Overview
- King Harald V died on Friday, Aug. 28, and his son Crown Prince Haakon immediately acceded to the throne as King Haakon VIII.
- Haakon formally swore an oath to uphold Norway's constitution in parliament on Tuesday, Sept. 1, marking the first institutional step of his reign.
- The late king's casket was moved to the palace chapel to lie in state for public viewing through Sept. 8 and a state funeral is scheduled for Sept. 9.
- Queen Mette-Marit, who received a lung transplant in June, joined the palace procession but missed the parliamentary oath because doctors said she needed observation for post‑operative complications.
- Prosecutors have allowed Marius Borg Høiby to leave house arrest to take part in funeral events despite his conviction on two rape counts and an ongoing appeal, a decision that has drawn public criticism even as a Norstat poll shows about 72 percent of Norwegians now support the monarchy.