Reason why Norway’s King Haakon VIII won’t have coronation as he swears allegiance to the constitution
Norway's King Harald V passed away last week (28 August) aged 89, bringing an end to a reign that spanned more than three decades.
His death means the former Crown Prince Haakon Magnus, 53, is now King Haakon VIII, with his wife Mette-Marit becoming queen. But despite the change at the top, don’t expect the sort of lavish coronation seen in the UK.
That’s because Norway hasn’t had a coronation tradition for more than a century.
The ritual was scrapped by law just three years after Haakon VIII’s great-grandfather, King Haakon VII, became Norway’s first modern monarch in 1905.
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Haakon VII and Queen Maud were crowned and anointed at Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim in 1906, but the ceremony reportedly didn’t go down particularly well with Norwegian politicians.
Several MPs viewed coronations as a relic of pre-democratic times, particularly because of the elaborate ceremony and religious symbolism involved.
Norway’s Constitution was amended in 1908, effectively bringing the tradition to an end.
King Haakon pledged an oath of allegiance to the country’s constitution in parliament on Tuesday (1 September), an important symbolic step as he takes over at the helm of the Scandinavian country after his late father’s 35-year reign.
He has adopted the motto All for Norway, which dates back to his great-grandfather.
He was driven the short distance from the royal palace to the Storting, or parliament, in an open car and there, Speaker Masud Gharahkhani read the official announcement of Harald’s death and Haakon’s succession.
Haakon, 53, then took the oath:
"I promise and swear that I will govern the Kingdom of Norway in accordance with its Constitution and Laws; so help me God, the Almighty and Omniscient," he said.
Queen Mette-Marit, also 53, was not beside her husband as she is still recovering from surgery which took place earlier this year (17 June).
The couple’s eldest daughter, Ingrid Alexandra, is Crown Princess at the age of 22.
She was present during her father’s ceremony today.
More to follow.
Topics: Europe, Royal Family, World News
Rhiannon Ingle