingrid Alexandra, who has been the heir to the throne since Friday.(Bild: AFP/THOMAS ANDERSEN)

A Busy Schedule
A short time later, the king and the crown princess arrived at the palace for a cabinet meeting with members of the government. Their grief over King Harald was evident, yet they bravely carried out this first important engagement. 

For King Haakon VIII, who had kept vigil at his father’s bedside all night, there was little time for mourning on Friday. Protocol dictates that, following King Harald’s death, Haakon’s work begins immediately.

King Haakon and Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra welcomed the members of the government to the palace.(Bild: AP/Heiko Junge)

Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra upon arrival at the palace(Bild: EPA/Heiko Junge / POOL)

At the meeting in the palace, Haakon once again officially announced his father’s death. He then announced his title, Haakon VIII, as well as the motto that will guide him as monarch. In doing so, the 53-year-old drew inspiration from his father’s motto—“Everything for Norway.”

The palace announced this on Friday and also published the first official portrait of Haakon as king on Instagram—seen here:

In a statement to Norwegian media, the palace also said: “His Majesty the King thanks the members of the government and the Norwegian people for their support and sympathy for the royal family during this time.”

Mette-Marit Is Now Queen
At the meeting at the Palace on Friday, Haakon also determined which titles the members of the royal family will hold in the future. It is considered certain that his wife, Mette-Marit, is now queen.

King Haakon and Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra at a photo session with members of the government at the Oslo Palace(Bild: AP/Lise ?Öserud)

“His legacy lives on”
Following the Council of State, the flag at Oslo Palace—which had been flown at half-mast following King Harald’s death—was raised back to full mast in honor of the new king. At 12:00 p.m., exactly 12 gun salutes rang out. In addition, all church bells in Norway rang for a full hour—from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. 

Twelve gun salutes were fired on Friday in honor of the new King Haakon.(Bild: EPA/FREDRIK VARFJELL)

Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre also delivered a memorial speech in the early afternoon for the late King Harald, which was broadcast on television. “His legacy lives on. An entire nation is united in mourning and gratitude,” said Støre.

At the same time, the Prime Minister also looked to the future with hope. “Today we also welcome our new King and Queen: King Haakon VIII and Queen Mette-Marit. A great responsibility is being carried forward. They are assuming their new roles during a time marked by mourning. They do so with our trust and our support. It is reassuring to know that King Haakon will carry on the same motto that his father, his grandfather, and his great-grandfather chose: ‘Everything for Norway.’”

Støre concluded his speech with the words: “An era has ended. A new one begins. The King is dead. Long live the King.”

No Coronation, but a Royal Blessing
Incidentally, there will be no coronation for Haakon in the style of the British royals. Norway has done without this royal rite since 1908. According to the Royal House, the most important event is the new king’s mandatory oath to the Constitution, which is accompanied by a solemn ceremony.

Finally, in keeping with tradition, the king and queen are usually blessed. The royal blessing at Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, which Haakon’s grandfather, King Olav V, established, is traditionally performed a few days after the monarch’s death.

Members of the government laid flowers in front of the palace in Oslo on Friday.(Bild: AFP/ODD ANDERSEN)

There is widespread mourning in Norway following the death of King Harald.(Bild: EPA/THOMAS ANDERSEN / POOL)

A veritable sea of flowers has already gathered on the palace square in Oslo.(Bild: AFP/ODD ANDERSEN)

Of course, royal protocol also calls for a state funeral for the late king. The date of the funeral has yet to be announced. It is likely that the timing will follow the example of King Olav V’s funeral, which took place just under two weeks after his death.

Deep Mourning for King Harald
Meanwhile, Norway mourns its beloved king. As early as Thursday, people were laying flowers and cards in front of the Palace Square in Oslo; by Friday, the square resembled a veritable sea of flowers. Members of the Norwegian government also paid tribute to the late monarch. The first expressions of condolences have been sent from friendly royal houses.