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 has a long history.

The present monarch is King Harald V, who has reigned since 17 January 1991. The heir apparent is his son, Crown Prince Haakon. The crown prince does many public duties, as does the king's wife, Queen Sonja.

The Constitution of Norway gives the King some powers, but these are used by the Council of State for the King. The King does not take part in government decisions. He approves laws, meets leaders from other countries, and visits important people. He is also a symbol of unity for Norway. The King is the leader of the Norwegian Armed Forces.

History

Main article: History of the Norwegian monarchy

The King of Norway has been important since the year 872. Norway has always been a kingdom where the throne passes from one family member to another. Sometimes, the people of Norway chose their king. This made the monarchy special because the king was elected by the people.

Before the Viking Age, Norway had many small kingdoms. The first king of a united Norway was Harald Fairhair. He brought these small kingdoms together in 872. Later kings made Norway bigger, including lands that are now part of other countries. During the Middle Ages, Norway was very large. It included parts of modern-day Sweden, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, and more.

Over time, Norway joined with Denmark and later Sweden. During these times, Norwegian kings often lived far away. This made it hard to govern Norway directly. Norway became fully independent in 1814. It 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, 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 helped make important decisions for 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 a long time ago.

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 boy or girl, 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 money is not shared with the public. Other royal family members lose this right when they marry. Only the King is thought to have a big personal fortune.

Royal farms make some money, but it is used only to care for the farms. In 2010, the Norwegian state budget gave 142.5 million Norwegian kroner 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 royal homes. 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 set aside for updating the royal homes, and this work is still going on. The work on the Royal Palace in Oslo cost more than planned because the building was in worse condition than thought.

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 in the Middle Ages.

Håkon the Old had a shield with a lion on it. Later, 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.

Over time, the coat of arms changed with fashion. In the late Middle Ages, the axe handle grew longer. In 1844, the axe was made shorter again. In 1905, the design changed to an older style.

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.