Norway's New King Swears In — But the Queen Misses the Moment

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Royals (1 / 1) 01.09.2026 23:07 / Olga

A quiet, emotional shift in Norway's monarchy played out in Oslo when the new king took his constitutional oath — yet the queen was absent from the ceremony. Read on to discover the full story!

A solemn oath at the Storting

On Sept. 1, four days after King Harald's death, Crown Prince Haakon formally swore allegiance to the constitution before the Storting. The oath, part of Norway's constitution since 1814, followed his automatic accession after his father's passing. He was joined by his eldest child, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra (22), his son Prince Sverre Magnus (20), and his mother, Queen Sonja (89).

Why Queen Mette-Marit was absent

Palace officials announced only hours before the ceremony that Queen Mette-Marit would not attend. A pulmonologist at the National Hospital said she experienced complications related to the lung transplant she underwent in June and needed observation throughout the day. The queen, diagnosed with chronic pulmonary fibrosis in 2018, had required supplemental oxygen before the transplant.