The worsening of the health of Harald V of Norway, 89 years old, has once again placed his son Haakon at the forefront of the functions of the Crown. The Palace informed on Sunday that the monarch is receiving antibiotics for a bacterial infection in the blood and is responding to treatment. In the official agenda for this week, Haakon already appears as regent crown prince.
This is not a change of king. Harald continues to be the head of State and Haakon temporarily substitutes him, something he has already done in previous periods of illness or absence of his father. But the situation allows us to anticipate how the succession will work when Harald's reign ends: Haakon will occupy the throne, Mette-Marit will become queen consort, and Ingrid Alexandra will become the heir.
This transition presents, however, an important difference between the future kings. While polls reflect broad support for Haakon as the future monarch, several surveys published this year show that a considerable part of Norwegians do not want Mette-Marit to become queen.
Almost half do not want Mette-Marit as queen
The question has been directly posed to Norwegians over the last few months. In March, a survey by Respons Analyse for VG and Aftenposten showed that 47% considered that Mette-Marit should not become queen, compared to 34% who did want her to. Among those under 35 years old, the rejection reached 57%.
It was not an isolated result. A month earlier, a survey by Verian for TV 2, reported by VG, had yielded similar figures: 47.6% responded that Mette-Marit should not be the next queen of Norway, compared to 28.9% who answered that she should. 23.5% had no defined opinion.
Another measurement published in February also reflected the deterioration of her position. Aftenposten then reported that only 22% of respondents considered Mette-Marit fit to become queen.
The data on Haakon is different. A survey by Nettavisen conducted in March and reported by VG indicated that around 78% expected Haakon to be a good king.
The Epstein case is about Mette-Marit
The polls about the future queen were conducted during the controversy caused by the new revelations about the relationship that Mette-Marit had with Jeffrey Epstein.
...The princess had already apologized in 2019 for having had contact with the American financier after his conviction for sexual offenses. The publication of new documentation in 2026 revealed a relationship more extensive than what was publicly known and raised new questions about their meetings and communications.
Mette-Marit granted an interview to NRK in March to respond about that relationship. The subsequent survey by Respons for VG and Aftenposten showed that 47% of those who had seen the interview considered her explanations insufficient. The poll included 1,012 people, of whom 668 had seen the interview.
The information continued afterward. Aftenposten published in May diplomatic documentation that accredited a private trip of Mette-Marit to Florida in February 2014, when she was still in communication with Epstein. The Palace pointed out to the newspaper that there were no reasons to think that they had met during that trip.
The controversy has also reached politics. In June, the leader of the youth wing of the liberal party Venstre demanded that Mette-Marit stop being the crown princess due to her actions related to Epstein and her son Marius Borg Høiby. The vice president of the party itself, Ingvild Thorsvik, rejected that request and argued that politicians should not intervene in the composition of the Royal House.
Haakon already knows the functions of the head of State
The constitutional position of Haakon is much simpler. He is the first in the line of succession and has been substituting for Harald for years when the king cannot perform his duties.
That is precisely what is happening now. The agenda published by the Palace for this week identifies Haakon as regent prince and assigns him official commitments in that capacity while Harald's leave continues.
The regency does not make Haakon king nor does it imply an abdication by Harald. It allows him to temporarily exercise the constitutional functions corresponding to the monarch until he can resume them.
When the succession occurs, Haakon will take the throne according to the order established by the Constitution. The Royal House currently places the crown prince first in the line of succession and Ingrid Alexandra immediately after him.
Mette-Marit will be queen consort
Mette-Marit is not part of that line of succession. Her future condition as queen will come from her marriage to Haakon, in the same way that Sonja is queen as Harald's wife.
Therefore, the results of the polls do not modify her position by themselves. If Haakon ascends to the throne while the current situation remains, Mette-Marit will go from crown princess to consort queen.
The distinct question is what activity she will be able to develop. The princess underwent lung transplantation on June 17 after the worsening of the lung disease she had suffered from for years. The Oslo University Hospital then reported that the intervention had been successful up to that point.
Mette-Marit was discharged on July 14. The Palace indicated that a period of rehabilitation and follow-up after the transplant was beginning.
Her health status and the rejection shown by the polls are, therefore, two different issues: one affects the activity she may develop and the other measures the citizens' opinion on her future condition as queen.
Ingrid Alexandra will become the heir
The other immediate change will affect Ingrid Alexandra. She currently occupies the second position in the succession, behind Haakon, as confirmed by the Norwegian Royal House.
When her father becomes king, Ingrid Alexandra will move to the first place in the line of succession. She will then be Haakon's direct heir.
The princess, born in 2004, already carries out some official commitments, although currently her main activity is her Social Sciences studies in Australia. The Royal House itself keeps both facets separate and indicates that she combines her education with certain acts representing the institution.
However, there is no decision announced by the Palace to accelerate her incorporation into the institutional agenda as a consequence of Mette-Marit’s health or the image problems of the crown princess.
What will happen with Sverre Magnus and Marius
Prince Sverre Magnus, the second son of Haakon and Mette-Marit, currently occupies the third position in the line of succession. When Haakon becomes king, he will advance to second, behind his sister Ingrid Alexandra. The Royal House currently confirms that order: Haakon, Ingrid Alexandra, and Sverre Magnus.
The situation of Marius Borg Høiby, son of Mette-Marit from a previous relationship, is different. He is not the son of Haakon and does not belong to the line of succession to the throne. His mother's rise to the status of consort queen would not incorporate him into it.
Thus, while Harald remains on leave, Haakon temporarily resumes his role as regent. When the succession arrives, the change will also affect Mette-Marit and Ingrid Alexandra: the former is set to become consort queen and the latter will take the first place in the line of succession.
The difference lies in public opinion. Polls published during 2026 reflect a high support for Haakon as future king and a significantly greater rejection of Mette-Marit as future queen.