King Haakon VIII of Norway gave his first speech as Monarch on Saturday, August 29th. The Speech memorialized his father King Harald, the day after his death.
[Notes by Gert’s Royals are in Bold.]
Dear everyone,
Yesterday morning at 6:35 AM, His Majesty King Harald V, my father whom I loved so much, died.
We are in mourning. At the same time, it gives us comfort and strength that so many people are grieving with us. It has been a powerful and moving experience to see the Palace Square filled with people, flowers, greetings and lights. Thank you very much.
My dear father, thank you for being such a good dad to Märtha [Louise] and me. Warm and safe. You were also a warm and funny grandfather; A loving and caring husband; A generous father-in-law; A brother and uncle who everyone was so happy to spend time with. You were the head of the family, who, together with my mother, embraced and brought us all together with a natural authority that you may not have been fully aware of yourself. Above all, you were a person who always stood by your values and commitments. You supported and took care of us all. It makes me proud to think about everything you both stood for — and stood up for.
I will miss him. I will miss his laugh. His warm way of meeting people and situations. My father always made people around him relax.
He was a good listener, especially when dealing with children and young people – for whom he had an extra space in his heart.
The big, warm royal hand reached out to everyone, young and old, who needed an extra handshake. He met everyone with respect and generosity – and never discriminated against anyone.
He traveled to comfort those affected by the hurricane – dressed in a puffer jacket and rubber boots.
He apologized to the Sami for the injustices committed against them – on behalf of all of us.
[Sámi are the indigenous people of northern Europe. About half of the total population live in Norway. in 1997, King Harald made a public apology for the historical repression by Norway government.]
He cried with us after we had lost so many on Utøya and in the Government Quarter.
[This refers to the two terror attacks that occurred on July 22nd, 2011. It was the deadliest terror attack in Norway’s history, killing 77 people. Utøya is an island in Norway, where a Workers’ Youth League summer camp was being held. Queen Mette-Marit’s step-brother, Trond Berntsen was one of the first people to be killed in the attack on Utøya. He was an security officer for the camp. The Government Quarters (Regjeringskvartalet) is a collection of government office buildings in central Oslo.]
He brought us together by putting into words who we Norwegians are.
I imagine him on the sailboat – with a cap, sunglasses and a resounding laugh. There he could simply be himself, drawing energy and great joy – racing against other passionate sailors.
And the picture of his big smile in the hammock in the Amazon – where he finally fulfilled his boyhood dream of living a few days with the Yanomami people. A dream that arose from a commitment to caring for the world’s animals and nature.
[In April 2013, King Harald spent 4 days living with the Yanomami tribe in Amazon, in Brazil on a trip with the Rainforest Foundation Norway. The Yanomami Tribe are the largest relatively isolated tribe in South America. the Rain Forest Foundation Norway has spent 30+ years partnered with local organization to held defend the land, health and human rights of the tribe and their 96,000-square-kilometer territory.]
I know many of you will miss a lot of this too.
Across the country – and around the world – there are thousands of people who today hold the memories they have of meetings with him in high regard. Memories that will live on in people’s hearts and family stories.
As king, my father represented Norway and Norwegians with pride and joy. Through visits around the country, at events here at the Palace, and at work for Norway abroad.
In the snowdrift at the cross-country stadium.
On the Palace balcony on May 17.
[May 17th is Norway’s National/Constitution Day]
On a state visit of Nelson Mandela.
It was also a great strength for him to have my mother, Queen Sonja, as a life partner to share the work with. She helped make them, together, a strong royal couple who complemented each other well. I know how much she meant to King Harald’s ability to stand so firmly in his life’s work. In the life’s work they shared. Today marks 58 years since they married. Happy anniversary, dear Mother.
King Harald accompanied our country through a period of great change. From the time he set foot on Rådhuskaia as an eight-year-old upon his return from World War II – until today – Norway has undergone a great deal of positive development. Today we are a welfare society – where people from different backgrounds live together and figure it out with each other.
During WWII, the Norway Royal Family fled the country. 3-year old Harald, along with his sisters and mother first went to Sweden and then the USA. Rådhuskaia is the pier in Oslo where 8-year-old Harald, his sister and mother arrived after returning for exile at the end of WWII.
At the same time, the world is once again more unsafe and unpredictable than it has been during most of King Harald’s reign. Something that also affects us here in this country and has brought a new seriousness to us.
Now that my father has passed away, there is a big task ahead of me.
He constantly reminded us in the family that everyone must do things their own way. Find their own form. Be themselves. He succeeded his father King Olav – who in turn succeeded his father King Haakon.
Now it’s my turn.
I am deeply grateful to have my family around me, and for the great support Queen Mette-Marit and our children give to me.
I would also like to thank my mother and sister for the strength they share even as they themselves grieve the loss of a beloved husband and father.
Our family has learned the importance of standing together in order to stand firm — both within ourselves and for one another. Also in difficult times.
Our unity is a great strength for the work we are to do for Norway.
After King Harald’s long and eventful reign, it is now up to us to guide each other into a new era. Queen Mette-Marit and I want to be present and listening. The Queen, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra and I will always try to understand the life situations of different people.
No one knows today what we who live in this country will face together. But what we do know is that we will join each other through both good and difficult days.
We believe in a Norway where we stand securely rooted in our history, in what has shaped us over time.
We believe in our popular government – and in democracy.
We believe in a society built on law and justice – and where everyone is of equal value.
A society where we see and recognize each other’s resources – so that together we can create a Norway where everyone can contribute and feel at home.
We believe in a Norway where there is room for everyone.
We shall feel the strength of our community – and know with ourselves that we are one people.
Dear all,
Today I feel a great sense of gratitude towards the Monarchs before me. All were kings of their time. They were loved, respected and meant a lot to many. I have learned a lot from them all.
Like King Haakon, King Olav and King Harald, I take the motto – “All for Norway”.
Each Norway Monarch takes on a motto for their reign. Each Monarch since Norway’s independent has used the motto Alt for Norge (All for Norway).
“All for Norway” means fighting for everyone in Norway to have the opportunity to live a free life. It also implies a responsibility to ensure that we as a nation contribute positively to the world.
And it means — in the final reckoning — being willing to risk everything, even life itself, for Norway’s freedom and independence.
For its peace, we take our stand.
Today we are a family in mourning, and a people in mourning.
We thank King Harald for all he was and all he did – for Norway, – for everyone in our country.
With God’s help and the support of the people, I look forward to the great task that lies ahead. I pray that we will all unite in the old wish:
May God preserve our country.
The closing echoes the traditional Norwegian royal salute “Gud bevare Kongen og Fedrelandet“ (God preserve the King and our country). King Harald ended his 1st speech as monarch with the same line.
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