Biography
Haakon VII (Norwegian pronunciation: [ˈhôːkʊn]; 3 August 1872 – 21 September 1957) was King of Norway from 18 November 1905 until his death in 1957.
The future Haakon VII was born in Copenhagen as Prince Carl of Denmark. He was the second son of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Denmark (later King Frederick VIII and Queen Louise). Prince Carl was educated at the Royal Danish Naval Academy and served in the Royal Danish Navy. After the 1905 dissolution of the union between Sweden and Norway, he was offered the Norwegian crown. Following a November plebiscite, he accepted the offer and was formally elected king of Norway by the Storting. He took the Old Norse name Haakon and ascended to the throne as Haakon VII, becoming the first independent Norwegian monarch since Olaf II in 1387.
As king, Haakon gained much sympathy from the Norwegian people. Although the Constitution of Norway vests the King with considerable executive powers, in practice Haakon confined himself to a representative and ceremonial role while rarely interfering in politics, a practice continued by his son and grandson. Norway was invaded by Nazi Germany in April 1940. Haakon rejected German demands to legitimise the Quisling regime's puppet government, vowing to abdicate rather than do so. He refused to abdicate after going into exile in Great Britain. As such, he played a pivotal role in uniting the Norwegian nation in its resistance to the invasion and the subsequent five-year-long occupation during the Second World War. He returned to Norway in June 1945 after the defeat of Germany.
Haakon became King of Norway when his grandfather Christian IX was still reigning in Denmark, and before his father and elder brother became kings of Denmark. During his reign he saw his father Frederick VIII, his elder brother Christian X, and his nephew Frederik IX ascend the throne of Denmark in 1906, 1912, and 1947 respectively. Haakon died at the age of 85 in September 1957, after having reigned for nearly 52 years. He was succeeded by his only son, who ascended to the throne as Olav V. King Haakon − biography (Official Website of the Royal House of Norway)
Prince Carl (Haakon VII) at the website of the Royal Danish Collection at Amalienborg Palace
Portraits of Haakon VII, King of Norway at the National Portrait Gallery, London
Filmography
all 10
Movies 10
self 8
Information
Known ForActing
GenderMale
Birthday1872-08-03
Deathday1957-09-21 (85 years old)
Birth NamePrince Christian Frederik Carl Georg Valdemar Axel of Denmark
Birth PlaceCharlottenlund Palace, Denmark
ReligionLutheranism
Height
RelationshipsMaud of Wales (1896 - 1938)
ChildrenOlav V of Norway
FatherFrederik VIII of Denmark
MotherLouise of Sweden
SiblingsPrince Gustav of Denmark, Princess Dagmar of Denmark, Prince Harald of Denmark, Princess Louise of Denmark, Princess Thyra of Denmark, Christian X of Denmark, Princess Ingeborg of Denmark, Princess Ingeborg, The Duchess of Västergötland
CitizenshipsNorway, Kingdom of Denmark
ResidencesBygdøy Royal Estate, Norway, Appleton House, United Kingdom, Copenhagen · Amalienborg · Charlottenlund Palace, Denmark
AwardsOrder of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, Order of the Dannebrog, Order of the Red Eagle, Order of the Royal House of Chakri, Military Order of the Tower and Sword, Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria, Royal Victorian Order, Order of the Black Eagle, Order of St. Olav, Order of Saint Stanislaus, Order of the White Eagle, Order of the Southern Cross, Order of the White Lion, Order of Carol I, Order of the Garter, Order of the Redeemer, Order of Aviz, Order of the Chrysanthemum, Most Venerable Order of St John of Jerusalem, Médaille militaire, Order of Saint John, Croix de Guerre, Medal for Outstanding Civic Service, Order of Christ, Royal Order of the Seraphim, Order of the Falcon, Order of the Sun of Peru, Order of the Golden Fleece, War Cross, Royal Victorian Chain, Order of the Netherlands Lion, Military Order of Saint James of the Sword, Holmenkollen Medal, Order of the Bath, Czechoslovak War Cross 1939–1945, King Edward VII Coronation Medal, Order of Solomon, Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum, Order of the Elephant, Order of St. Andrew, Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold, Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece, Knight of the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky, Order of Saint Anna, 1st class, Order of Saint Stanislaus, 1st class, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus, War Medal, Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, Grand Croix of the Légion d'honneur, Knight grand cross of the order of the crown of Italy, Grand cross of the Order of the White Lion, Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the White Rose of Finland, Knight of the Order of the Most Holy Annunciation, Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
This article uses material from Wikipedia.
Last updated:
King Haakon VII- Filmography
- Information