Who is King Haakon VIII? Norway's new king who once wanted to escape royal life

Crown Prince Haakon has become Norway's new king following the death of his father, King Harald V, at the age of 89, taking the throne after years of gradually assuming greater royal responsibilities as his father's health declined.The 53-year-old Haakon is the only son of King Harald and Queen Sonja and has been heir to the Norwegian throne since 1991. He had been serving as regent as his father's health deteriorated and formally succeeded him following Harald's death at Oslo University Hospital on Friday.But Haakon's journey to the throne was not one he always embraced. In his 2023 autobiography, he recalled struggling with the attention that came with being a member of the royal family and deliberately seeking distance from Norway during his youth."Yes, I was a royal, but I ​did not want to talk about it ...