Haakon, the prince who wanted to be a surfer, inherits the throne of Norway surrounded by family scandals
His stepson has been convicted of rape and his wife, Mette-Marit, has had to apologize for her links to Jeffrey Epstein
BarcelonaSince this Friday, Norway has a new king, Haakon VIII, who ascended the throne a few hours after the death of his father, Harald V. In this case, there will be no coronation ceremony. His daughter, Ingrid Alexandra, 22 years old, is from now on the crown princess thanks to the abolition of Salic law in 1990. This Saturday, both will hold condolence audiences with representatives of the country's main institutions.
Haakon has ascended the throne at one of the worst moments for the Norwegian monarchy due to various controversies. His stepson, Marius Borg Hoiby, has been found guilty of two counts of rape and sentenced to four years in prison, a sentence he has appealed. Hoiby is the son of Haakon's wife, Mette-Marit, born from a previous relationship of the now queen consort.
Apart from her son's legal problems, Mette-Marit's recent years have not been at all peaceful. She has recently apologized for the ties she maintained for years with Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted pedophile and sex offender. Furthermore, she has also had to face significant health problems: in 2018 she was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis and her health has been deteriorating, to the point that this June she had to undergo a lung transplant.
Haakon and Mette-Marit's relationship has been surrounded by controversy from the beginning. The current king studied political science at the University of Berkeley, California, and in 1999, after returning to Norway, he met Mette-Marit at a music festival held in her hometown, Kristiansand. With no ties to the aristocracy, a rebellious youth, and a son born from a previous relationship marked by drugs, the press nicknamed her "the Cinderella of Kristiansand." Despite all reservations, they married in 2001 and have had two children, Ingrid Alexandra and Sverre Magnus, who have grown up alongside Marius Borg, even though he is not part of the royal family nor was he legally adopted by Haakon.
In his autobiography, Haakon, published on the occasion of his 50th birthday, the now king stated that as a young man he lived with anxiety about his monarchical destiny, and that not being able to go unnoticed made him an irritable child. Among the new monarch's hobbies are music, skiing, and surfing. He has even stated that if he had not been born into the Norwegian royal family, he would have liked to be a professional surfer.