Haakon VII Of Norway

Haakon VII, born Prince Carl of Denmark, was born on 3 August 1872 and died on 21 September 1957. He served as King of Norway from 1905 until his death, maintaining the throne for nearly 52 years, making his reign the second-longest in Norwegian history after Christian IV. His birth took place at Charlottenlund Palace north of Copenhagen during the reign of his paternal grandfather, King Christian IX of Denmark. He was the second son of Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, who later became King Frederick VIII, and Louise of Sweden. His maternal grandfather was King Charles XV of Sweden, who was also king of Norway as Charles IV.

Prince Carl was educated at the Royal Danish Naval Academy and served in the Royal Danish Navy, achieving the rank of admiral by 1905. His naval career included expeditions such as one in 1904–1905 aboard the protected cruiser HDMS Heimdal to the Mediterranean and Atlantic.

In 1895, he was engaged to Princess Maud of Wales, his first cousin and the daughter of the Prince and Princess of Wales, later King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom. They married on 22 July 1896 at Buckingham Palace. The couple resided in Copenhagen, at the Bernstorff Mansion in Bredgade, opposite the Amalienborg Palace complex, and in a country residence at Appleton House on the Sandringham Estate, provided by Princess Maud’s father. They had one child, Prince Alexander, born on 2 July 1903, who later became King Olav V of Norway.

Following the dissolution of the union between Sweden and Norway in 1905, Norway held a referendum in August, in which 79 percent of voters favored maintaining a monarchy. Subsequently, the Norwegian parliament elected Prince Carl as king, conditional upon a popular referendum. On 18 November 1905, he accepted the Norwegian crown and took the Old Norse name Haakon, becoming King Haakon VII. He was formally offered the throne by the Storting and arrived in Norway from Denmark on 25 November 1905, after crossing the Oslofjord aboard the Norwegian naval ship Heimdal.

He was crowned on 22 June 1906 in Nidaros Cathedral, Trondheim. His reign involved efforts to shape the constitutional role of the monarchy in Norway, emphasizing non-interference in politics. During World War I, he supported Norway’s policy of neutrality and participated in meetings with Scandinavian monarchs to reinforce this stance.

King Haakon married Princess Maud of Wales, and their marriage produced three children: Ragnhild, Astrid, and Harald (later King Harald V). During the 1930s, he was involved in territorial disputes such as the Eastern Greenland case, which Norway lost in 1933.

In April 1940, Norway was invaded by Nazi Germany. Haakon refused to recognize the German-imposed puppet government led by Vidkun Quisling, and he declared his opposition to German demands to legitimize the Quisling regime. Following the invasion, he and the Norwegian government fled to the United Kingdom, where he continued to serve as a symbol of Norwegian resistance. He and his family resided in exile at various locations in the UK, including Bowdown House and Foliejon Park. The German occupation authorities attempted to depose him, but he refused to abdicate, maintaining his position as head of state and symbol of national unity.

Norway was liberated in May 1945, and Haakon returned to Norway in June. After the war, he limited his public role to constitutional duties. He was highly regarded for his leadership during the occupation and his moral authority. He lived to the age of 85, passing away at the Royal Palace in Oslo. His son, Olav V, succeeded him as king.

He was honoured with numerous awards and was commemorated in various ways, including places named after him, such as the King Haakon VII Sea in Antarctica. During his lifetime, he received several national and foreign honours, including the War Cross Medal of Norway and the Order of the Elephant from Denmark.

His portrayal in popular culture includes appearances in films and television series such as "The King's Choice" (2016) and "Atlantic Crossing" (2020).