King Haakon VIII swears oath as Norway mourns Harald V's death

Oslo,UPDATED: Sep 1, 2026 17:08 IST

Norway's King Haakon VIII on Tuesday swore allegiance to the country's Constitution in parliament, a key symbolic step after taking over as monarch following the death of his father, King Harald V. Harald died on Friday at the age of 89 after a 35-year reign, and Haakon has adopted the motto, "All for Norway".

The ceremony came as Norway continues to mourn Harald's death. His coffin was taken on Monday to the chapel of the royal palace in downtown Oslo, where it will remain until his funeral on September 9. From Tuesday afternoon until September 8, the chapel will be open daily for members of the public to pay their last respects. Queen Mette-Marit, who joined Monday's coffin procession, did not attend Tuesday's ceremony because of complications following her lung transplant, the palace said.

Haakon, 53, became Norway's monarch when Harald died. He was driven the short distance from the royal palace to the Storting, or parliament, in an open car. There, speaker Masud Gharahkhani read the official announcement of Harald's death and Haakon's succession before the new king 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.

Norway's monarchy traces its origins to King Harald Fairhair in the ninth century. After Norway regained its independence from Sweden in 1905, three-quarters of voters in a national plebiscite backed the restoration of the monarchy. Today, the monarchy's role is largely symbolic, with power resting with the elected government and parliament, though the royal family continues to represent Norway abroad.

The royal palace said visitors to the chapel will not be allowed to take photographs or film inside, and they will also not be allowed to leave flowers or other items. Mette-Marit's appearance at Monday's coffin procession was her first official one since assuming the title of queen. She has largely been out of the public eye since her lung transplant in June.

Ahead of Haakon's pledge of allegiance, the palace said Mette-Marit would not attend the ceremony. In a statement, it quoted Are Holm, a pulmonologist at Oslo's University Hospital, as saying that complications after a transplant are not uncommon and that Mette-Marit has experienced them on several occasions, "including today".

"As a result, the Queen must remain under observation throughout the day. Unfortunately, the Queen will therefore be unable to attend the swearing-in ceremony at the Storting today," he said.

With Haakon now formally sworn in, Norway marked both the start of a new reign and a period of national mourning for Harald, whose coffin will lie in the royal palace chapel until his funeral on September 9.

With PTI Inputs

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