The king Harald V of Norway, the longest-serving monarch in Europe after Queen Elizabeth II, has died at the age of 89, after 35 years on the throne. His death occurred this Friday shortly after 6:35 a.m., as announced by the royal household of the Scandinavian country. Automatically and without the need for coronation, Harald is succeeded on the throne by his son Haakon, who will reign under the name Haakon VIII. His daughter Ingrid Alexandra becomes now the heiress to the Norwegian throne.
Now Haakon VIII faces the task of stabilizing the monarchy of the Scandinavian country and reinforcing the popularity of the royal family. The Norwegian crown is experiencing an unprecedented crisis of popularity following the contacts that his wife Mette-Marit had in the past with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the rape conviction of her stepson, Marius Borg.
Critics of Haakon’s sister, Princess Märtha Louise – author of books in which she claims to have contact with angels and married to the controversial shaman Durek Verrett – also blame her for the family’s reputational problems. But it is mainly Mette-Marit who is in the crosshairs in her new role as queen consort.
In hereditary monarchies, the wife of a monarch automatically becomes queen consort at the moment of ascending to the throne, unless explicit and legally binding modifications have been previously introduced. But the truth is that Mette-Marit takes up the role with strong popular opposition. A poll conducted by the TV2 television channel last February revealed that almost half of the Norwegian population (47.6%) opposed her ascending to the throne alongside Haakon.
Haakon and his steadfast defense of Mette-Marit
Although rumors of divorce and the possibility that Haakon would not grant the title of queen consort to his wife have loomed in recent months, the truth is that the new king’s support for Mette-Marit has been steadfast. In his latest interview with the public broadcaster NRK, Haakon firmly rejected the speculation that he might distance himself from his wife or alter her future role. He stressed that they view their public life and their marriage as a relationship of shared collaboration.
A decision that comes amid a particularly turbulent period for the Norwegian royal family. Documents published in the United States in January revealed that Mette-Marit maintained correspondence with Epstein between 2011 and 2014, long after he had been convicted. The files appeared to contain nearly 1,000 references to the now-queen consort, many of them of an intimate nature.
The new queen consort Mette-Marit of Norway.
This provoked fierce criticism, and even the Norwegian Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, accused her—in unprecedented statements—of “a lack of judgment.” Subsequently, Mette-Marit issued a statement expressing her “deepest regret for my friendship with Jeffrey Epstein” and apologizing for “the situation in which I have placed the royal family, especially the king and the queen.”
Marius Borg Høiby, 29, Mette-Marit’s son from a previous relationship, has also been the subject of media scrutiny after being sentenced in June to four years in prison for two rapes and another 32 charges, including violence against a former partner. Currently under house arrest, his presence with his family at the hospital to visit King Harald in his final hours of life has also not sat well with public opinion in his country.
The new role of Queen Mette-Marit
The role of Queen Consort Mette-Marit in Haakon VIII’s new monarchy will largely depend on her health. At 53, she suffers from chronic fibrosis and underwent a lung transplant in July. Currently on leave, her institutional schedule will be shaped by the progression of her illness.
Mette-Marit and Haakon, on their wedding day in Oslo.
The role as consort of Mette-Marit will be strictly representative and ceremonial, with no executive powers. Previously, she has focused on international cooperation, mental health, youth, and culture. And it is foreseeable that from now on the Norwegian royal household will seek to maintain a discreet profile to separate family scandals from the stability of the new monarch.
The marriage between Haakon and Mette-Marit, who have just celebrated their silver wedding anniversary, marked the first time in modern European history that a direct heir to the throne incorporated a stepson into a royal family. This fact sparked enormous controversy in Norway, but it had the firm backing of King Harald and Queen Sonja. Now, the new monarch seems willing to continue honoring those vows, in health and in sickness.
