Long live the King! Who is Norway’s Haakon, the reserved heir who waited 35 years for the throne?

In April 2013, Norway's King Harald V embarked on a unique journey, spending four days among the Yanomami community in the Amazon. This experience, far from a state visit, fulfilled a childhood dream to immerse himself in the Amazon and meet Indigenous peoples. The Norwegian monarch presented the Yanomami chief Davi Kopenawa with a personal album of photographs from his life in Norway, receiving a traditional bracelet in return.

Their relationship deepened when Kopenawa visited the King at the Royal Palace in Oslo two months later. Harald's affinity for Brazil began in 1964 during a visit as Crown Prince, followed by a honeymoon in Rio de Janeiro in 1968. The 2003 state visit to Brazil was significant, with the King emphasising shared maritime expertise, energy production, and offshore exploration.

Today, more than 230 Norwegian companies operate in Brazil, forming a robust economic and strategic partnership. However, it was Harald's Amazon trip that added a profound dimension to this relationship, with Brazil becoming the largest donor to the Amazon Fund in 2008. Harald's influence extended beyond formal duties, as his son King Haakon VIII later recalled his father's fondness for the Amazon experience.

Harald's reign was marked by a commitment to tolerance, respect for difference, and a leadership style that spoke volumes without raising its voice. His relationship with Brazil, forged through affection, commerce, environmental stewardship, and human dignity, exemplified a partnership built on continuity and time.