Haakon
Crown Prince of Norway
Haakon in 2012
Born (1973-07-20) 20 July 1973 (age 50)
The National Hospital, Oslo, Norway
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2001)​
Issue
Names
Haakon Magnus
HouseGlücksburg[1]
FatherHarald V of Norway
MotherSonja Haraldsen
ReligionChurch of Norway
Norwegian royal family
* Member of the Norwegian Royal House

Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway (Norwegian pronunciation: [ˈhôːkʊn]; Haakon Magnus; born 20 July 1973) is the heir apparent to the Norwegian throne. He is the only son of King Harald V and Queen Sonja.

Haakon represents the fourth generation of the sitting Norwegian royal family of the House of Glücksburg. He married Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby, with whom he has two children, Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus.[2]

Haakon has been a member of the Young Global Leaders network, its Foundation, a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations, and a philanthropist. He is a trained naval officer and, as crown prince, a top military official in the Norwegian Armed Forces. He holds a BA in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MSc in Development Studies from the London School of Economics.[3][4][5]

Early life and family

Haakon was born on 20 July 1973 at The National Hospital in St Hanshaugen, Oslo, the only son and younger child of Crown Prince Harald and Crown Princess Sonja. His father was the son of the reigning Norwegian monarch, Olav V. At birth he was named Haakon Magnus, and it was stressed in the announcement that he would go by the name Haakon. He was baptised in the Church of Norway on 20 September 1973 in the chapel of the Royal Palace.[7] He was named in honour of his paternal great-grandfather, Haakon VII, and his maternal uncle Haakon Haraldsen. When Haakon was only 17, his grandfather Olav died on 17 January 1991, leading to the ascension of his father as King Harald V and himself as crown prince.[citation needed]

Haakon has one sibling, Princess Märtha Louise of Norway (born 1971). In 1990, the Norwegian constitution was altered, granting absolute primogeniture to the Norwegian throne, meaning that the eldest child, regardless of gender, takes precedence in the line of succession.[8] This was not, however, done retroactively (as, for example, Sweden had done in 1980), meaning that Haakon continues to take precedence over his older sister.[9]

Education and military

Haakon served in the Royal Norwegian Navy. He graduated from the Norwegian Naval Academy in 1995,[10] followed with a year aboard missile torpedo boats and navy vessels.[5]

He attended and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of California, Berkeley in 1999.[11] Haakon later attended lectures at the University of Oslo and took the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' civil servant introductory course in 2001. He completed his education in 2003 at the London School of Economics, where he was awarded an MSc in development studies, specializing in international trade and Africa.[5]

As of 15 November 2013, in the Royal Norwegian Navy his officer rank is Admiral, and in the Norwegian Army and the Royal Norwegian Air Force his rank is General.[12]

In 2016 he completed the Norwegian Army's paratrooper course and was certified as a military paratrooper. The course attended was administered by the Special Operations Commando.[13]

Marriage and children

See also: Wedding of Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway, and Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby

Haakon married a commoner and single mother, Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby, on 25 August 2001, at Oslo Cathedral.[14] Frederik, (then Crown Prince, and now King) of Denmark was the best man.[14] When the engagement between Crown Prince Haakon and Høiby was announced, many Norwegians felt that his choice of wife was inappropriate.[15] This was primarily about her being a single mother, but information concerning her involvement in the rave scene in Oslo, which included a significant drug-subculture, also added to the controversy.[16][17] In addition, the father of her child was convicted of drug-related offences.[15] In a heartfelt press conference before the wedding the bride explained her past, saying among other things that her youthful rebelliousness might have been stronger than most young people.[15] The issue of Mette-Marit's past was an ongoing discussion in Norwegian public discourse in the early years after their engagement and marriage.[18]

The couple have two children together: Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway (born 21 January 2004 at Oslo University National Hospital in Oslo) and Prince Sverre Magnus (born 3 December 2005 in Oslo University National Hospital in Oslo).[19] Haakon is also the stepfather to Mette-Marit's son, Marius Borg Høiby.[19] The Skaugum Estate, situated in the area of Semsvannet, is their official residence.[20]

Activities

Haakon with then-Brazilian Vice President Michel Temer at the Itamaraty Palace in Brasília, Brazil, 16 November 2015.

From 25 November 2003 to 12 April 2004, Haakon was regent during the King's treatment for cancer and the subsequent convalescence period. Likewise, Haakon was regent from 29 March 2005 until the King had fully recovered from the heart surgery he underwent on 1 April. This period ended on 7 June. Haakon is serving as regent a third time since 3 March 2024 during the King's hospitalization due to an infection and pacemaker implantation surgery.[21][22]

In addition to his official duties, Haakon has a strong interest in cultural matters. He also has given patronage to a number of organisations. In 2006, Haakon was one of three founders of Global Dignity, alongside Pekka Himanen and John Hope Bryant.[23][24]

In 2003, the Crown Prince was appointed as Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).[23] In 2013, Crown Prince Haakon established the SIKT conference.[23] The Crown Prince attends the annual conference of the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO), and met the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) for an introduction in the Tripartite cooperation in 2016.[25]

Crown Prince Haakon was a member of the Young Global Leaders network from 2005 until 2010. From 2010 until 2017, the Crown Prince served as a member of the Young Global Leaders Foundation Board.[23]

Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit established The Crown Prince and Crown Princess's Foundation.[23] He is a patron of 4H Norge, ANSA, The Ibsen Stage Festival, Nordland Music Festival, and several other organizations.[26] In 2017, he became a patron of the Norwegian Refugee Council.[27]

In May 2022 Haakon joined an expedition from the University of Tromsø aimed at disseminating knowledge about polar history and the critical scientific research taking place in the Arctic for two weeks and crossed the Greenland ice sheet using a snowkite.[28][29]

In response to the 2022 Oslo shooting, Haakon told reporters, "We must protect the right in Norway to love whomever we want."[30]

Personal interests

Haakon was involved in several sports and seemed to take a particular liking to windsurfing and surfing, although he has not engaged in serious competitions. Haakon is known as a big music fan. When he was younger, he attended music festivals all over Europe, including the Roskilde Festival in Denmark and the Quart Festival in Kristiansand, Norway.

He has also been part of Olympics ceremonies. In 1994, the Crown Prince and his father played roles during the opening ceremony in Lillehammer: while the King declared the Games opened, the Crown Prince lit the cauldron, paying tribute to his father and grandfather having served as Olympians. In 2016, his daughter Princess Ingrid Alexandra did the same at the II Winter Youth Olympics, which was also held in Lillehammer. In 2010, Haakon attended the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

He accompanied the band Katzenjammer in their recording of the song "Vi tenner våre lykter" (i.e., 'We light our lanterns' for the 2011 Christmas-themed album of the same name). Proceeds benefited "Their Royal Highnesses The Crown Prince and Crown Princess funds."[31]

Titles, styles, honours and awards

Crown Prince Haakon in 2020. He is pictured wearing the formal ceremonial dress uniform of a full-ranking general in the Norwegian Army.

Titles

Arms

Honours and medals

See also: List of honours of the Norwegian royal family by country

National honours and medals

Foreign honours

Awards

See also

References

  1. ^ "The Royal Family". Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  2. ^ "The fairtytale bride and the first royal wedding of the 21st century". Royal Central. 25 August 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  3. ^ "Crown Prince Haakon | Biography & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  4. ^ Forr, Gudleiv; Allkunne (26 November 2021), "Haakon Magnus", Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian Bokmål), retrieved 25 January 2022
  5. ^ a b c "Haakon, thirty years as heir". Royal Central. 18 January 2021. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  6. ^ Ilse, Jess (19 September 2020). "The godparents of Europe's heirs". Royal Central. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  7. ^ His godparents were the King of Norway (his paternal grandfather); Princess Astrid, Mrs. Ferner (his paternal aunt); Prince Carl Bernadotte (his paternal granduncle); the King of Sweden (his paternal third cousin); the Queen of Denmark (his paternal second cousin once removed); and Princess Anne of the United Kingdom (his paternal third cousin).[6]
  8. ^ "A look at the Norwegian line of succession". Royal Central. 19 July 2019. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  9. ^ "Absolute primogeniture - How Sweden revolutionized the royal world". The Royal Pages. 13 December 2020. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  10. ^ Alliance, Sustainable Ocean. "HRH Crown Prince Haakon". www.soalliance.org. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  11. ^ "Crown Prince Breaks Tradition at Berkeley / Norway's royal son has enrolled at Cal". SFGate. Archived from the original on 25 December 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  12. ^ "Hans Kongelige Høyhet Kronprinsen utnevnes til admiral og general". 15 November 2013. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  13. ^ "Completed Army paratrooper course". Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  14. ^ a b "Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit's royal wedding". HELLO!. 15 March 2018. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  15. ^ a b c Hello profile of the Crown Princess Archived 12 June 2018 at the Wayback Machine[better source needed]
  16. ^ Abrams, Margaret (21 February 2018). "Meet Mette-Marit, the Crown Princess of Norway with a wild past that includes drug use and a controversial ex". Business Insider. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  17. ^ Osborn, Andrew (23 August 2001). "Norway's royal union causes an uncommon row". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  18. ^ "Crown Princess Mette-Marit | Norwegian princess". Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  19. ^ a b Hellomagazine.com (8 October 2009). "Prince Haakon. Biography, news, photos and videos". hellomagazine.com. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  20. ^ "The Royal House of Norway – Skaugum Estate". Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  21. ^ Crown Prince Haakon of Norway steps up as regent while King Harald prepares for surgery.
  22. ^ "Norway king returns home after Malaysia hospital admission". 3 March 2024. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  23. ^ a b c d e "His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon". Norwegian Royal House Official Website. Archived from the original on 24 August 2020. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  24. ^ "Our Story". Global Dignity. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  25. ^ "In focus: Trade, industry and innovation". Norwegian Royal House Official Website. Archived from the original on 27 August 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  26. ^ "Organisations under the patronage of The Crown Prince". Norwegian Royal House Official Website. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  27. ^ "Crown Prince becomes patron of the Norwegian Refugee Council". www.nrc.no. 1 March 2017. Archived from the original on 27 November 2021. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
  28. ^ "Crown Prince crosses the Greenland ice sheet". royalcourt.no. The Royal House of Norway. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  29. ^ Rød, Mathias Moene (7 June 2022). "Kitekongen over Grønland". NRK. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  30. ^ Solsvik, Terje; Fouche, Gwladys (25 June 2022). "Horror on Oslo Pride day as gunman goes on deadly rampage at gay bar". Reuters. Archived from the original on 25 June 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  31. ^ Katzenjammer – Vi tenner våre lykter Archived 15 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine, accessed 26 October 2012.
  32. ^ "Tildeling av Kong Harald Vs jubileumsmedalje 1991–2016". Kongehuset (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 25 January 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  33. ^ [1] Archived 12 January 2015 at the Wayback Machine – website typischich.at
  34. ^ "Reply to a parliamentary question about the Decoration of Honour" (PDF) (in German). p. 1811. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 October 2012.
  35. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "The Decorations of HRH The Crown Prince". The Royal House of Norway. 6 November 2019. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  36. ^ "Modtagere af danske dekorationer". Kongehuset (in Danish). 12 December 2017. Archived from the original on 12 May 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
  37. ^ Official website of the President of Estonia (Estonian)
    • Estonia: Member 1st Class of the ((Order of the White Star))
    Estonian State Decorations – Kroonprints Haakon Archived 4 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  38. ^ "Vabariigi President". www.president.ee. Archived from the original on 3 September 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
  39. ^ "Statsbesøk fra Island". Archived from the original on 26 March 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  40. ^ "Le onorificenze della Repubblica Italiana". www.quirinale.it. Archived from the original on 3 September 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
  41. ^ "Norwegian Crown Prince website". Archived from the original on 10 June 2011. Retrieved 31 August 2012.
  42. ^ vestnesis.lv. "Par Norvēģijas Karalistes pavalstnieku apbalvošanu… – Latvijas Vēstnesis". www.vestnesis.lv (in Latvian). Archived from the original on 3 September 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
  43. ^ vestnesis.lv. "Par Atzinības krusta piešķiršanu - Latvijas Vēstnesis". www.vestnesis.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 3 September 2019.
  44. ^ Lithuanian Presidency Archived 19 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Lithuanian Orders searching form
  45. ^ Photo Archived 26 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine of a State visit of Lithuania to Norway, March 2011
  46. ^ "Postanowienie Prezydenta Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej z dnia 15 września 2003 r. o nadaniu orderów". prawo.sejm.gov.pl. Archived from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
  47. ^ Alvará n.º 2/2004 Archived 6 May 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Diário da República n.º 77/2004, Série II de 2004-03-3. p.5092.
  48. ^ "Boletín Oficial del Estado" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 January 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
  49. ^ Crown Prince wins Pakistani prize Archived 2 November 2011 at the Wayback Machine – website Views and News from Norway

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway.
Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway House of GlücksburgBorn: 20 July 1973 Norwegian royalty Preceded byPrince Harald Crown Prince of Norway 1991–present IncumbentHeir:Princess Ingrid Alexandra Lines of succession FirstHeir apparent Succession to the Norwegian throne 1st position Succeeded byPrincess Ingrid Alexandra Olympic Games Preceded byAntonio Rebollo Final Olympic torchbearer Lillehammer 1994 Succeeded byMuhammad Ali Preceded byMichel Platini François-Cyrille Grange Final Winter Olympic torchbearer Lillehammer 1994 Succeeded byMidori Ito
Norwegian princes
Current heirs of sovereign monarchies
Authority control databases
Categories