The Princess Royal holds a personal connection to Norway’s new monarch, King Haakon VIII, as one of his godmothers.
Haakon ascended to the Norwegian throne earlier today after his father, King Harald, died as dawn broke on August 28.
Within hours of the late king’s death, the new sovereign made his way to the Royal Palace in Oslo, where he convened the Council of State.
There, in the presence of Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, he formally announced King Harald’s death and confirmed that he would reign as Haakon VIII.
The Princess Royal holds a personal connection to Norway’s new monarch, King Haakon VIII, as one of his godmothers
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His daughter, now bearing the title Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, accompanied him for the historic occasion.
Anne’s role as godmother represents the close bond linking the British and Norwegian royal houses.
The future king was christened on September 20, 1973 at the chapel within Oslo’s Royal Palace, not long after his birth. At that stage, he stood second in the line of succession, behind his father, then Crown Prince Harald.
Among his godparents were his grandfather, the reigning King Olav V, and his father’s sister, Princess Astrid of Norway. Queen Margrethe of Denmark, a fellow relation, also took on the role.
Princess Anne pictured with Norway’s new king and queen in 2005
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Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf, who had only recently acceded to the throne, served as a godfather alongside Prince Carl Bernadotte.
Princess Anne, who was preparing for her own wedding later that year, was not present at the ceremony itself. She did, however, attend Haakon’s confirmation in later years.
The intertwined history of the two Royal Families stretches back over a century. King Haakon VII, after whom the new monarch is partly named, was married to Maud, the youngest daughter of King Edward VII.
Their sole child, the future King Olav V, was actually born on English soil, as Haakon VII did not assume the Norwegian crown until 1905, when the boy was two.
King Harald attending Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in 2022 | PA
Norway had separated from Sweden, and Haakon agreed to take the throne only after a referendum confirmed it was the people’s wish.
Queen Elizabeth II was particularly fond of her Norwegian kinsman, who had been born Carl of Denmark and was affectionately known within the family as “uncle Charlie.”
So deep was her admiration that she chose the name Charles for her eldest son in his honour, the very son who now reigns as King Charles III.
King Charles responded to Harald’s death with a heartfelt message, praising the late Norwegian monarch for his dedication to duty and service.
The two kings shared a close personal friendship, and it is understood that Charles has been profoundly affected by the loss.
The naming of the new Norwegian king carries a pleasing symmetry; Haakon Magnus received his first name in tribute to his great-grandfather, King Haakon VII, while Magnus honours a celebrated Norwegian saint.
That same Haakon VII inspired Queen Elizabeth to name her own firstborn, meaning both reigning monarchs now owe their names, in different ways, to the same historical figure.
Norway has entered a period of national mourning following King Harald’s death, as the country prepares to rally behind its new sovereign.