Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway Facts for Kids

Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway (born 20 July 1973) is the next in line to become King of Norway. He is the only son of King Harald V and Queen Sonja.

Haakon is part of the fourth generation of the current Norwegian royal family. This family belongs to the House of Glücksburg. He is married to Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby. They have two children: Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus.

Crown Prince Haakon has been involved in many important activities. He was a member of the Young Global Leaders network. He also served as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations. He is known for his charity work. He is a trained naval officer and holds high military ranks. He has a degree in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley. He also has a master's degree in Development Studies from the London School of Economics.

Early Life and Royal Family
- Education and Military Service
Marriage and Children
Royal Duties and Activities
- Personal Interests
Titles and Honours
- Titles
- Arms
- Honours and Medals
- Awards
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Royal Family

Haakon was born on 20 July 1973 in Oslo, Norway. His parents were Crown Prince Harald and Crown Princess Sonja. His grandfather, Olav V, was the King at the time. Haakon was named after his great-grandfather, Haakon VII, who was also a king.

When Haakon was 17, his grandfather King Olav V passed away. This happened on 17 January 1991. His father then became King Harald V, and Haakon became the Crown Prince.

Haakon has an older sister, Princess Märtha Louise of Norway, born in 1971. In 1990, Norway changed its rules for who becomes king or queen. The new rule states that the oldest child, whether a boy or a girl, will inherit the throne. However, this rule did not apply to children already born. So, Haakon still comes before his older sister in the line of succession.

Education and Military Service

Crown Prince Haakon served in the Royal Norwegian Navy. He finished his training at the Norwegian Naval Academy in 1995. After that, he spent a year working on navy ships.

He then went to the University of California, Berkeley in the United States. He earned a degree in political science in 1999. Later, he studied at the University of Oslo. In 2003, he completed his master's degree at the London School of Economics. He studied how countries develop, focusing on international trade and Africa.

As of 2013, Haakon holds high military ranks. He is an Admiral in the Royal Norwegian Navy. He is also a General in both the Norwegian Army and the Royal Norwegian Air Force. In 2016, he completed a special paratrooper course. This means he is a certified military paratrooper.

Marriage and Children

Haakon with then-Brazilian Vice President Michel Temer in Brazil, 2015.

Crown Prince Haakon married Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby on 25 August 2001. Their wedding took place at Oslo Cathedral. Mette-Marit was a commoner and a single mother. When their engagement was announced, some people in Norway had questions about his choice of wife. Before the wedding, Mette-Marit spoke openly about her past. She explained that she had been rebellious when she was younger.

The couple has two children together:

Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway (born 21 January 2004)
Prince Sverre Magnus (born 3 December 2005)

Haakon is also the stepfather to Mette-Marit's son, Marius Borg Høiby. The family lives at the Skaugum Estate, which is their official home.

Royal Duties and Activities

Crown Prince Haakon often steps in for his father, the King. He acts as regent when the King is unwell or away. For example, he was regent when the King had cancer treatment in 2003-2004. He also served as regent in 2005 and again in 2024 when the King had health issues.

Besides his official duties, Haakon is very interested in culture. He also supports many organizations. In 2006, he helped start an organization called Global Dignity. This group works to promote the idea that everyone deserves respect.

In 2003, the Crown Prince became a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). This means he helps the UN with its work to improve lives around the world. He also started the SIKT conference in 2013. This conference brings together young leaders to discuss important topics.

Crown Prince Haakon was part of the Young Global Leaders network from 2005 to 2010. He also served on the board of their foundation. He and Crown Princess Mette-Marit have their own foundation. This foundation supports various projects. He is also a patron of groups like 4H Norge and the Norwegian Refugee Council.

In May 2022, Haakon joined a special trip to the Arctic. He went with the University of Tromsø to learn about polar history. He also saw the important scientific research happening there. During this trip, he crossed the Greenland ice sheet using a snowkite.

After a shooting in Oslo in 2022, Haakon spoke out. He said, "We must protect the right in Norway to love whomever we want."

Personal Interests

Haakon enjoys several sports. He especially likes windsurfing and surfing. He is also a big music fan. When he was younger, he went to music festivals across Europe.

He has also been part of the Olympic Games ceremonies. In 1994, he lit the Olympic Cauldron at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer. His father, King Harald V, officially opened those Games. In 2016, his daughter, Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway, lit the cauldron for the Youth Olympic Games in Lillehammer.

Haakon even recorded a song with the band Katzenjammer in 2011. The money from this song went to his and the Crown Princess's foundation.

Titles and Honours

Crown Prince Haakon in 2020, wearing a military uniform.

Titles

20 July 1973 – 17 January 1991: His Royal Highness Prince Haakon of Norway
Since 17 January 1991: His Royal Highness The Crown Prince of Norway

Arms

Coat of arms
Monogram

Honours and Medals

Crown Prince Haakon has received many honours and medals. These include important awards from Norway and other countries.

Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of St. Olav
Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit
Knight of Order of the Elephant (Denmark)
Grand Cross of the Order of the Southern Cross (Brazil)
Grand Cross of the Order of the White Rose (Finland)
Grand Cross 1st Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon (Iceland)
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
Grand Cordon of the Order of the Chrysanthemum (Japan)
Grand Cross of the Order of the Three Stars (Latvia)
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau (Netherlands)
Knight of the Royal Order of the Seraphim (Sweden)

Awards

He received the 14 August Committee's Bridge Building Prize in 2011.
He lit the Olympic Cauldron at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer.
A horse race is named after him: Kronprins Haakons Pokalløp. It takes place every year in June.