King Haakon delivered his first speech as Norway’s monarch on Thursday evening at the annual dinner for the Storting, the country’s parliament. The event, a tradition introduced by his great-grandfather Haakon VII in 1906, took place at the Royal Palace in Oslo.
In his address, the king expressed deep gratitude for the public’s sympathy following the death of his father, King Harald, in late August. “We have together experienced a special time, as a family and as a country,” he said . He also acknowledged the absence of his father, noting that Harald had always looked forward to the Storting dinner. “This was his terrain,” Haakon remarked .
The king provided an update on Queen Mette-Marit’s health, revealing that her summer lung transplant had been successful but that her recovery remained fragile. “The first year after such a major procedure is quite precarious,” he said, adding that she had sent her greetings to the guests . The queen was not present at the dinner.
The dinner itself featured a four-course meal, including elk meat with mashed potatoes, served to 202 guests in the palace’s grand dining hall . Haakon’s speech, which included light-hearted remarks about his age and 35 years as a “middle manager in a medium-sized public enterprise,” drew laughter from the audience .
