Monarchy of Norway

The monarchy of Norway is the system used in Norway by which a hereditary monarch reigns as head of state under a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system. The Norwegian monarchy can trace its line back to the reign of Harald Fairhair and the previous petty kingdoms which were united to form Norway; it has been in unions with both Sweden and Denmark for long periods.

The present monarch is King Harald V, who has reigned since 17 January 1991, succeeding his father, Olav V. The heir apparent is his only son, Crown Prince Haakon. The crown prince undertakes various public ceremonial functions, as does the king's wife, Queen Sonja. The crown prince also acts as regent in the king's absence.

Whilst the Constitution of Norway grants important executive powers to the King, these are almost always exercised by the Council of State in the name of the King (King's Council, or cabinet). The King does not, by convention, have direct participation in government. He ratifies laws and royal resolutions, receives and sends envoys from and to foreign countries, and hosts state visits. He has a more tangible influence as the symbol of national unity. The King is also Supreme Commander of the Norwegian Armed Forces and Grand Master of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav and of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit.

History

Main article: History of the Norwegian monarchy

The role of the King of Norway has existed since Norway was united in 872. While Norway has always been a kingdom where the throne passes from one family member to another, there have been times when the people of Norway chose their king. This made the Norwegian monarchy special because the king was elected by the people and regularly confirmed by them.

Before the Viking Age, Norway was made up of smaller kingdoms. The first king of a united Norway was Harald Fairhair, who brought these smaller kingdoms together in 872. Later kings expanded Norway’s lands to include areas now part of other countries. During the Middle Ages, Norway was at its biggest, with lands including parts of modern-day Sweden, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, and more.

Over time, Norway entered unions with Denmark and later Sweden. During these periods, Norwegian kings often lived far away, making it hard to govern Norway directly. Norway gained full independence in 1814 after a war with Sweden, and later became a constitutional monarchy where the king’s powers are limited by law. The current king, Harald V, has been Norway’s monarch since 1991.

Constitutional and official role

The 1814 constitution gives the King of Norway important powers, but these are usually used by the Council of State in the King's name.

The King has special protection under the law. Article 5 says the King's person is safe from being blamed or accused, and the responsibility lies with the Council instead. This means the King cannot be taken to court for actions, though this special status changed in 2018.

The Council of State includes the King, the prime minister, and other members chosen by the King based on the prime minister's advice. The Council meets regularly, usually on Fridays, and the King leads these meetings. The King must sign all laws for them to become official, but if the Storting approves a law twice, it can become law without the King's approval. The King also has the power to forgive criminals after they have been sentenced, though this is usually handled by the Ministry of Justice.

The King is also the head of the Church of Norway, which is the country's main Christian church, though it has been self-governing since 2012. The King must belong to this church by law.

The King is also the top leader of Norway's military forces, though real control of the military is held by the elected government. Kings of Norway often have military training before becoming King. During World War II, King Haakon VII played an important role in decisions about Norway's safety.

Coronation

In Norway, kings used to have special ceremonies to show they would follow the country's laws. The first ceremony happened in Bergen in 1163 or 1164. Over time, kings had both ceremonies where nobles and church leaders showed support. The last old ceremony was in 1648, and the last big church ceremony was in 1514.

Today, when a new king starts, they make a promise in front of the government. This promise is to follow Norway’s rules. In 1957, King Olav V started a simpler blessing ceremony in a church in Trondheim, and King Harald V and Queen Sonja also had this blessing in 1991.

Succession

Main article: Line of succession to the Norwegian throne

The way to become the next king or queen of Norway changed in 1990. Now, the closest child of the current monarch, whether a son or daughter, can inherit the throne. Only family members of the current monarch can become the next ruler. If there are no more family members left, the people of Norway can choose a new king or queen.

Finances

The King, Queen, Crown Prince, and Crown Princess do not pay taxes, and their personal finances are not shared with the public. Other royal family members lose this privilege when they marry. It is thought that only the King has a personal fortune that is quite large.

Royal farms create some money, but this money is always used again to take care of the farms. In the Norwegian state budget of 2010, 142.5 million Norwegian kroner was given to the Royal Household. An extra 16.5 million was given to the monarchs as appanage, and 20.9 million was set aside for fixing up royal property. In 2010, it was said that King Harald V’s fortune was close to 100 million Norwegian kroner. In the late 1990s, 500 million Norwegian kroner was allocated for updating the royal homes, which is still happening. The work on the Royal Palace in Oslo cost more than planned because the building was in much worse condition than thought, and this big spending was talked about a lot in the news.

Residences

The royal family and the monarch have several homes across Norway, and some of these are open to visitors.

The main home is the Royal Palace in Oslo. It was built in the 1800s and is where the king lives and works. Another important home is Gamlehaugen in Bergen, a big house that used to belong to a prime minister.

In Trondheim, the royal family uses Stiftsgården, a large wooden house for special events. In Stavanger, they have Ledaal, a grand old manor. The royal family also has a summer home called Bygdøy Royal Estate in Oslo, and a cozy house in the hills called The Royal Lodge where they spend Christmas. There is also a smaller palace named Oscarshall in Oslo that they don’t use often.

The crown prince and princess live at Skaugum Manor near Oslo. The royal family also has a special boat called HNoMY Norge for travel, kept and cared for by the navy. They have other holiday homes too, for private use.

Royal coat of arms

The Coat of arms of Norway is one of the oldest in Europe. It is used for both the country and the Royal House, just like it was in the Middle Ages when kings first used it.

Håkon the Old (1217–1263) had a shield with a lion on it. In 1280, King Eirik Magnusson added a crown and a silver axe to the lion. The axe reminds us of St. Olav, who was important to Norway and was killed in battle at Stiklestad in 1030.

Over time, the way the coat of arms looked changed with fashion. In the late Middle Ages, the axe handle grew longer and looked more like a halberd. In 1844, the axe was made shorter again. In 1905, the design went back to an older style with a triangular shield and a more upright lion.

The coat of arms of the royal house uses the lion design from 1905. The earliest known Royal Standard dates back to 1318. When used as the Royal coat of arms, the shield has symbols of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav around it and is framed by a royal ermine robe, with the crown of Norway on top.

The Royal coat of arms is not used often. Instead, the king's monogram is used in many places, like on coins and in military symbols.