Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra becomes heir as King Haakon takes oath following King Harald's death

Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 22, steps into a historic new chapter as King Haakon takes his oath as Norway’s monarch.

As Norway begins a new royal chapter, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra is stepping into the spotlight. At 22, she is the first new heir apparent in the country’s modern royal history to already be an adult when her parent becomes monarch. Her father, King Haakon VIII, took his Oath of Allegiance to the Norwegian Constitution before the Storting, the country’s parliament, on Tuesday, September 1. The ceremony came days after the death of his father, King Harald V, at the age of 89. Following Harald’s death on August 28, his son became king and his wife, Mette-Marit, became queen. Their eldest child, Ingrid Alexandra, is now crown princess and next in line to the throne.

Who is Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra?

Born on January 21, 2004, Ingrid Alexandra is the eldest child of King Haakon and Queen Mette-Marit. She has grown up in the public eye while also pursuing an education outside the traditional royal setting. She recently began a new semester at the University of Oslo after transferring from the University of Sydney in Australia. She had been studying for a three-year bachelor’s degree focused on international relations and political economy before returning to Norway earlier this year. Her decision to return home came as her mother faced serious health challenges following a lung transplant in June.

Why Ingrid Alexandra’s position is historic

Norway’s Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra could become the country’s first reigning queen in more than 600 years if she eventually succeeds King Haakon.

Ingrid Alexandra’s accession to the role of heir marks an important change for the Norwegian monarchy. Previous heirs, including her father and grandfather, were under 18 when they became next in line following their fathers’ accession and had to take the required oath after reaching adulthood. She is also the first Norwegian royal heir whose position has been shaped entirely by the country’s 1990 succession reform. The change introduced absolute primogeniture, giving the throne to the monarch’s eldest child regardless of gender. That meant Ingrid Alexandra remained ahead of her younger brother, Prince Sverre Magnus, in the line of succession. King Haakon himself was born before the reform, which meant he inherited his position ahead of his elder sister, Princess Märtha Louise, under the succession rules that existed at the time. If Ingrid Alexandra eventually becomes monarch, she will be Norway’s first reigning queen in more than 600 years. The country’s last female head of state was Queen Margaret, who ruled from 1388 to 1412.

Ingrid Alexandra is part of Europe’s new generation of royal heirs

The Norwegian crown princess is also part of a wider generation of young female heirs across Europe. She has a friendship with Princess Elisabeth of Belgium and Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands, who are both first in line to their respective thrones. The three royals have previously been reported to share a WhatsApp group chat. “We’ve known each other for a long time and see each other occasionally at events,” Princess Elisabeth said in a recent interview. “In my generation, there are several women. You see a similar shift in other monarchies,” she added. “We are all in the same situation. It’s a hurdle we will face together.”

Queen Mette-Marit makes first official appearance after Harald’s death

Queen Mette-Marit makes her first official appearance since becoming queen as she joins the solemn procession for late King Harald’s coffin, days after his death at 89.

While Haakon formally began his reign, the royal family continued mourning King Harald. On Monday, Queen Mette-Marit joined a solemn procession as her late father-in-law’s coffin was moved through the Royal Palace to the royal chapel. It marked her first official appearance since becoming queen. Mette-Marit walked alongside Queen Sonja, Harald’s widow, with the two women holding hands as they followed the coffin. The Queen has largely stayed away from public duties following her lung transplant in June. She was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018, a progressive condition that damages and scars lung tissue and can cause severe breathing difficulties. She was unable to attend Haakon’s swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday after experiencing complications related to her transplant. A pulmonologist from the National Hospital said in a statement that such complications can occur following a lung transplant and that Mette-Marit needed to be monitored throughout the day.

King Harald’s funeral will be held on September 9

King Harald’s coffin arrived at the Royal Palace in Oslo on Friday after his death and remained in the Red Salon over the weekend. On Monday, it was transferred to the royal chapel, where it will remain until the funeral. Members of the public will be able to visit the chapel and pay their respects to the late king from Tuesday, according to Norwegian broadcaster NRK. The royal family and the country are currently observing an official period of mourning. Over the weekend, Norwegians and visitors gathered outside the palace to leave flowers, cards and candles in memory of Harald. His state funeral is scheduled for September 9.

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