{"id":2117748,"date":"2026-08-28T09:32:58","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T06:32:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2117748"},"modified":"2026-08-28T09:32:58","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T06:32:58","slug":"norways-new-monarch-king-haakon-viii-his-life-role-and-challenges-ahead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2117748","title":{"rendered":"Norway&#8217;s new monarch King Haakon VIII: His life, role and challenges ahead"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/23\/46\/1200x675_cmsv2_430db8ca-e1a3-5fcd-8ac5-c9df06b2329a-9892346.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2921464-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2921464\" data-cid=\"9893689\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2921464-label-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/36\/89\/189x106_cmsv2_1a3ee2ba-6cf0-5d4c-aa3d-5188bbd1d2c7-9893689.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Firefighters try to extinguish a fire at a destroyed warehouse after Russian drone attacks on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    At least 27 killed in Russian strike on warehouse in Bucha\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2921057-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2921057\" data-cid=\"9891638\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2921057-label-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/16\/38\/189x106_cmsv2_c546a2c8-f799-56b4-a07f-712029e90a8e-9891638.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Vibeke Andersen, a former patient, in a VR therapy session \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    wellbeing<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    How VR helped a woman silence 27 years of schizophrenia voices\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920659-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2920659\" data-cid=\"9889299\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920659-label-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/92\/99\/189x106_cmsv2_744aa6ff-bf1c-564e-a322-2ecfc0a6901e-9889299.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The 10 songs that define Notting Hill Carnival, according to the people who know it best\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Culture news<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    60 years of Notting Hill Carnival: 10 essential songs chosen by its veterans\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2921447-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2921447\" data-cid=\"9893647\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2921447-label-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/36\/47\/189x106_cmsv2_cb9c5183-3b32-5ff1-b7bf-1308f15eb04a-9893647.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Podium in the under-57 kg weight category\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Sport<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Lausanne Grand Slam 2026  Opens with Inclusive Judo\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2921464-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2921464\" data-cid=\"9893689\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2921464-label-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/36\/89\/189x106_cmsv2_1a3ee2ba-6cf0-5d4c-aa3d-5188bbd1d2c7-9893689.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Firefighters try to extinguish a fire at a destroyed warehouse after Russian drone attacks on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    At least 27 killed in Russian strike on warehouse in Bucha\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2921057-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2921057\" data-cid=\"9891638\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2921057-label-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/16\/38\/189x106_cmsv2_c546a2c8-f799-56b4-a07f-712029e90a8e-9891638.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Vibeke Andersen, a former patient, in a VR therapy session \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    wellbeing<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    How VR helped a woman silence 27 years of schizophrenia voices\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920659-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2920659\" data-cid=\"9889299\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920659-label-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/92\/99\/189x106_cmsv2_744aa6ff-bf1c-564e-a322-2ecfc0a6901e-9889299.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The 10 songs that define Notting Hill Carnival, according to the people who know it best\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Culture news<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    60 years of Notting Hill Carnival: 10 essential songs chosen by its veterans\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2921447-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2921447\" data-cid=\"9893647\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2921447-label-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/36\/47\/189x106_cmsv2_cb9c5183-3b32-5ff1-b7bf-1308f15eb04a-9893647.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Podium in the under-57 kg weight category\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Sport<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Lausanne Grand Slam 2026  Opens with Inclusive Judo\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"helper-site-row o-article-newsy\">\n<div class=\"helper-site-container o-article-newsy__container\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__main\">\n<header class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs\">\n<div id=\"adb-article-breadcrumb\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs__list\">\n<p>                          Europe<\/p>\n<p>                          Europe News<\/p><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<h1 class=\"c-article-redesign-title\">\n                            Norway&#8217;s new monarch King Haakon VIII: His life, role and challenges ahead<\/h1>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-video u-position-relative \">\n<div class=\"js-superdiv u-aspect-ratio-16x9 u-position-relative \" data-controller=\"video-player\" data-sponsored=\"Partner content\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-poster-img c-article-media__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/23\/46\/1536x864_cmsv2_430db8ca-e1a3-5fcd-8ac5-c9df06b2329a-9892346.jpg\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"Norwegian Crown Prince Haakon tours the National Nordic Museum Wednesday, 17 April, 2024, in Seattle. \"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-caption u-position-absolute\"><i id=\"article-caption-content\" class=\"c-article-caption__content\"><span class=\"c-article-caption__text\"><br \/>\n              Norwegian Crown Prince Haakon tours the National Nordic Museum Wednesday, 17 April, 2024, in Seattle.<br \/>\n                    <span class=\"u-color-white\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__copyright\">Copyright\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__credit\">Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-copyright c-article-image-copyright--novideo\">\n      Copyright\u00a0Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__body u-article-content\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__contributors-publication-date\">\n<div class=\"c-article-contributors\">\n  By&amp;nbspGreta Ruffino\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-publication-date\" data-timestamp=\"1787909578\">\n                    Published on                 <time datetime=\"2026-08-28 11:32:58 +02:00\">28\/08\/2026 &#8211; 11:32 GMT+2<\/time><span class=\"c-article-publication-date__bullet\">\u2022<\/span>Updated<br \/>\n                                     <time datetime=\"12:58\">12:58<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Comments<\/span><span 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class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"threads\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Threads<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"threads\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"whatsapp\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Whatsapp<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"whatsapp\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup__content__embed_container u-display-none\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup__content__embed__tooltip\"><br \/>\n                            Copy\/paste the article video embed link below:<br \/>\n                        <\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup__content__embed u-display-flex\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/icon-copy-to-clipboard.svg\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Copy to clipboard\" class=\"u-cursor-pointer js-c-article-share-comment-copy\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup__content__embed--success-copied u-display-none js-c-article-share-comment-video-embed-success-link-copied\"><br \/>\n                                Copied<br \/>\n                            <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"c-article-summary\">\n        Norway&#8217;s monarchy dates back to King Harald Fairhair in the ninth century. When the country regained independence in 1905, three-quarters of voters backed restoring the monarchy in a national referendum.<br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-content js-article-content\">\n<p>Norway has a new king. Crown Prince Haakon, 53, became King Haakon VIII when his father, Harald V, died on Friday. <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Haakon&#8217;s oldest child now becomes Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra and heir to the throne.<\/p>\n<p>Haakon is already familiar with the role, having served as regent several times in recent years as his father&#8217;s health declined. <\/p>\n<p>Norway&#8217;s monarchy dates back to King Harald Fairhair in the ninth century. <\/p>\n<p>Today, the monarch&#8217;s role is largely symbolic, with political power held by an elected parliament. However, the royal family remains highly visible and plays a role in representing Norway internationally.<\/p>\n<h2>Who is Haakon VIII?<\/h2>\n<p>Haakon is Harald&#8217;s younger child, born two years after his sister, Princess Martha Louise. However, as the eldest son, he became heir to the throne when his grandfather, King Olav, died in 1991.<\/p>\n<p>Norway changed its constitution in 1990 to give firstborn children, regardless of gender, priority in the line of succession. The change was not applied retroactively.<\/p>\n<p>Haakon said in a 1998 book that as a child he dreamed of owning a toy shop, but he soon realized that his path was already paved and one day he would become king.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.749\">\n<div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n<div class=\"widget__contents\">\n<figure class=\"widget__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/23\/46\/808x603_cmsv2_c8ac7d12-f819-55bd-a503-346cfa4d0fbf-9892346.jpg\" alt=\"Crown Prince Harald and Crown Princess Sonja present their newborn son, Prince Haakon Magnus, at Oslo&apos;s National Hospital on 26 July 1973.\"><figcaption class=\"widget__caption\"><span class=\"widget__captionWrap\"><span class=\"widget__captionText\">Crown Prince Harald and Crown Princess Sonja present their newborn son, Prince Haakon Magnus, at Oslo&#8217;s National Hospital on 26 July 1973.<\/span><span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Copyright 1973 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The new King holds a bachelor&#8217;s degree in political science from the University of California, Berkeley, and a master&#8217;s in development studies from the London School of Economics, specialising in international trade and Africa. <\/p>\n<p>He also trained at the Royal Norwegian Naval Academy and completed a diplomatic training programme.<\/p>\n<p>An avid surfer and skier, Haakon once told Norwegian broadcaster NRK that if he had not been a royal, he would have been a surfer. <\/p>\n<p>A fan of rock and rap, he also attended music festivals across Europe in his youth.<\/p>\n<h2>How his marriage divided the country<\/h2>\n<p>Haakon met Mette-Marit Tjessem Hoiby, a single mother, at a music festival in 1999. <\/p>\n<p>Their relationship divided Norway, partly because of her links to a party scene where illegal drugs were used. <\/p>\n<p>While some celebrated the couple, others questioned whether she was suitable for the future king.<\/p>\n<p>Nevertheless, Haakon received his father&#8217;s permission to marry Mette-Marit, and despite her background, she gradually won over much of the Norwegian public.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6665\">\n<div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n<div class=\"widget__contents\">\n<figure class=\"widget__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/23\/46\/808x539_cmsv2_2461068c-22b8-5f5a-9787-47ed5c6242de-9892346.jpg\" alt=\"Norway&apos;s Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit arrive at Monaco Palace for Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene&apos;s wedding on 2 July 2011.\"><figcaption class=\"widget__caption\"><span class=\"widget__captionWrap\"><span class=\"widget__captionText\">Norway&#8217;s Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit arrive at Monaco Palace for Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene&#8217;s wedding on 2 July 2011.<\/span><span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">(AP Photo\/Michel Spingler, Pool)<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The couple married at Oslo Cathedral in August 2001 and have two children, Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus.<\/p>\n<p>Haakon also became stepfather to Mette-Marit&#8217;s son, Marius Borg Hoiby, who has no royal title.<\/p>\n<h2>Challenges facing Haakon: Wife&#8217;s Epstein ties and stepson&#8217;s trial<\/h2>\n<p>Haakon faces the challenge of stabilising the monarchy and rebuilding the royal family&#8217;s popularity following revelations about his wife&#8217;s past contacts with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his stepson&#8217;s rape conviction.<\/p>\n<p>In June, Hoiby was sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of two of four rape charges. He was also convicted of assault and abuse in a close relationship. His lawyers said he will appeal the convictions.<\/p>\n<p>The trial came amid renewed scrutiny of the royal family over Mette-Marit&#8217;s links to Epstein. She has apologised for maintaining contact with the late sex offender, saying she showed poor judgement. She is not accused of any wrongdoing.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6665\">\n<div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n<div class=\"widget__contents\">\n<figure class=\"widget__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/23\/46\/808x539_cmsv2_ffd81141-46b4-539a-a63c-9a70b0b13a7d-9892346.jpg\" alt=\"From left, King Harald, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, Crown Prince Haakon, Prince Sverre Magnus and Queen Sonja in Oslo in 2019.\"><figcaption class=\"widget__caption\"><span class=\"widget__captionWrap\"><span class=\"widget__captionText\">From left, King Harald, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, Crown Prince Haakon, Prince Sverre Magnus and Queen Sonja in Oslo in 2019.<\/span><span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">(Lise Aserud\/NTB Scanpix via AP, File)  <\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>One of Haakon&#8217;s challenges as king will be rebuilding public support for the royal family, which has declined in recent years and was further damaged by Hoiby&#8217;s trial.<\/p>\n<p>Haakon&#8217;s sister, Martha Louise, has also faced criticism over her unconventional beliefs, including claims that she can communicate with angels.<\/p>\n<p>A 2022 poll by Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet found that 68% of respondents supported keeping the monarchy, down from 81% in an NRK poll in 2017.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<footer class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-contributors c-article-contributors-supplementary u-margin-top-2 u-padding-top-2\">\n<p>Additional sources<strong> \u2022 AFP<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<p>                                  Go to accessibility shortcuts<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center 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data-key=\"articleBody\">Norway has a new king. Crown Prince Haakon, 53, became King Haakon VIII when his father, Harald V, died on Friday.Haakon&#8217;s oldest child now becomes Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra and heir to the throne.Haakon is already familiar with the role, having served as regent several times in recent years as his father&#8217;s health declined.Norway&#8217;s monarchy dates back to King Harald Fairhair in the ninth century.Today, the monarch&#8217;s role is largely symbolic, with political power held by an elected parliament. However, the royal family remains highly visible and plays a role in representing Norway internationally.Who is Haakon VIII?Haakon is Harald&#8217;s younger child, born two years after his sister, Princess Martha Louise. However, as the eldest son, he became heir to the throne when his grandfather, King Olav, died in 1991.Norway changed its constitution in 1990 to give firstborn children, regardless of gender, priority in the line of succession. The change was not applied retroactively.Haakon said in a 1998 book that as a child he dreamed of owning a toy shop, but he soon realized that his path was already paved and one day he would become king.The new King holds a bachelor&#8217;s degree in political science from the University of California, Berkeley, and a master&#8217;s in development studies from the London School of Economics, specialising in international trade and Africa.He also trained at the Royal Norwegian Naval Academy and completed a diplomatic training programme.An avid surfer and skier, Haakon once told Norwegian broadcaster NRK that if he had not been a royal, he would have been a surfer.A fan of rock and rap, he also attended music festivals across Europe in his youth.How his marriage divided the countryHaakon met Mette-Marit Tjessem Hoiby, a single mother, at a music festival in 1999.Their relationship divided Norway, partly because of her links to a party scene where illegal drugs were used.While some celebrated the couple, others questioned whether she was suitable for the future king.Nevertheless, Haakon received his father&#8217;s permission to marry Mette-Marit, and despite her background, she gradually won over much of the Norwegian public.The couple married at Oslo Cathedral in August 2001 and have two children, Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus.Haakon also became stepfather to Mette-Marit&#8217;s son, Marius Borg Hoiby, who has no royal title.Challenges facing Haakon: Wife&#8217;s Epstein ties and stepson&#8217;s trialHaakon faces the challenge of stabilising the monarchy and rebuilding the royal family&#8217;s popularity following revelations about his wife&#8217;s past contacts with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his stepson&#8217;s rape conviction.In June, Hoiby was sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of two of four rape charges. He was also convicted of assault and abuse in a close relationship. His lawyers said he will appeal the convictions.The trial came amid renewed scrutiny of the royal family over Mette-Marit&#8217;s links to Epstein. She has apologised for maintaining contact with the late sex offender, saying she showed poor judgement. She is not accused of any wrongdoing.One of Haakon&#8217;s challenges as king will be rebuilding public support for the royal family, which has declined in recent years and was further damaged by Hoiby&#8217;s trial.Haakon&#8217;s sister, Martha Louise, has also faced criticism over her unconventional beliefs, including claims that she can communicate with angels.A 2022 poll by Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet found that 68% of respondents supported keeping the monarchy, down from 81% in an NRK poll in 2017.<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2026\/08\/28\/norways-new-monarch-king-haakon-viii-his-life-role-and-challenges-ahead&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/23\/46\/1200x675_cmsv2_430db8ca-e1a3-5fcd-8ac5-c9df06b2329a-9892346.jpg&#8221;] Europe News At least 27 killed in Russian strike on warehouse in Bucha wellbeing How VR helped a woman silence 27 years of schizophrenia voices Culture news 60 years of Notting Hill Carnival: 10 essential songs chosen by its veterans Sport Lausanne Grand Slam 2026 Opens with Inclusive Judo Europe News At [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[226,36],"class_list":["post-2117748","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international","tag-crawlmanager","tag-euronews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2117748","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2117748"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2117748\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2117748"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2117748"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2117748"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}