Norway's King Haakon honours 'dear father' Harald in first speech as sovereign
King Haakon VIII of Norway delivered his first speech as monarch following the death of his father, King Harald, at age 89. The new King paid tribute to his father's legacy and expressed his intention to continue the constitutional monarchy in his own way.
Why it matters
The transition of power in a constitutional monarchy is a significant political and cultural event for Norway and the international community.
"I am going to miss him. I am going to miss his laughter. I am going to miss his good-natured way to meet people and situations," said King Haakon.
Norway's new king, King Haakon, sits on the day he will give his first speech as monarch at the palace, following the death of Norway's King Harald, in Oslo, Norway, Aug 29, 2026. (Photo: Heiko Junge/NTB/via Reuters)
OSLO: King Haakon VIII of Norway paid homage to his late father as "such a good dad" in his first address to the nation since becoming sovereign, his voice briefly filling with emotion when evoking his widowed mother Queen Sonja.
King Harald , who emerged from the shadow of his own well-loved, extrovert father to become a reformer during more than three decades on the throne, died on Friday at the age of 89.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in