New Norwegian monarch chooses name Haakon VIII

Norway has a new monarch who has selected Haakon VIII as his regnal name. The 53-year-old king announced his choice in a government statement, declaring, 'I will choose the name Haakon VIII and maintain the same motto that my father, grandfather, and great-grandfather chose: 'Everything for Norway.'

The ascension follows the death of his father, King Harald V, who passed away on Friday at the age of 89. King Harald V had been Europe's longest-reigning monarch. He had been receiving treatment at an Oslo hospital since August 17 for hemolytic anemia, and the royal palace had stated on Thursday that his condition was 'extremely serious.'

King Harald V, who ascended the Norwegian throne in 1991, had faced various health issues in recent years, including the implantation of a pacemaker. His official duties were reduced, but he consistently rejected the idea of abdicating, emphasizing his oath to the Norwegian parliament for life.

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I will choose the name Haakon VIII and maintain the same motto that my father, grandfather, and great-grandfather chose: 'Everything for Norway'.