Viking Magazine - April 2021 - 29

strong commitment to each other, the
couple succeeded in remaining together,
marrying on August 29, 1968 after
nine years of dating. They went on
to have two children, Märtha Louise
and Haakon Magnus, and on January
17, 1991, the pair were given the
titles of King and Queen-ultimately
overcoming their challenges and setting
a new precedent.
4
PRINCE HAAKON AND
PRINCESS METTE-MARIT
The newest royal couple,
Crown Prince Haakon and Crown
Princess Mette-Marit were both born
in 1973. Prince Haakon is the son of
King Harald V and Queen Sonja, and
is the heir to Norway's throne. The pair
met through mutual friends in 1999
and were later married in 2001 at Oslo
Cathedral. They then had two children
together.
Similar to Prince Haakon's parents,
this couple dealt with considerable
controversy leading up to their marriage.
Like Queen Sonja, Princess MetteMarit
was not born a royal. As a single
mother who hadn't finished college, she
initially faced substantial criticism for
not meeting traditional expectations.
In response the gossip and negative
narrative placed on her, Mette-Marit
made a public statement to the press
prior to the wedding, addressing what
some considered to be a controversial
past. She went on to become an accepted
and well-loved member of the royal
family, with her unconventional past no
longer the center of attention.
Over the years, the couple has made
a positive impact on the country,
demonstrating an ongoing commitment
to environmental causes. Princess
Mette-Marit is the head of the internal
environmental committee for the Royal
Court, where she is particularly invested
in saving the oceans to protect marine
life, and has participated in a number
of beach clean-ups. Prince Haakon is
dedicated to the same cause; in 2019,
he gave a speech hosted by the World
Wide Fund for Nature, emphasizing
the importance of remembering the
connectedness between humans and
nature. Today, the couple continues
to advocate for causes like combating
climate change.
Succession
to the
Throne
Norway's current line of
succession adheres to
Article 6 of the country's
constitution, which requires
a lineal order. This includes
children born lawfully to the
married Queen and King,
or those born to someone
who is in a line of succession.
The nearest line and eldest
individuals take precedence
in order over individuals who
are younger and in a more
remote line to the throne.
The current line of succession
is as follows:
1. His Royal Highness Crown
Prince Haakon
2. Her Royal Highness
Princess Ingrid Alexandra
3. His Highness Prince Sverre
Magnus
4. Her Highness Princess
Märtha Louise
5. Miss Maud Angelica Behn
6. Miss Leah Isadora Behn
7. Miss Emma Tallulah Behn
Clockwise from top left: Crown
Prince Haakon and Crown Princess
Mette-Marit on their wedding day,
2001; Crown Prince Haakon and
Crown Princess Mette-Marit surf
with their children, 2017; The royal
family takes a walk in the woods,
1993; Crown Prince Harald and
Crown Princess Sonja, 1968.
sonsofnorway.com VIKING APRIL 2021 29
PHOTOS BY (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT): JULIAN PARKER / GETTY IMAGES, FJORDLAPSE PHOTOGRAPHY / ROYAL COURT, KNUT FALCH / NTB, KEYSTONE-FRANCE / GAMMA-RAPHO / GETTY IMAGES

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Viking Magazine - April 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Viking Magazine - April 2021