Haakon VIII (King of Norway) Age, Wife, Children, Family, Biography

Some Lesser Known Facts About Haakon VIII

• Haakon VIII was born at The National Hospital in Oslo, He was the only son and younger child of his parents, then-Crown Prince Harald and Crown Princess Sonja, during the reign of his grandfather, King Olav V.
  

  A childhood picture of Haakon VIII with his parents and sister

• When he was born, he was named Haakon Magnus, however his family later announced that he would be known as Haakon.

• He was named after his great-grandfather, King Haakon VII, his maternal uncle Haakon Haraldsen, and the Norwegian saint Magnus Erlendsson.

• In September 1973, he was baptised at the chapel of the Royal Palace in Oslo. His grandfather, King Olav V was among his godparents.

• During his childhood, Haakon developed an interest in water sports, outdoor activities and music.
  

  A childhood picture of Haakon VIII

• In 1991, after the death of his grandfather, King Olav V, his father became King Harald V and Haakon became Crown Prince of Norway at the age of 17 on 17 January 1991.

• In 1992, Haakon completed his upper-secondary education at Kistelig Gymnasium in Oslo and received his artium, the traditional Norwegian university entrance qualification.

• In 1994, when his father officially declared the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer open, he lit the Olympic cauldron at the opening ceremony.

• In 1995, Haakon graduated from the Norwegian Naval Academy and then spent a year serving on different naval vessels in the Royal Norwegian Navy.

• After that, unlike his father and grandfather by studying at Oxford University, Haakon enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley.

• In 1999, he completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley.

• In the late 1990s, Haakon first met his future wife, Mette-Marit Tjessen during the Quart Festival in Kristiansand. They met again several years later when she was a single mother.

• In 2000, Haakon announced his engagement with Mette-Marit. Their engagement received criticism from some Norwegians because she was an unmarried mother and also a commoner. In 2001 they got married.
  

  Haakon VIII with his wife on their wedding day

• Haakon and his wife have two children, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus. Haakon is also he stepfather of Mette-Marit’s elder son, Marius Borg Høiby.
  

  Haakon VIII with his wife and his biological children

• In 2001, Haakon VII attended lectures at the University of Oslo and completed the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ introductory course for civil servants.

• In 2002, Haakon and his wife founded the Crown Prince and Crown Princess’s Foundation, which support young people who are at risk of being excluded from society.

• In 2003, he completed his education at the London School of Economics (LSE) and earned a Master of Science in Development Studies majorly in an International trade and Africa.

• In the same year, he became a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme and became involved in international development and youth-related issues.

• In 2005, Haakon became a member of the Young Global Leaders (YGL) network, a community associated with the World Economic Forum.

• In 2006, he co-founded Global Dignity with Finnish philosopher, Pekka Himanen and American Entrepreneur Joh Hope Bryant.

• In 2010, after his membership in the YGL network ended, Hakkon served on the YGL Foundation Board for seven years until 2017.

• In 2013, Haakon founded SIKT conference that brings young people to discuss ideas, leadership and social issues.

• In the same year, Haakon was appointed as Admiral in the Norwegian Navy and General in both the Norwegian Army and Air Force.

• In 2016, he completed the Norwegian Army’s paratrooper course and became certified as a military parachutist.

• In 2017, he became a patron of the Norwegian Refugee Council, an organisation for humanitarian and refugee-related work.

• In May 2022, Haakon joined a University of Tromsø course focussed on polar history and scientific research in the Arctic. During two-week training, he crossed the Greenland ice sheet using a snow kite.

• In his military career, he undertook additional training with the Norwegian Naval Special Operations Command and completed parachute training with the Norwegian Special Forces.

• From 2022 to 2025, he started actively participating in important duties on behalf of his father, especially when his father, King Harald was out of country or unable to perform official duties. He also served as regent on several occasions.

• In June 2026, Haakon was one of the three founders of Global Dignity, an organisation that promotes dignity and equal rights for young people.

• In the same month, Haakon along with his son Crown Prince Sverre Magnus took part in rowing the Myklebust Ship. Their rowing footage was later used by the Norwegian Royal House to support the Norway national football team during the FIFA World Cup.

• In July 2026, when the Norwegian national football team returned home, Haakon led a Viking Row celebration outside the Royal Place in front of more than 1,50,000 people.

• In August 2026, after the death of his father, King Harald V on 28 August, Haakon became the King of Norway and chose the regnal name Haakon VIII.

• On 28 August 2026, he assumed the throne and announced that he would continue the royal moto” Alt for Norge” (All for Norway), the same motto used by his father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

• On 29 August 2026, Haakon delivered his first address to the naktion as king from teh Royal Palace is Oslo.

• On 1 September 2026, Haakon took an oath of allegiance to the Constitution of Norway before the Storting.

• Along with his royal career, he is an avid music lover and has attended and hosted several music festivals. In 2011, Haakon joined the Norwegian band Katzenjammer while they recorded a Christmas song “Vi tenner våre lykter” (“We light our lanterns”).

• King Haakon VIII has a strong interest in surfing and windsurfing. although he has never competed professionally.