Former Crown Prince Haakon at the ceremonial opening of the 165th Storting on 2nd October 2020. Photo: The Storting, Morten Brakestad.
His Majesty King Haakon VIII will take the Oath of Allegiance to the Constitution in the Storting on Tuesday 1st September at 1pm.
During the ceremony, the President of the Storting will read the official announcement of the death of King Harald V, and the succession to the throne of the new King. King Haakon VIII will then take the Oath of Allegiance before the Storting and give a short address. The President of the Storting will speak in remembrance of King Harald V and make a speech to King Haakon VIII and Queen Mette-Marit. The ceremony will close with the Royal Anthem.
The Oath of Allegiance will be broadcast live on NRK (tv.nrk.no) and on the Storting's own web TV service. It will also be possible for the public to follow the ceremony on the big screen that will be set up in Eidsvolls plass (outside the Storting building’s main entrance). The Storting will be closed to the public for the entire day.
Photos from the Oath of Allegiance will be published in the Storting's media archive and may be used freely on accreditation.
When the monarch in the Kingdom of Norway dies, the first in line automatically accedes to the throne. When King Harald died, Crown Prince Haakon immediately became King of Norway. Following the succession, the new King is required to appear before the Storting to take his Oath of Allegiance to the Constitution. This requirement is set out in Article 9 of the Constitution, and is one of the most important constitutional acts associated with a succession to the throne. It is here the new King pledges to govern in accordance with the Constitution and laws of Norway.
s soon as the King, being of age, accedes to the Government, he shall take the following oath before the Storting: “I promise and swear that I will govern the Kingdom of Norway in accordance with its Constitution and Laws; so help me God, the Almighty and Omniscient.”
Excerpt from Article 9 of the Norwegian Constitution.
Norway is a constitutional monarchy, founded on the principle of the separation of powers. The Oath of Allegiance in the Storting marks the fact that the monarch's power and authority is limited and regulated by the provisions in the Constitution.
In his book Grunnloven – historisk kommentarutgave 1814–2020[1], Arne Fliflet, jurist and former Parliamentary Ombudsman, wrote the following words about the King’s Oath of Allegiance:
“An oath of allegiance (…) is, under our Constitution, an important constitutional act. It should, in clear, concise and carefully chosen words, express a commitment to the principles that will always guide the actions of the person making it in the office he or she is to hold. It is a legally binding declaration that may have significant consequences if the oath is not taken or is broken. Under Norwegian law, the King undertakes by oath to uphold the Constitution and laws of the nation.”
Read about historical Oaths of Allegiance in the Storting.
See historical photographs in the image carousel below.
[1] The Norwegian Constitution – historical annotated edition 1814–2020 (Universitetsforlaget 2021)
King Haakon VII taking the Oath of Allegiance in the Storting on 26th November 1905. Photo: Oslo Bymuseum, Wilse.
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King Olav V swearing the Oath of Allegiance at the State Opening of the Storting on 20th January 1958. The Storting Chamber was being renovated and enlarged at the time, and the ceremony was therefore held in the Lagting Chamber. Photo: The Storting/Nordby
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King Harald V’s Oath of Allegiance on 21st January 1991. Photo: Jan Greve, Scanfoto.
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King Olav V’s portrait draped in mourning during King Harald V’s Oath of Allegiance ceremony in 1991. Photo: SCANfoto
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The King’s throne, which will be placed in the Storting Chamber for the Oath of Allegiance ceremony on 1st September 2026. Photo: Storting, Peter Mydske
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