Norway turned a new page in its history when King Haakon VIII delivered a speech in memory of his father, Harald, who was a unifying figure who reigned for 35 years.
“We are mourning, but at the same time, seeing so many people sharing our grief brings us comfort and strength,” said the 53-year-old king in an address broadcast on national television.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
Norway is preparing to file a complaint against FIFA and Infantino
Norway proposes a temporary ban on AI glasses in public spaces
King Harald “constantly reminded us, within the family, that everyone must do things in their own way. To find their own path. To be themselves… Now it’s my turn,” he added.
“Thank you for being such a good dad to me and Martha,” Haakon said, also mentioning his sister, Princess Martha Louise. “You were also a warm and funny grandfather. A loving and caring husband. A generous father-in-law—you supported and cared for us all.”
“I will miss him,” the 53-year-old said of his father. “I will miss his laughter, the warm, heartfelt way he approached people and situations.”
Earlier, Haakon VIII had received the Speaker of Parliament, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and then the leadership of the Church of Norway.
National mourning was declared in the Scandinavian kingdom following the death on Friday, at the age of 89, of Europe’s longest-reigning monarch.
Churches across the country will hold memorial services on Sunday. The royal family will attend the service in Asker, south of Oslo.
Many Norwegians visited the chapel at the Royal Palace in Oslo on Saturday, where mountains of flowers cover the ground as more than 20,000 people came to pay their respects.
The new king, like his father, will have primarily ceremonial duties. He has chosen the name Haakon VIII and intends to follow in the footsteps of his ancestors by upholding the same motto: “Everything for Norway.”
Source: Protothema.gr
