Haakon VIII becomes new King of Norway
King Harald V of Norway died at 89 on August 28 after a hospital stay due to infection and anemia complications. His son, Crown Prince Haakon Magnus, became King Haakon VIII and took the throne on September 1, following a constitutional succession.
Consensus
- King Harald V of Norway died on August 28 at the age of 89.
- He died in a hospital in Oslo due to complications from infection and hemolytic anemia.
- His son, Crown Prince Haakon Magnus, succeeded him as King Haakon VIII.
- The succession followed Norwegian law, with the throne passing automatically to the eldest son.
- Haakon VIII took the throne after swearing an oath in parliament on September 1.
- The funeral ceremony for Harald V is scheduled for September 9 in Oslo.
- Haakon VIII served as regent during his father's illness.
- Haakon VIII has a military background, having graduated from the Royal Norwegian Naval Academy and served in the navy.
- Haakon VIII studied at the University of California and the London School of Economics.
- Haakon VIII married Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby in 2001.
- Mette-Marit is the mother of Haakon's children and was previously in a relationship with Morten Borg, father of her son Marius.
- Mette-Marit has been involved in multiple controversies, including a 2024 criminal case involving her son Marius.
Points of divergence
- Mette-Marit expressed sorrow over the death of the monarch, and the Russian imperial family acknowledged the passing through Maria Romanova. — m24
- Marius Borg Høiby was sentenced to four years in prison for 40 charges, including four cases of rape, and is serving time under house arrest with an electronic bracelet. — riamo
- In January 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice published correspondence between Mette-Marit and Jeffrey Epstein, which she said she regretted and acknowledged responsibility for. — riamo
- Mette-Marit underwent a lung transplant in Oslo in July 2026. — riamo
- The Lutheran Church of Norway criticized the premarital cohabitation of Haakon and Mette-Marit, and the marriage was controversial due to her past and her son from a previous relationship. — vm
- Haakon's father did not approve of the marriage, but Haakon threatened to renounce the throne if he was not allowed to marry Mette-Marit. — vm
- Mette-Marit was not formally educated and had a different lifestyle compared to Haakon. — vm
- Haakon VIII and Mette-Marit have two children: Ingrid Alexandra and Sverre Magnus, who are second and third in line to the throne. — riamo
- Haakon VIII has three children: Ingrid Alexandra, Sverre Magnus, and a third son. — vm
Coverage (3 sources)
- Leaders of the European Union and NATO expressed condolences in connection with the death of Harald V — Москва 24
- Haakon VIII took the oath and became the new king of Norway — РИАМО
- What is known about the family of the new king of Norway: scandals, Mette-Marit's illness — Вечерняя Москва
Key entities
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