Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway

Haakon has one sibling, Princess Märtha Louise of Norway (born 1971).

Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway (Haakon Magnus; born 20 July 1973) is the heir apparent to the Norwegian throne.

He is the only son of King Harald V and Queen Sonja.

Haakon represents the fourth generation of the sitting Norwegian royal family of the House of Glücksburg.

He married Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby, with whom he has two children, Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus.

Haakon has been a member of the Young Global Leaders network, its Foundation, a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations, and a philanthropist.

He is a trained naval officer and, as crown prince, a top military official in the Norwegian Armed Forces.

He holds a BA in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MSc in Development Studies from the London School of Economics.

Haakon was born on 20 July 1973 at The National Hospital in St Hanshaugen, Oslo, the only son and younger child of Crown Prince Harald and Crown Princess Sonja.

His father was the son of the reigning Norwegian monarch, Olav V.

At birth he was named Haakon Magnus, and it was stressed in the announcement that he would go by the name Haakon.

He was baptised in the Church of Norway on 20 September 1973 in the chapel of the Royal Palace.

He was named in honour of his paternal great-grandfather, Haakon VII, and his maternal uncle Haakon Haraldsen.

This was not, however, done retroactively (as, for example, Sweden had done in 1980), meaning that Haakon continues to take precedence over his older sister.

Haakon served in the Royal Norwegian Navy.

In 1990, the Norwegian constitution was altered, granting absolute primogeniture to the Norwegian throne, meaning that the eldest child, regardless of gender, takes precedence in the line of succession.

When Haakon was only 17, his grandfather Olav died on 17 January 1991, leading to the ascension of his father as King Harald V and himself as crown prince.

He graduated from the Norwegian Naval Academy in 1995, followed with a year aboard missile torpedo boats and navy vessels.

He attended and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of California, Berkeley in 1999.

Haakon later attended lectures at the University of Oslo and took the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' civil servant introductory course in 2001.

Haakon married a commoner and single mother, Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby, on 25 August 2001, at Oslo Cathedral.

Frederik, (then Crown Prince, and now King) of Denmark was the best man.

When the engagement between Crown Prince Haakon and Høiby was announced, many Norwegians felt that his choice of wife was inappropriate.

This was primarily about her being a single mother, but information concerning her involvement in the rave scene in Oslo, which included a significant drug-subculture, also added to the controversy.

In addition, the father of her child was convicted of drug-related offences.

In a heartfelt press conference before the wedding the bride explained her past, saying among other things that her youthful rebelliousness might have been stronger than most young people.

The issue of Mette-Marit's past was an ongoing discussion in Norwegian public discourse in the early years after their engagement and marriage.

He completed his education in 2003 at the London School of Economics, where he was awarded an MSc in development studies, specializing in international trade and Africa.

From 25 November 2003 to 12 April 2004, Haakon was regent during the King's treatment for cancer and the subsequent convalescence period.

The couple have two children together: Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway (born 21 January 2004 at Oslo University National Hospital in Oslo) and Prince Sverre Magnus (born 3 December 2005 in Oslo University National Hospital in Oslo).

Haakon is also the stepfather to Mette-Marit's son, Marius Borg Høiby.

The Skaugum Estate, situated in the area of Semsvannet, is their official residence.

Likewise, Haakon was regent from 29 March 2005 until the King had fully recovered from the heart surgery he underwent on 1 April.

This period ended on 7 June.

Haakon is serving as regent a third time since 3 March 2024 during the King's hospitalization due to an infection and pacemaker implantation surgery.

In addition to his official duties, Haakon has a strong interest in cultural matters.

He also has given patronage to a number of organisations.

As of 15 November 2013, in the Royal Norwegian Navy his officer rank is Admiral, and in the Norwegian Army and the Royal Norwegian Air Force his rank is General.

In 2016 he completed the Norwegian Army's paratrooper course and was certified as a military paratrooper.

The course attended was administered by the Special Operations Commando.