Harald V
Harald V | |
---|---|
King of Norway | |
Reign | 17 January 1991 – present |
Benediction | 23 June 1991[a] |
Predecessor | Olav V |
Heir apparent | Haakon |
Prime ministers | |
Born | Skaugum, Akershus, Norway | 21 February 1937
Spouse |
Märtha of Sweden |
Religion | Church of Norway |
Signature |
Norwegian royal family |
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|
* Member of the Norwegian Royal House |
Harald V (
Harald was the third child and only son of
Following the death of his grandfather
Early life and education
Birth
Prince Harald was born at the
At the time of Harald's birth, he was second in line of
Second World War
In 1940 the entire royal family had to flee Oslo because of the German invasion. It was deemed safer for the family to split up. The King and Crown Prince Olav would remain in Norway and the Crown Princess was to make her way to Sweden with the three children. The latter party reached Sweden on the night of 10 April, but although Crown Princess Märtha was Swedish-born, they encountered problems at the border station. According to Princess Astrid and others who were present, they were admitted only after the driver threatened to ram the border gate. Another account does not describe the escape so dramatically.[3] However, when the King and Crown Prince inquired of Swedish foreign minister Christian Günther whether they could sleep one night in Sweden without being interned, their request was refused.[3]
Harald spent the following days in
Harald, his mother, and his sisters lived in Washington, D.C. during the war,[5] while his father, Crown Prince Olav, and his grandfather, King Haakon, stayed in London with the Norwegian government-in-exile. One of the notable events he remembers from that time is standing behind Franklin D. Roosevelt when he was sworn in for his fourth term on the South Portico of the White House in 1945. Such childhood experiences are reflected in a trace of an American accent when he speaks English.[6] The Doris Kearns Goodwin book No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt and the Home Front in World War II contains a picture of the King (then Prince) playing with FDR's dog, Fala, on the North Lawn of the White House in 1944.
Harald visited Norwegian servicemen training in the United States. The prince also made visits outside America, travelling north to visit Norwegian personnel at the training base "Little Norway" in Ontario, Canada. He attended The White Hall Country School from 1943. Prince Harald returned to Norway with his family at the war's end in 1945.
Return
In the autumn of 1945 he was enrolled in third grade of Smestad skole as the first member of the royal family to attend a public (state) school.
In 1951 he lost his maternal grandfather, Prince Carl, Duke of Västergötland.
His
Amidst this when he was only 17 years old in 1954, his mother died of cancer. The Crown Princess's death was a tremendous loss for him and his family as well as for Norway,[7] and he named his daughter Märtha to honour her memory. Four years later in 1958 he would lose his maternal grandmother, Princess Ingeborg of Denmark.
Crown Prince
In 1955 he graduated from
In 1960, Harald entered
Marriage
Harald married
Reign
On the death of his father on 17 January 1991, Harald
The reign of King Harald has been marked by modernization and reform for the
Constitutional role
While the Constitution vests the King with executive power, he is not politically responsible for exercising it. This is in accordance not only with provisions of the Constitution, but with conventions established since the definitive establishment of parliamentary rule in Norway in 1884. His acts are not valid without the countersignature of a member of the Council of State (cabinet)–usually the Prime Minister–and proceedings of the Council of State are signed by all of its members. Although he nominally has the power of veto, no Norwegian king has exercised it since the dissolution of the union with Sweden in 1905. Even then, the King's veto power is suspensive, not absolute as is the case with British monarchs. A royal veto can be overridden if the Storting passes the same bill following a general election.
While the Constitution nominally vests the King with the power to appoint the government, in practice it is impossible for a King to keep a government in office against the will of
The King meets with the Council of State at the
Until 2012, the King of Norway was, according to the constitution, the formal head of the Church of Norway. The constitutional amendment of 21 May 2012 made the King no longer the formal head, but he is still required to be of the Evangelical Lutheran religion.
On 8 May 2018, the King's
Sporting role
In 1994, both the King and Crown Prince Haakon played roles during the opening ceremony of the
With his sailing crew he won World Championship bronze, silver and gold medals, in 1988, 1982 and 1987, respectively. In July 2005, the King and his crew aboard the royal sailboat Fram XV won the gold medal at the European Championships in Sweden. In the 2007 World Championship the King came in sixth place.[17]
Recent years
King Harald's leadership during Norwegian national crises, such as the
In 2015, he became the world's first reigning monarch to visit Antarctica, specifically the Norwegian dependency Queen Maud Land.[22] In 2016, King Harald V competed with a team for the sailing World Championships on Lake Ontario, Toronto. The king came second in the classic fleet category.[23] He was dubbed "Sailor-King" by Canada's National Post as he slept on board his yacht Sira.[24]
In 2016 Harald, in a speech marking 25 years on the throne, sought to unify Norwegians coming from Afghanistan and Pakistan as well as "girls who love girls, boys who love boys and girls and boys who love each other."[25]
Since the start of the twenty-first century, King Harald has been unable to perform his duties as sovereign due to ill health on a few occasions: from December 2003 to mid-April 2004 due to urinary
When the King and Queen turned 80 years old in 2017, the King decided to open the former royal stables to the public as a gift to his wife, the Queen. The new venue was named The Queen Sonja Art Stable and is the first institution owned by the royal family which is permanently open to the public.[27] King Harald was made Name of the Year by the newspaper VG in 2017.[28]
On 17 January 2021, King Harald celebrated 30 years on the throne of Norway.[29] On 11 September 2022, King Harald visited Denmark to celebrate Margrethe II's Golden Jubilee.[30] Harald was hospitalized in August 2022 with a fever, being again admitted to hospital that December for an infection. He was also hospitalized in May 2023 just before Constitution Day. On 15 September 2023 he also attended the celebrations of Carl XVI Gustaf's Golden Jubilee in Stockholm, Sweden. In October 2023, Harald tested positive for coronavirus, having previously tested positive for the disease in March 2022.[31] Since the death of Elizabeth II in 2022, Harald is Europe's oldest hereditary reigning monarch, at the age of 87.[32]
On 31 January 2024, the royal palace announced that King Harald was on "sick leave" until 2 February due to a respiratory infection.
Titles, styles, and arms
Titles
- 21 February 1937 – 21 September 1957: His Royal Highness Prince Harald of Norway
- 21 September 1957 – 17 January 1991: His Royal Highness The Crown Prince of Norway
- Since 17 January 1991: His Majesty The King of Norway
Arms
-
Royal monogram
Honours and medals
The King is a
National honours and medals
The King is Grand Master of
Medal record | ||
---|---|---|
Sailing | ||
World Championships | ||
1987 World Championship | Sailing | |
1982 World Championship | Sailing | |
1988 World Championship | Sailing | |
European Championships | ||
2005 European Championship | Sailing |
- the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav°
- the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit– Grand Cross°
- St Olav's medal°
- Norway – Defence Service Medal with Laurel Branch°
- Norway – Royal House Centennial Medal°
- Norway – King Haakon VII Commemorative Medal 1. October 1957°
- Norway – King Haakon VII 1905–1955 Jubilee Medal°
- Norway – Haakon VIIs Centenary Medal°
- Norway – Olav Vs Commemorative Medal of 30. January 1991°
- Norway – Olav Vs Jubilee Medal°
- Norway – Olav Vs Centenary Medal°
- Norway – Defence Service Medal with three stars°
- Norway – Army National Service Medal with three stars°
- Norway – Krigsdeltakerforbundet Badge of Honour°
- Norway – Norwegian Red Cross Badge of Honour°
- Norway – Norwegian Reserve Officers Federal Badge of Honour°
- Norway – The Naval Society Medal of Merit in gold°
- Norway – Norwegian Shooting Society Badge of Honour°
- Norway – The Norwegian Confederation of Sports Centenary Medal°
- Norway – Norwegian Shooting Society Commemorative Medal in gold°
- Norway – Oslo Military Society Badge of Honour in Gold°
Foreign honours
In the
Northern European countries
- Iceland – Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Falcon °
- Sweden – Knight with Collar of the Order of the Seraphim °
- Sweden – Gustaf Vs 90th Anniversary Medal °
- Sweden – HM King Carl XVI Gustaf 50th Anniversary Medal
- Denmark – Knight with Collar of the Order of the Elephant °
- Denmark – Grand Commander of the Order of the Dannebrog °
- Finland – Commander Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the White Rose of Finland °
- Estonia – Collar of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana °
- Estonia – Collar of the Order of the White Star
- Latvia – Commander Grand Cross with Chain of the Order of the Three Stars °
- Latvia – Grand Cross of the Order of Viesturs °
- Lithuania – Grand Cross (1998) with Golden Chain (2011) of the Order of Vytautas the Great °[43]
- United Kingdom – Recipient of the Royal Victorian Chain (1994) °
- United Kingdom – Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (1955) °
- United Kingdom – Stranger Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter (990th member; 2001) °
- United Kingdom – Honorary Freeman of Newcastle upon Tyne[44][45] (November 2008)
Other countries
- Argentina – Collar of the Order of the Liberator General San Martín
- Austria – Grand Star of the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria (1964) °[46]
- Belgium – Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold °
- Brazil – Grand Collar of the Order of the Southern Cross °
- Order of the Balkan Mountains°
- Chile – Collar of the Order of Merit °
- Croatia – Grand Order of King Tomislav °
- Grand Cross of the Légion d'honneur°
- Germany – Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany °
- Greece – Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer °
- Greece – The Royal House of Greece Centenary Medal °
- Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary°
- IOC – The Golden Olympic order°
- Italy – Knight Grand Cross (06/1965) with Collar (10/2001) of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic °[47]
- Japan – Grand Cordon with Collar of the Order of the Chrysanthemum °
- Order of al-Hussein bin Ali°
- Order of the Yugoslav Great Star°
- Order of Adolph of Nassau°
- Luxembourg – Knight of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau °
- Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte°
- Netherlands – Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion °
- Netherlands – Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown °
- Netherlands – Commander of the Order of the Golden Ark °
- Netherlands – Medal to commemorate the enthronement of Queen Beatrix °
- Poland – Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the White Eagle °
- Portugal – Grand Cross of the Military Order of Aviz (05/11/1980) °[48]
- Order of Infante Dom Henrique (13 February 2004) °[48]
- Order of St. James of the Sword (26 May 2008) °[48]
- Romania – Sash Rank of the Order of the Star of Romania °
- Slovakia – Grand Cross (or 1st Class) of the Order of the White Double Cross (2010) °[49]
- Decoration for Exceptional Merits(2011) °
- Spain – 1,192nd Knight and Collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece (21 April 1995) °[50]
- Spain – Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III (12/04/1982) °[51]
- Spain – Collar of the Order of Charles III (30 June 2006) °[52]
- South Africa – Grand Cross of the Order of Good Hope °
- South Korea – Recipient of the Grand Order of Mugunghwa °
- Thailand – Knight of the Order of the Royal House of Chakri (19 September 1960) °[53]
- Thailand – Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of the Order of Chula Chom Klao °
- Order of the State of Republic of Turkey°
The mark ° shows honours mentioned on his official website page about decorations
Miscellaneous honours
Harald V received an honorary degree of Doctor of Civil Law from Oxford University in 2006 (as did his father, King Olav, in 1937, and his grandfather, King Haakon, in 1943).[54] The King also received honorary doctorates from Heriot-Watt University in Scotland in 1994,[55] the University of Strathclyde in Scotland in 1985, Waseda University in Japan in 2001, and Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington, in 2015.[56] He is also an honorary fellow at Balliol College, Oxford.
- Ireland – Freedom of the City of Cork
- Spirit of Luther Award, awarded by Decorah, IA
- A 230,000 km2 area in Antarctica is named Prince Harald Coast in his honour.
- In 2007 King Harald was awarded the Queen Sonja.
- Portugal – Key of Honor to the City of Lisbon, on 28 May 2008[57]
- In 2013, a 6,500 km2 area in Svalbard was named Harald V Land.[58]
Issue
Name | Birth | Marriage | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Date | Spouse | Issue | ||
Princess Märtha Louise
|
22 September 1971 | 24 May 2002 | Ari Behn (divorced 2017) |
|
Crown Prince Haakon Magnus
|
20 July 1973 | 25 August 2001 | Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby
|
|
Notes
- ^ Coronation requirement discarded by constitutional amendment in 1908. Harald V swore the Royal Oath in the Storting on 21 January 1991 and received the benediction in the Nidaros Cathedral on 23 June 1991.
References
- ^ "The Royal Family". Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
- ^ Berulfsen, Bjarne (1969). Norsk Uttaleordbok (in Norwegian). Oslo: H. Aschehoug & Co (W Nygaard). pp. 64, 91, 129.
- ^ a b c d Hegge, Per Egil; Harald V, En biografi; N.W. Damm & Søn AS; 2006.
- ^ "Kidnapper Foiled?". Time. 2 September 1940. Archived from the original on 2 February 2009. Retrieved 17 January 2009.
- ^ "Non-Political Campaign". Time. 9 September 1940. p. 2. Archived from the original on 3 February 2009. Retrieved 17 January 2009.
- ^ a b c "Those Apprentice Kings and Queens Who May – One Day – Ascend a Throne", Archived 14 August 2018 at the Wayback Machine The New York Times. 14 November 1971.
- ^ "Crown Princess Märtha (1901–1954)". Norwegian Royal House. Archived from the original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
- ^ "Victory by Design". Time. 27 September 1963. p. 1. Archived from the original on 22 December 2008. Retrieved 17 January 2009.
- ^ "People: Jun. 26, 1964". Time. 26 June 1964. p. 2. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
- ^ "The Consecration of King Harald and Queen Sonja". www.kongehuset.no (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 28 December 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
- ^ NRK. "– Å si at vi ikke er åpne, er rett og slett feil". NRK (in Norwegian Bokmål). Archived from the original on 3 April 2016. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
- ^ "Stanghelle: "Kong Harald står frem som mannen som forstår sin egen tid"". Aftenposten. Archived from the original on 29 December 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
- ^ "The Royal Palace is open to the public". www.royalcourt.no. Archived from the original on 29 December 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
- ^ Totl, Kjell Arne (19 July 2015). "Kongehusekspert Kjell Arne Totland skriver: Gi kongeparet et permanent slottsmuseum". Aftenposten (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 27 December 2018.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Moxnes, Agnes (27 December 2018). "På tide med et slottsmuseum". NRK (in Norwegian Bokmål). Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
- NTB. 7 May 2018. Archivedfrom the original on 14 May 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
- ^ Sandefjords Blad on the King's performance in the World Championship (in Norwegian) Retrieved 10 September 2007. [dead link]
- from the original on 20 August 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
- ^ Rising, Malin (21 August 2011). "Norway remembers 77 killed in massacre". MSNBC. Archived from the original on 30 August 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
- ^ "Kongen om terrorangrepet: – Våre tanker går til ofrene". VG (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 25 January 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
- ^ Nyfløt, Hilda (21 August 2011). "- Hans aller beste tale". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 21 October 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
- ^ "King Harald visits Antarctic namesake". The Local. 11 February 2015. Archived from the original on 15 February 2015. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
"Sun shines for king in Antarctica". newsinenglish.no. 11 February 2015. Archived from the original on 14 February 2015. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
"King Harald begins Antarctic visit". The Norway Post. NRK/Aftenposten. 11 February 2015. Archived from the original on 15 February 2015. Retrieved 15 February 2015. - ^ "North American Eight Metre Association" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 August 2017.
- ^ "Norway's sailor king: Why Harald V has been sleeping on a yacht moored on Toronto's waterfront". National Post. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
- ^ "The king's speech struck a chord". 2 September 2016. Archived from the original on 7 August 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
- ^ "Det 165. storting er åpnet". www.stortinget.no (in Norwegian). 12 October 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
- ^ "The Art Stable is open". www.royalcourt.no. Archived from the original on 29 December 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
- ^ "Kongebiograf: Kong Harald blir mer populær jo eldre han blir" (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 21 February 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
- ^ "King and Queen for 30 years". Archived from the original on 1 July 2021. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
- ^ "50 år på den danske tronen" (in Norwegian). The Royal House of Norway. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
- ^ "Norway's 86-year-old king tests positive for COVID-19 and has mild symptoms". Associated Press. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
- ^ "King of Norway has pacemaker fitted after falling ill on holiday". Sky News. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
- ^ "Norway's aging king, Harald V, is on sick leave because of a respiratory infection". Associated Press. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
- ^ "Scandinavian Airlines medevac plane lands in Malaysian island where Norwegian king is hospitalized". Associated Press. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
- ^ "Norway's king has pacemaker implanted in Malaysia after falling ill on holiday". Reuters. 2 March 2024. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
- ^ "Norway king returns home after Malaysia hospital admission". BBC. 3 March 2024. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
- ^ "Norway's king to receive permanent pacemaker for his heart". Reuters. 4 March 2024. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
- ^ "Europe's oldest monarch, the ailing King Harald V of Norway, gets a permanent pacemaker". Associated Press. 12 March 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
- ^ "Norway's King Harald has been discharged from hospital after getting pacemaker". GMA News. 14 March 2024. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
- ^ "No. 53724". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 July 1994. p. 9604.
- ^ "No. 52834". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 February 1992. p. 2582.
- ^ "No. 48634". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 June 1981. p. 7795.
- ^ Lithuanian Presidency Archived 19 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Lithuanian Orders searching form
- Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Archived from the originalon 12 February 2009. Retrieved 18 December 2008.
- Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation. Norway Post. Retrieved 14 November 2008. [dead link]
- ^ "Reply to a parliamentary question" (PDF) (in German). p. 170. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 May 2020. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
- ^ Italian Presidency website, decorations – Harald V : Grand Cross Archived 28 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine – Collar Archived 28 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b c Portuguese presidential website, Orders search form Archived 8 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Slovak republic website, State honours Archived 13 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine : 1st Class received in 2010 (click on "Holders of the Order of the 1st Class White Double Cross" to see the holders' table)
- ^ "Boletín Oficial del Estado" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 April 2014. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
- ^ "Boletín Oficial del Estado" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 January 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
- ^ "Boletín Oficial del Estado" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
- Royal Thai Government Gazette (28 December 1960). แจ้งความสำนักนายกรัฐมนตรี เรื่อง พระราชทานเครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์ (PDF) (in Thai). Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 October 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2019.)
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(help - ^ "Her blir Kong Harald æresdoktor i Oxford" [Here King Harald becomes an honorary doctor in Oxford]. Verdens Gang (in Norwegian). Oslo. 16 November 2006. Archived from the original on 16 October 2007.
- ^ "Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh: Honorary Graduates". Heriot-Watt University. Archived from the original on 18 April 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
- ^ "Honorary Degrees" (PDF). Pacific Lutheran University. p. 7. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 October 2019. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- ^ "State Visit continues". The Royal House of Norway. Archived from the original on 16 March 2014. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
- ^ "New land area named after King Harald". The Norway Post. NRK. 23 September 2013. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
External links
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Official website of the Norwegian Royal Family: biography of the King
- Summary biography of the King
- The Royals – Regularly updated news coverage of the Norwegian royal family (Aftenposten)
- The Royal Norwegian Order of St Olav
- The Royal Norwegian Order of St Olav – H.M. King Harald V the Grand Master of the Order
- His Majesty The King's Life Guard (in Norwegian)
- King Harald V of Norway at World Sailing
- Crown Prince Harald at Olympedia