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Norway has entered a new historic era. Crown Prince Haakon, 53, has officially ascended the throne as King Haakon VIII following the death of his father, King Harald V.

Harald, 89, Europe’s oldest reigning monarch and a distant cousin of Britain’s King Charles III, died peacefully at Oslo University Hospital on Friday morning after being admitted with a rare blood disorder, The Post reports.

Haakon, however, is taking the crown at a challenging moment for the Norwegian monarchy, as the royal family struggles to recover from a series of damaging scandals surrounding the new queen, Mette-Marit, and her eldest son.

A Difficult Legacy: Scandals Surrounding the Family

The new king will face the task of rebuilding the monarchy’s reputation amid two major controversies:

The Marius Borg Høiby case. Queen Mette-Marit’s eldest son from a previous relationship, who is not in the line of succession, was sentenced to four years in prison in June after being convicted of rape. Prosecutors had investigated four incidents involving women who were considered vulnerable between 2018 and 2024, with the court finding him guilty in two of the cases.

The Jeffrey Epstein files. Queen Mette-Marit herself was drawn into controversy after the release of previously secret U.S. Justice Department documents revealed communications between her and the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The correspondence showed that in 2012, Epstein cynically approached the then crown princess for help arranging introductions to “Scandinavian girls,” claiming that he was “looking for a wife.” Mette-Marit responded in a lighthearted tone, telling him that the financier “always makes her smile” and “tickles her brain.”

In March, Mette-Marit publicly admitted to Norwegian broadcaster NRK that she had been “manipulated” and “deceived” by Epstein, describing her contact with him as “simply shameful.”

Haakon has shown unwavering support for his wife, saying in an interview that marriage means being there “for the good days and the bad days” and that Mette-Marit remains his steadfast source of support.

In June, the crown princess also underwent a complex lung transplant operation amid her battle with a rare form of pulmonary fibrosis.

Haakon’s Path to the Throne and the Future of the Dynasty

Haakon was born on July 20, 1973. Under the male-preference primogeniture system that was in effect at the time, he became heir apparent in 1991 following the death of his grandfather, King Olav V. Although Norway later amended its constitution to establish absolute primogeniture, giving succession rights to the eldest child regardless of gender, Haakon’s position was not changed.

His 22-year-old daughter, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, is now the direct heir to the Norwegian throne. She is expected to become Norway’s first reigning queen since Queen Margaret, who ruled the Kalmar Union in the 14th and 15th centuries.

Unlike Britain, Norway does not hold elaborate coronation ceremonies. Haakon will take the traditional oath of office before the Norwegian parliament, the Storting, in the coming days, while the crown itself will simply be placed on public display at Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim.

King Harald V’s state funeral will be held at Oslo Cathedral, where he will be laid to rest alongside his ancestors — his parents and grandparents.

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