Norway's new King Haakon VIII takes oath in parliament

Norway's new King Haakon VIII took his oath of allegiance to the country's constitution in parliament on Tuesday, following the death of his father King Harald V. Harald's coffin was taken to the royal palace chapel for public viewing before a funeral on September 9. Haakon was escorted from the palace to the Storting, Norway's parliament, where House Speaker Masud Gharahkhani read the announcement of Harald's death and Haakon's succession.

The 53-year-old constitutional monarch then took the oath, swearing to govern according to the constitution and laws of Norway. Queen Mette-Marit, Haakon's wife, who had made her first public appearance since the lung transplant surgery in June, did not attend the ceremony as she remains under observation due to potential complications from the transplant.

Norway's royal family has origins tracing back to the ninth century, with the country regaining independence from Sweden in 1905 and subsequently reinstating a largely symbolic constitutional monarchy in a plebiscite.