Norway's new monarch, King Haakon VIII, led his family in a memorial service on Sunday, marking the country's continued mourning for his father, King Harald V, who died Friday at the age of 89. The service took place at Asker Church, southwest of Oslo, and was attended by Queen Sonja, Haakon VIII's mother, and his daughter, Crown Princess Ingrid.
In his first address as king, Haakon VIII, 53, spoke emotionally about his father, saying, "I'm going to miss him. I'll miss his laughter. His good-natured way of dealing with people and situations." He pledged to lead Norway with the same dedication his father exhibited and vowed to be "willing to risk everything, even one's life, for Norway's freedom and independence."
Following King Harald V's death, tens of thousands of Norwegians have gathered outside the Royal Palace to lay flowers, write tributes, and light candles. Flags across the nation have been lowered to half-mast, and some citizens have chosen to postpone personal events like weddings and christenings. Memorial services were held across Norway on Sunday.
King Harald V, a cousin of King Charles III, reigned for 35 years. His death elevates his daughter-in-law, Mette-Marit, to the position of queen. The royal family has faced public scrutiny in recent months due to revelations about Queen Mette-Marit's past association with Jeffrey Epstein and a conviction against her son from a previous relationship, Marius Borg Hoiby, for rape, though he is appealing the sentence. Despite these challenges, King Harald was widely regarded as a popular figurehead for an open and tolerant Norway.
King Harald V had been hospitalized since August 17 with hemolytic anemia. His declining health in recent years led him to reduce his official duties. Queen Sonja, also 89, was briefly hospitalized in May for heart issues, and Queen Mette-Marit underwent a lung transplant in June due to worsening pulmonary fibrosis.
Norway abolished coronations in 1908. While there will be no coronation for the new king, a consecration ceremony at Trondheim Cathedral, a traditional site for Norwegian monarchical coronations until 1906, may occur. King Haakon VIII will swear an oath of allegiance in parliament on Tuesday. The Norwegian monarchy holds a largely symbolic role, with governmental power resting with elected representatives. The country's monarchy traces its origins to King Harald Fairhair in the ninth century, with the modern institution restored in 1905 after independence from Sweden.