Norway king’s funeral opens uncertain chapter for monarchy

Norway’s “grandfather” King Harald V was laid to rest at a funeral with A-list attendees. Now his son Haakon embarks on a mission to pull up the royal image from a hole of scandals.(CN) — A brief moment of silence wrapped Norway’s Oslo Cathedral as citizens uttered a last goodbye to their beloved late King Harald V at his funeral Wednesday, which saw participants representing monarchies and nations from around the globe.Guests included members of the royal house, several Norwegian government officials, British throne heir Prince William, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the controversial stepson of the recently ascended King Haakon, Marius Borg Høiby, who is wearing an electronic ankle bracelet while awaiting an appeal case.After much speculation about whether U.S. President Donald Trump would attend the ceremony, his absence eventually became clear after announcing participation in a Republican midterm convention in Texas, starting Wednesday.Thousands of locals flocked to Oslo’s streets in hopes of catching a glimpse of King Harald’s casket on a one-hour stroll from the royal palace to a ceremony in the cathedral, closely followed by his family on foot at noon. His final resting place is in a crypt in Akershus Palace Chapel.King Harald died from a blood infection in late August at age 89. For over a week, the royal palace was surrounded by queues as the public had the opportunity to visit the late king’s casket, who was a popular figurehead.“We are deeply grateful. For 35 years with King Harald as king of Norway. And most of all for the way he was. He made the solemnity human,” said Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre in his cathedral speech.While not holding any formal political power, the monarchy holds weight among the Norwegian public.Loved for his inclusive stance on marginalized communities and often described as “grandfather” and the “People’s king” of the nation, Harald could enjoy approval ratings reaching over 90%, even exceeding ratings supporting the monarchical system itself.“When we rejoiced, he rejoiced with us, with laughter and a twinkle in his eye. And when grief struck after July 22, he mourned with us,” said Støre, referring to the date of the deadliest terror attack in Norwegian modern history, when a far-right extremist killed 77 people in 2011.Norway's Crown Prince Haakon and his wife Crown Princess Mette-Marit arrive at the Monaco palace for the religious wedding ceremony of Prince Albert II of Monaco and Charlene Princess of Monaco, Saturday, July 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler, Pool)The Norwegian flag swayed on half-staff for the majority of Wednesday and was raised fully by the end of the afternoon, as Haakon VIII, a UC Berkeley graduate, now leads his royal institution into a new chapter amid a line of scandals that have tainted the royal family’s image in the past years.Haakon has hit approval ratings just shy of 80%, and the monarchical system has a decent support rate of 72%, according to Norstat. That is an 8% increase since May. Just 60% supported the Norwegian monarchy earlier this year.“The Royal House is a nation-gathering institution, which, no matter the occasion, has a special ability to unify the people. The sorrow of King Harald’s death is not only tied to the loss of the most important figure of the royal house, but also the history, traditions and symbols that the royal institution represents,” said Jannek K. Sommer, lecturer with a specialty in royal branding at the University of Southern Denmark, in an email to Courthouse News.Haakon’s wife, the now Queen Mette-Marit, is far from reaching similar approval ratings. A recent opinion poll shows close to 38% deem the queen not suitable for the position.Her exposed friendship with the dead convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein, shocked Norway earlier this year.Another serious storm sweeping the Norwegian Royal House includes Queen Mette-Marit’s first child from a previous relationship.In June, Oslo District Court found Haakon’s stepson, Marius Borg Høiby, guilty of multiple offenses, including two counts of rape, domestic violence and drug possession. He has appealed a sentence of four years in prison and is currently held in custody under house arrest. He received permission from authorities to attend Harald’s funeral.While not bearing any right to the Norwegian throne or any official title, the troubled son’s demeanor still affects the royal institution’s image. Haakon has already appealed for his stepson’s case to be treated on equal terms as every other Norwegian citizen.At the same time, the new king has highlighted the importance of his entire family standing together in challenging times.Including Høiby in Harald’s funeral and letting him carry the late king’s casket signals that Haakon still includes him in the family. It’s a communicative dare, said Sommer.“A generational shift can provide an opportunity for new storytelling and a new form of legitimacy. But it relies first and foremost on peace around the institution, and without new serious cases that could undermine trust,” he said.Courthouse News correspondent Lasse Sørensen is based in Copenhagen, Denmark.Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads