Haakon takes oath as Norway begins mourning late King Harald V
Norway's Haakon VIII has sworn an oath before parliament in Oslo in the first major formal step of his reign. The ceremony came as the country began mourning his father, the late King Harald V, who died on Friday. After the oath, mourners started paying their respects at the king's coffin at the Royal Palace.
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Parliament observed a minute's silence during Tuesday's proceedings in the capital. The late king is lying in state at the Royal Palace until 8 September, giving the public a period to pay tribute. Haakon's wife, Queen Mette-Marit, was absent from the formalities as she continues to recover from a lung transplant.
The oath before parliament marks an important constitutional moment in Norway's monarchy. It confirms the transfer of royal duties at a time of national mourning and public ceremony. The sequence of events also underlines the ceremonial role of parliament in the accession process.
The death of a monarch and the accession of a successor are among the most significant events in Norway's public life. They combine state protocol, national remembrance and continuity of the monarchy. In this case, the public viewing at the Royal Palace adds a further layer of participation for mourners.
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Harald V's coffin remaining in state until 8 September means the mourning period will continue for several days. The formal accession steps are now underway, but the wider public response is still developing. It remains to be seen how many people will attend the palace to pay their respects before the lying-in-state period ends.
What happens next will depend on the remaining ceremonial arrangements and any further public statements from the royal household. The key immediate focus is the continuation of mourning and the completion of the accession process. For now, the transition has begun in an orderly and highly formal setting.
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