The Future of the Norwegian Monarchy


If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If not for anything else, it’s a sign that no parental love, no stable upbringing, and no priviligies in the world gives a 100 % protection from ending up on the wrong side of the law….

People are just not used to see the Norwegian RF having members who does not behave within the law.

And for the NRF, adding this to their ”other” currently ongoing scandal won’t do them any good with the norwegian people… When they only have 1 member working full time, and 4 members working part-time, people will only see and hear about the scandals.
Without a doubt. But the Norwegian Royal Family also has to change its stance and realize that there are changes that they will have to make for the good of the monarchy.
 
The Norwegian royal house definitely needs to take a look on how to deal with the recent issues. They might provide a stable upbringing but it seems they are also rather 'permissible': having a questionable past is no problem at all to marry the crown prince, having altercations with the law is no big deal as the king will make sure you'll do fine, not holding on to an agreement is fine in practice as there are no consequences, marrying a convicted felon falls also within the realm of possibilities as you will remain in the line of succession, so Marius' (general and more recent) behavior falls within that same line: do as you please and not take any responsibility in life and based on your family connections, expect that you'll be fine. Some tough love might be needed - both for the benefit of some family members as well as the future of the monarchy.
 
People are just not used to see the Norwegian RF having members who does not behave within the law.

And for the NRF, adding this to their ”other” currently ongoing scandal won’t do them any good with the norwegian people… When they only have 1 member working full time, and 4 members working part-time, people will only see and hear about the scandals.
and not to forget ML marrying a convicted criminal who will keep the attention on him in the forseeable future.
 
At Finnish family magazine Seura royal blogger Mikaela Larsson has interviewed historian Trond Norén Isaksen:

Who will do the representative duties in the future when the royal family suffers from bad understaffing?
King Harald has strongly denied that he intends to give up his crown.
"The king sees his constitutional oath as lifelong, and there is no pressure because of his personal popularity," says Isaksen, who considers abdication to be the right direction for monarchies.
"Norway has not made a state visit abroad in four years. They are very important for state relations and the promotion of Norwegian companies and culture abroad. The king delegates many of his tasks to Crown Prince Haakon, who, in addition to his own work, also tries to substitute his sick wife".
(..)
 
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I agree, but the question will be asked what sort of upbringing is resulting in this total lack of judgement and even criminal behavior. The danger, in my opinion, is the individuals may not be relevant, but their actions reflect poorly, will erode trust, and won’t inspire confidence in the grand scheme.
I think they’ll be fine as long as Harald, Sonja, Haakon, MM, IA and SM behave correctly. What’s happening with Marius is unfortunate, but he has no title, isn’t in the line of succession, and, to be blunt, isn’t Haakon’s biological child, which counts for a lot when you’re talking about a hereditary monarchy.

I also believe most Norwegians understand that kids can lose their way even if their parents do everything right, and also recognize that there were likely significant differences in the way Marius was brought up compared to Ingrid Alexandra and Sverre Magnus. I suspect the harshest judgment would be reserved for any reaction to the situation on the part of Haakon and MM (realistically just her) that’s not appropriate - getting publicly defensive, trying to use their influence to soften consequences, and so on.

No question, though, this does increase the pressure on both IA and SM to consistently behave in a manner appropriate for members of the Norwegian Royal Family. They have less room for error now.
 
I think they’ll be fine as long as Harald, Sonja, Haakon, MM, IA and SM behave correctly. What’s happening with Marius is unfortunate, but he has no title, isn’t in the line of succession, and, to be blunt, isn’t Haakon’s biological child, which counts for a lot when you’re talking about a hereditary monarchy.

I also believe most Norwegians understand that kids can lose their way even if their parents do everything right, and also recognize that there were likely significant differences in the way Marius was brought up compared to Ingrid Alexandra and Sverre Magnus. I suspect the harshest judgment would be reserved for any reaction to the situation on the part of Haakon and MM (realistically just her) that’s not appropriate - getting publicly defensive, trying to use their influence to soften consequences, and so on.

No question, though, this does increase the pressure on both IA and SM to consistently behave in a manner appropriate for members of the Norwegian Royal Family. They have less room for error now.
Yes, I agree and your point is very well taken. Parents can do their best and still end up with children finding themselves in impossible situations. I know this very well from a friend’s experience, although in her case, her son was the victim. This is why I expressed sympathy for M-M. The feeling of guilt and even shame will not be easy. It’s just unfortunate for all involved in this case because of who they are and what they represent.
 
I agree, the Royal House will be fine as none of them are implicated. TBH being cynical and PR like, the King, Queen and Haakon could actually come of well from the Marius scandal as they will be seen as having had a lesser role in his upbringing but being welcoming to him as a child and being upset by his actions. There may well be sympathy for them to a degree. They are that little bit removed more than Mette Marit. Plus I have to say certainly The King and Queen seem to manage interviews, press comments well in such circumstances (they’ve had plenty of practice of late) where they actually sound like real people trying to do both the best for their family but also for the country, they always seem quite warm and personable.
Long term I think Haakon would do well to include both his daughter (obviously as she is heir) but also his son as working members of the Royal House. I don’t think they can afford another “loose cannon” member of the RF who isn’t a member of the Royal House causing controversy. ML and her sham man and Marius have used up all the capital there sadly. That or Sverre Magnus gets a boring 9-5 job that keeps him busy but out of the spotlight.
Every family has ups and downs, as ling as the “core” members of the RF continue to act well I don’t see an issue, but it does give them less room for mistakes or similar happenings down the line IMO.
 
Long term I think Haakon would do well to include both his daughter (obviously as she is heir) but also his son as working members of the Royal House. I don’t think they can afford another “loose cannon” member of the RF who isn’t a member of the Royal House causing controversy. ML and her sham man and Marius have used up all the capital there sadly. That or Sverre Magnus gets a boring 9-5 job that keeps him busy but out of the spotlight.

Perhaps, but the first option would require Prince Sverre Magnus himself to be interested (he seems rather private so far) and the public to willingly fund the lifestyle of someone not directly in line for the throne.
 
Well, membership of the Norwegian Royal Family is decided by the King of Norway, and not by us or by foreign monarchs.

Given that Marius Borg Høiby lived primarily with the Crown Prince and Crown Princess since early childhood, I think the King made the pragmatic and correct decision. Besides, the King also granted Erling Lorentzen, Johan Martin Ferner, Ari Behn, and soon Durek Verrett membership of the Royal Family, so it could have seemed rather inconsistent not to include Marius.
When was it announced that Durek Verrett would be granted membership of the Royal Family?
 
When was it announced that Durek Verrett would be granted membership of the Royal Family?

On November 8, 2022, at the same time it was announced that Princess Märtha Louise was withdrawing from her few remaining royal duties.



"When Durek Verrett and Princess Märtha Louise are married, Mr Verrett will become a part of the Royal Family – as did Erling Lorentzen, Johan Martin Ferner and Ari Behn. But in accordance with tradition he will not have a title or represent the Royal House of Norway."​

Will continue the discussion about membership of the royal house and family here: Constitutional and Dynastic Matters in the Norwegian Monarchy
 
While I fully agree that Marius' case is extremely troublesome, it still pales in comparison to Durek's past... So, if this is damaging to the reputation, wouldn't the upcoming marriage not be even more concerning?

Experts opinions differ, four experts are interviewed:
(...)
Peggy Simcic Brønn:
- This tops everything. Of everything wrong that has happened to this royal house - this is the worst. He does not apologize for the use of violence, Brønn calls the statement fire extinguishing.
- How you handle these matters is incredibly important. This damages the reputation of the royal house, it cannot be avoided.
(...)
It really seems the Norwegian royal 'experts' are not aware of Shaman Durek's past. He was also accused of domestic abuse (but settled) and much, much more. So, I am not sure how this can be 'the worst' if the king already consented to the marriage of his daughter with a felon with much more (but including domestic abuse) on his criminal record.

Some details from wikipedia:
Legal problems
In 1991, Verrett was convicted of felony arson and trespassing and sentenced to five years imprisonment in California after he illegally organized a party in an unoccupied house that was set on fire and burned to the ground. Verrett has stated that he served one year in prison before being released on parole.

In 1993, after Verrett was released from prison, he was arrested on three separate occasions in Santa Clara and San Mateo, California, charged with crimes including trespassing, theft of services, and riding public transportation without paying fares (fare evasion), for which he spent additional time in jail and fined monetary penalties. (...)

In 2005, Verrett entered into a sham marriage with Zaneta Marzalkova (...) In 2008, Marzalkova filed for divorce from Verrett (...) Marzalkova claimed that the marriage was an illegal arrangement by Verrett, whom she paid to help her obtain a United States Green Card. (...)

In 2011, Verrett was accused of harassment, non-payment of rent, and making threats of murder and "black magic" in a lawsuit filed against him by his landlord in Los Angeles.

In 2015, Verrett was arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department for domestic abuse after he attacked his then-fiancé Hank Greenberg at their home. Verrett was charged with assault and battery. He later entered into a private agreement with Greenberg to not cooperate with prosecutors in exchange for monetary compensation. After Verrett was released from jail, Greenberg claims that Verrett reneged on their arrangement.
(...)
Source: Durek Verrett - Wikipedia
 
While I fully agree that Marius' case is extremely troublesome, it still pales in comparison to Durek's past... So, if this is damaging to the reputation, wouldn't the upcoming marriage not be even more concerning?
Experts opinions differ, four experts are interviewed:
(...)
Peggy Simcic Brønn:
- This tops everything. Of everything wrong that has happened to this royal house - this is the worst. He does not apologize for the use of violence, Brønn calls the statement fire extinguishing.
- How you handle these matters is incredibly important. This damages the reputation of the royal house, it cannot be avoided. Kongehusekspert om Marius Borg Høibys uttalelse: – Åpen, direkte og gjennomtenkt

It really seems the Norwegian royal 'experts' are not aware of Shaman Durek's past. He was also accused of domestic abuse (but settled) and much, much more. So, I am not sure how this can be 'the worst' if the king already consented to the marriage of his daughter with a felon with much more (but including domestic abuse) on his criminal record.


Some details from wikipedia:
[...]
Source: Durek Verrett - Wikipedia

Not necessarily. Unlike Marius Borg Høiby, Durek Verrett was not a member of the Royal Family at the time of his damaging actions (some alleged, some admitted or proven). Therefore it does not reflect on the king or royal house for failing to prevent his actions.

Personally, I agree with you that the King granting his official consent to the marriage under Article 36 of the Constitution, thus approving Durek as a potential Prince Consort, does make him responsible for approving Durek Verrett's past to some extent. (As a reminder for others, withholding his official consent to the marriage would not affect the couple's right to marry or any other civil rights, or prevent the King from giving the couple his personal blessing. The only effect would be to remove Princess Märtha Louise and possibly her daughters from the line of succession to the throne.)

But according to the well-informed Norwegian poster Royal Norway, the general public in Norway adamantly does want the King to grant Article 36 consent to Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett, so Ms. Simcic Brønn may simply share the public's opinion that the King has a duty to keep Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett eligible to be Queen and Prince Consort, and so should not be faulted for it.

(But she does not seem to be the best informed, as Marius's statement certainly did apologize for the use of violence.)
 
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When King Harald V ascended to the throne in January 1991, he inherited an extremely conservative and, in many ways, outdated monarchy.
The court was dominated by male courtiers with a military background, and there wasn't even a communications office.

But King Harald (along with Queen Sonja) modernised and reorganised the court, brought in more women and people without a military background and took a more hands-on approach to how the court was run.

King Harald also took a different approach to how he acted as monarch compared to his father King Olav V. And yes, King Olav was very popular, which was mainly due to his efforts during World War II and because he sometimes took the tram, which is why he was referred to as ''folkekongen'' (''the people's king'') by the Norwegian media.
But the reality was that he was actually extremely conservative and quite aloof. It has also become known after his death that he had a bad temper and treated both staffers and family members poorly.

King Harald OTOH is modern, down-to-earth, kind, warm and caring.
And he has used his speeches to speak up for the weak in society, such as victims of violence (whom he has sometimes met privately at the palace), people who are bullied, drug addicts, immigrants, etc. He has also spoken about equality, multiculturalism and a society for all. And he has been there for the nation with his tears and wise words during natural disasters and other tragedies.
All this has earned him a special place in the nation's heart, especially among younger generations, and he has deservedly been referred to as ''folkekongen'' (''the people's king'') by the Norwegian media.

And his huge personal popularity has rubbed off on the monarchy as an institution, especially in the last 10 years, when some polls have shown the support for the monarchy at over 80%.

But now his daughter, future son-in-law and step-grandson are ruining everything he has built up! They're literally turning a modern and well-functioning institution into a scandalous soap opera!

So what does the King need to do?
Well, this can't be easy for him, but now it's gone so far that the only thing he can do to solve this is to strip Märtha of her princess title (and he has to do it pretty fast)!

Because people are pretty fed up here now!

And no, this situation will not calm down!

Because as the royal historian Trond Norén Isaksen has said several times, ''As long as Märtha is a princess, then everything she and Durek say and do affects the monarchy.''

I mean, as long as she is a PRINCESS and he is the PRINCESS' husband, then the word monarchy is written on their faces. And that is a SERIOUSLY BIG problem when Durek says/does what he says/does, and Märtha is silent behind him, even sometimes supporting him.
And it's also a SERIOUSLY BIG problem when Märtha, as a Princess of Norway, constantly criticises the Norwegian people and media for being so bad to her and Durek and constantly uses the race card when she and Durek receive criticism.

And if Märtha were to be stripped of her title against her will, then I can understand that the King is afraid of Märtha turning against him and the Royal Family, but I'm sure he can sit her down and explain to her in his usual friendly and caring way that enough is enough!

And if Märtha and Durek should use the race card against the King, well, he has spoken up for immigrants throughout his reign, and most people in Norway already know that he doesn't have a racist bone in his body, so that wouldn't work at all.

What about the line of succession? Well, she is unlikely to come to the throne anyway, so (as Trond Norén Isaksen has said) her succession-right is not that important!
And should both Haakon, Ingrid and Sverre Magnus die in an accident or something, then I think the Storting would start the process of making Norway a republic pretty fast!

Another thing the King needs to do pretty fast is (as Trond Norén Isaksen has said) to make changes to the Royal Family.

Today, Marius and the Behn girls (and soon Durek), who have no titles, are official members of the Royal Family and are, therefore, not private citizens. And therefore, all their actions affect the monarchy!

Therefore, the King must limit the official Royal family to those with a title!
Marius, the Behn girls and Durek can instead be members of the King's private family.
 
The best possible thing right now would be if the King could convince Martha-Louise to renounce her rights and titles before she gets married without his having to take action against her. It would solve a lot of problems for the royal family, and it would demonstrate to the public how much respect she has for her father and the institution.

Maybe they need to tighten the "royal family" definition a bit, too, limiting it to those with the title of prince or princess. Anyone else is part of the king's family without any official status. That would take care of Marius, the Behn girls, and the shaman.
 
The best possible thing right now would be if the King could convince Martha-Louise to renounce her rights and titles before she gets married without his having to take action against her. It would solve a lot of problems for the royal family, and it would demonstrate to the public how much respect she has for her father and the institution.

Maybe they need to tighten the "royal family" definition a bit, too, limiting it to those with the title of prince or princess. Anyone else is part of the king's family without any official status. That would take care of Marius, the Behn girls, and the shaman.
Haven't they already done so by limiting the royal house (and the style of majesty or royal highness) to the king, queen, crown prince, crown princess and hereditary princess? I don't think a three-tier system would add much:

Three tier system would be:
Royal House: Harald, Sonja, Haakon, Mette Marit, Ingrid Alexandra
Royal Family: RH + Sverre Magnus, Märtha Louise, Astrid
King's Family: RF + Marius, Maud, Leah, Emma, Durek (of which 3 have succession rights!)
 
Haven't they already done so by limiting the royal house (and the style of majesty or royal highness) to the king, queen, crown prince, crown princess and hereditary princess? I don't think a three-tier system would add much:

Three tier system would be:
Royal House: Harald, Sonja, Haakon, Mette Marit, Ingrid Alexandra
Royal Family: RH + Sverre Magnus, Märtha Louise, Astrid
King's Family: RF + Marius, Maud, Leah, Emma, Durek (of which 3 have succession rights!)

No, the royal family officially includes everyone listed as the King's family on your list. That's why I was suggesting they pare it down.

Here's the description from the NRF website:
The Royal House of Norway belongs to the House of Glücksburg. The members of the Norwegian Royal House are Their Majesties King Harald and Queen Sonja and Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Haakon, Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Princess Ingrid Alexandra.

The members of the Royal Family are in addition the Crown Prince and Crown Princess’s other children, His Highness Prince Sverre Magnus and Mr Marius Borg Høiby; Her Highness Princess Märtha Louise, Miss Maud Angelica Behn, Miss Leah Isadora Behn, Miss Emma Tallulah Behn and Her Highness Princess Astrid, Mrs Ferner.

 
No, the royal family officially includes everyone listed as the King's family on your list. That's why I was suggesting they pare it down. (...)
Yes, I know. That's why I presented the hypothetical 'three tier' system that you proposed and that seems unnecessarily complicated in my view. There is already a clear distinction between the royal house and the royal family. No need to further complicate things and split up the 'royal family' category - and if they truly would want to, the more logical distinction would be between those in line to the throne and those not in line to the throne imho.

How many people for example, can (without looking it up) explain the (unofficial) three tier system that is in place in Sweden?
 
Yes, I know. That's why I presented the hypothetical 'three tier' system that you proposed and that seems unnecessarily complicated in my view. There is already a clear distinction between the royal house and the royal family. No need to further complicate things and split up the 'royal family' category - and if they truly would want to, the more logical distinction would be between those in line to the throne and those not in line to the throne imho.

How many people for example, can (without looking it up) explain the (unofficial) three tier system that is in place in Sweden?
I understand what you mean, but my point is creating more separation between any official position and family. People like Marius and the Behn sisters would have more freedom to live their lives without the connection to the royals, and the royal court would not have to worry about their activities.
 
I understand what you mean, but my point is creating more separation between any official position and family. People like Marius and the Behn sisters would have more freedom to live their lives without the connection to the royals, and the royal court would not have to worry about their activities.
But isn't that exactly the point of making an distinction between the royal house and the royal family? The ones belonging to the royal house are the ones that officially represent the monarchy; the others happen to be members of the royal family as they are closely related by birth or by marriage to the monarch - and only princess Astrid occasionally undertakes an official royal engagement these days.

I'm not sure that a further distinction will be made in practice. They don't fulfill any official roles, are untitled (unlike for example the Swedish grandchildren who remained princes and princesses (but lost their style of royal highness) and even the Danish although they got a lower title) and are just members of the king's family, and therefore of the royal family. So, I don't think it would make a difference in the perception of the people.
 
The best possible thing right now would be if the King could convince Martha-Louise to renounce her rights and titles before she gets married without his having to take action against her. It would solve a lot of problems for the royal family, and it would demonstrate to the public how much respect she has for her father and the institution.
That's what I've previously written in the Märtha and Durek thread!
But Märtha has been very clear in several interviews over the years that she will not renounce the princess title because it's part of her identity.

And excuse me for being a bit cynical, but I have followed Märtha for several years in the Norwegian media and have seen/read most of her interviews, and I think probably the biggest reason why she doesn't want to give up the title is because she feels it makes her way more interesting to be a princess instead of just being Märtha Louise Verrett.
You know, far more people (especially abroad) want to do business with a real princess rather than just Märtha Louise!
And yes, the 2019 rules say she can't use the title commercially, but hey, she's constantly breaking those rules anyway!

So then the only option now is to do it against her will but in a caring and warm way (and since King Harald is the warmth himself, I'm sure he can handle it).
And as I wrote in my previous post, this can't be easy for the King, but now it's gone so far that this is the only thing he can do to calm things down!

I'm not sure that a further distinction will be made in practice. They don't fulfill any official roles, are untitled (unlike for example the Swedish grandchildren who remained princes and princesses (but lost their style of royal highness) and even the Danish although they got a lower title) and are just members of the king's family, and therefore of the royal family. So, I don't think it would make a difference in the perception of the people.
Well, but it will make a difference in the media!

Because as long as the court writes on their website that Marius and the Behn girls (and soon Durek) are members of the Royal Family, then when something happens with them, the media will be out and saying: ''As long as they are members of the Royal Family, they are not private citizens. And therefore all their actions affect the monarchy!''

Just take the current situation with Marius; the media is defending their coverage of him because he is an official member of the Royal Family!

Therefore, Trond Norén Isaksen is more than right when he says that the King must limit the official Royal Family to those with titles! And he should do it quickly!
 
That's what I've previously written in the Märtha and Durek thread!
But Märtha has been very clear in several interviews over the years that she will not renounce the princess title because it's part of her identity.

And excuse me for being a bit cynical, but I have followed Märtha for several years in the Norwegian media and have seen/read most of her interviews, and I think probably the biggest reason why she doesn't want to give up the title is because she feels it makes her way more interesting to be a princess instead of just being Märtha Louise Verrett.
You know, far more people (especially abroad) want to do business with a real princess rather than just Märtha Louise!
And yes, the 2019 rules say she can't use the title commercially, but hey, she's constantly breaking those rules anyway!

So then the only option now is to do it against her will but in a caring and warm way (and since King Harald is the warmth himself, I'm sure he can handle it).
And as I wrote in my previous post, this can't be easy for the King, but now it's gone so far that this is the only thing he can do to calm things down!


Well, but it will make a difference in the media!

Because as long as the court writes on their website that Marius and the Behn girls (and soon Durek) are members of the Royal Family, then when something happens with them, the media will be out and saying: ''As long as they are members of the Royal Family, they are not private citizens. And therefore all their actions affect the monarchy!''

Just take the current situation with Marius; the media is defending their coverage of him because he is an official member of the Royal Family!

Therefore, Trond Norén Isaksen is more than right when he says that the King must limit the official Royal Family to those with titles! And he should do it quickly!


In the UK and in Denmark, consent to royal marriages is explicitly given by the King in Council, meaning that the King is supposed to follow ministerial advice when it comes to consenting to the marriage or not. Sweden went one step further when the Act of Succession was amended in 1980, and consent to marriages of the princes or princesses of the Royal House must be given now by the government directly (rather than the King) although the government can only give its consent on the request of the King, implying that a double consent is actually needed.

The literal wording of Article 36 of the Norwegian constitution places the responsibility to consent to marriages of princes and princesses on the King alone, but, as a constitutional monarch, King Harald V is supposed to follow the advice of his ministers. Do you think that the Prime Minister should have intervened and explicitly advised the King to deny consent to Märtha-Louise's marriage to Durek? That would not have prevented the marriage, but would have excluded M-L and her daughters from the line of succession if the marriage went ahead nonetheless, which probably would have been better for the future of the Norwegian monarchy.
 
The writer of this debate article, Heidi Bøhagen (writer, critic and social debater) is totally fed up with what is happening now at the royal family.

She writes about the letters Märtha Louise and Durek have sent to Durek's mother and sister + Mette-Marit contacting the victim at the ongoing police investigation and says:
We cannot have a royal house that uses its position to influence or limit free speech. Others' narrative. Even if it was in the best of intentions (as people are surprisingly willing to assume).
 
So what does the King need to do?
Well, this can't be easy for him, but now it's gone so far that the only thing he can do to solve this is to strip Märtha of her princess title (and he has to do it pretty fast)!

Because people are pretty fed up here now!

And no, this situation will not calm down!

There is actually another thing the King can do: not grant his Article 36 constitutional consent to Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett's marriage. That would remove her entitlement to the throne when they marry. (Yes, he claimed he already granted his consent, but nothing in Article 36 bars him from changing his mind before the marriage takes place.)

I know you have conveyed that the public would be more or less aghast if the King did so. But frankly (and to be clear, this is directed at the general public, not at you; it is not my wish to "shoot the messenger" ;)):

The general public can say all they like that they are fed up and appalled with Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett. But their actions speak louder than their words. If the public are putting pressure on the King to keep Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett legally entitled to automatically become Head of State and First Gentleman of Norway (which would take effect if just three people either die or become disqualified!), then the public are granting their approval and blessing to Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett and their actions and marriage, and the public should accept their responsibility for that choice.

What about the line of succession? Well, she is unlikely to come to the throne anyway, so (as Trond Norén Isaksen has said) her succession-right is not that important!

If her succession rights to the Crown are not that important, then what is the problem with cleanly and easily removing them through Article 36, thus removing one connection between her (and Durek) and the monarchy? Clearly, maintaining her rights to the crown is important to someone or some people, or the King would not have wasted his breath granting his Article 36 consent to their marriage.
 
When King Harald V ascended to the throne in January 1991, he inherited an extremely conservative and, in many ways, outdated monarchy.
The court was dominated by male courtiers with a military background, and there wasn't even a communications office.

But King Harald (along with Queen Sonja) modernised and reorganised the court, brought in more women and people without a military background and took a more hands-on approach to how the court was run.

King Harald also took a different approach to how he acted as monarch compared to his father King Olav V. And yes, King Olav was very popular, which was mainly due to his efforts during World War II and because he sometimes took the tram, which is why he was referred to as ''folkekongen'' (''the people's king'') by the Norwegian media.
But the reality was that he was actually extremely conservative and quite aloof. It has also become known after his death that he had a bad temper and treated both staffers and family members poorly.

King Harald OTOH is modern, down-to-earth, kind, warm and caring.
And he has used his speeches to speak up for the weak in society, such as victims of violence (whom he has sometimes met privately at the palace), people who are bullied, drug addicts, immigrants, etc. He has also spoken about equality, multiculturalism and a society for all. And he has been there for the nation with his tears and wise words during natural disasters and other tragedies.
All this has earned him a special place in the nation's heart, especially among younger generations, and he has deservedly been referred to as ''folkekongen'' (''the people's king'') by the Norwegian media.

And his huge personal popularity has rubbed off on the monarchy as an institution, especially in the last 10 years, when some polls have shown the support for the monarchy at over 80%.

But now his daughter, future son-in-law and step-grandson are ruining everything he has built up! They're literally turning a modern and well-functioning institution into a scandalous soap opera!

So what does the King need to do?
Well, this can't be easy for him, but now it's gone so far that the only thing he can do to solve this is to strip Märtha of her princess title (and he has to do it pretty fast)!

Because people are pretty fed up here now!

And no, this situation will not calm down!

Because as the royal historian Trond Norén Isaksen has said several times, ''As long as Märtha is a princess, then everything she and Durek say and do affects the monarchy.''

I mean, as long as she is a PRINCESS and he is the PRINCESS' husband, then the word monarchy is written on their faces. And that is a SERIOUSLY BIG problem when Durek says/does what he says/does, and Märtha is silent behind him, even sometimes supporting him.
And it's also a SERIOUSLY BIG problem when Märtha, as a Princess of Norway, constantly criticises the Norwegian people and media for being so bad to her and Durek and constantly uses the race card when she and Durek receive criticism.

And if Märtha were to be stripped of her title against her will, then I can understand that the King is afraid of Märtha turning against him and the Royal Family, but I'm sure he can sit her down and explain to her in his usual friendly and caring way that enough is enough!

And if Märtha and Durek should use the race card against the King, well, he has spoken up for immigrants throughout his reign, and most people in Norway already know that he doesn't have a racist bone in his body, so that wouldn't work at all.

What about the line of succession? Well, she is unlikely to come to the throne anyway, so (as Trond Norén Isaksen has said) her succession-right is not that important!
And should both Haakon, Ingrid and Sverre Magnus die in an accident or something, then I think the Storting would start the process of making Norway a republic pretty fast!

Another thing the King needs to do pretty fast is (as Trond Norén Isaksen has said) to make changes to the Royal Family.

Today, Marius and the Behn girls (and soon Durek), who have no titles, are official members of the Royal Family and are, therefore, not private citizens. And therefore, all their actions affect the monarchy!

Therefore, the King must limit the official Royal family to those with a title!
Marius, the Behn girls and Durek can instead be members of the King's private family.
But even if her title were taken away or renounced, wouldn’t people still see her as a princess (title or not) since she is the King’s daughter?

There is actually another thing the King can do: not grant his Article 36 constitutional consent to Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett's marriage. That would remove her entitlement to the throne when they marry. (Yes, he claimed he already granted his consent, but nothing in Article 36 bars him from changing his mind before the marriage takes place.)

I know you have conveyed that the public would be more or less aghast if the King did so. But frankly (and to be clear, this is directed at the general public, not at you; it is not my wish to "shoot the messenger" ;)):

general public can say all they like that they are fed up and appalled with Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett. But their actions speak louder than their words. If the public are putting pressure on the King to keep Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett legally entitled to automatically become Head of State and First Gentleman of Norway (which would take effect if just three people either die or become disqualified!), then the public are granting their approval and blessing to Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett and their actions and marriage, and the public should accept their responsibility for that choice.



If her succession rights to the Crown are not that important, then what is the problem with cleanly and easily removing them through Article 36, thus removing one connection between her (and Durek) and the monarchy? Clearly, maintaining her rights to the crown is important to someone or some people, or the King would not have wasted his breath granting his Article 36 consent to their marriage.
How are the people of Norway telling the king to keep ML titled? Are there polls? Thanks in advance!
 
But even if her title were taken away or renounced, wouldn’t people still see her as a princess (title or not) since she is the King’s daughter?

Marius Borg Høiby being untitled since birth has not spared the royal house from being affected by his actions, and unlike his stepaunt, he is not even in line to the throne.

How are the people of Norway telling the king to keep ML titled? Are there polls? Thanks in advance!

Just to be clear, my previous comment was referring to Princess Märtha Louise's rights to the throne, not to her Princess title. :flowers: Even if she were to lose her entitlement to the throne, the King could decide that she would retain her Princess title. Or he could remove her title of Princess while leaving her in line to the throne, like her daughters.

My comment that "I know you have conveyed that the public would be more or less aghast if the King [withdrew his Article 36 consent to Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett's marriage]" is based on what Royal Norway said a few months ago: "I mean, this is Norway in 2024, there is no way that the King or the government would go anywhere near Article 36!"

(Though to be pedantic, the King did "go near" Article 36 by granting his Article 36 consent to the couple's marriage. Not going near Article 36 (i.e., taking no action) would mean no consent and no right to the throne after marriage for Princess Märtha Louise.)

That said, I too would like to see polling data on the issue, and preferably a poll which clearly explains Article 36 to the respondents prior to asking for their opinion (because I suspect at least some of the opposition to withholding Article 36 consent might stem from a misguided "How dare a father deny his full-grown daughter the right to marry?" – even though the reality is that King Harald V withholding consent would not deny her the right to marry at all, but only deny her the right to become Queen of Norway).
 
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Marius Borg Høiby being untitled since birth has not spared the royal house from being affected by his actions, and unlike his stepaunt, he is not even in line to the throne.



Just to be clear, my previous comment was referring to Princess Märtha Louise's rights to the throne, not to her Princess title. :flowers: Even if she were to lose her entitlement to the throne, the King could decide that she would retain her Princess title. Or he could remove her title of Princess while leaving her in line to the throne, like her daughters.

My comment that "I know you have conveyed that the public would be more or less aghast if the King [withdrew his Article 36 consent to Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett's marriage]" is based on what Royal Norway said a few months ago: "I mean, this is Norway in 2024, there is no way that the King or the government would go anywhere near Article 36!"

(Though to be pedantic, the King did "go near" Article 36 by granting his Article 36 consent to the couple's marriage. Not going near Article 36 (i.e., taking no action) would mean no consent and no right to the throne after marriage for Princess Märtha Louise.)

That said, I too would like to see polling data on the issue, and preferably a poll which clearly explains Article 36 to the respondents prior to asking for their opinion (because I suspect at least some of the opposition to withholding Article 36 consent might stem from a misguided "How dare a father deny his full-grown daughter the right to marry?" – even though the reality is that King Harald V withholding consent would not deny her the right to marry at all, but only deny her the right to become Queen of Norway).
I understand that King Harald V has expressed his opinion in the past that Article 36 is a personal prerogative of the monarch, but, frankly, that opinion is odd in a constitutional monarchy.

Provisions such as Article 36 exist in the law of countries that are monarchies because marriages of royal princes or princesses might have a possible implication on the succession to the office of head of state. If it is a matter of state rather than a private family matter, then the decision to grant or deny consent to the marriage should not rest with the King personally, but rather be taken on ministerial advice.

The prime minister, however, apparently did not advise the King against consenting to ML's wedding to Durek. A possible reason is that the prime minister agrees with the King that Article 36 is a personal prerogative of the monarch and that he should not be involved in this matter. Or the prime minister might think that advising the King to deny consent to the marriage would be politically unfeasible, either because, according to Royal Norway, the Norwegian people wouldn't accept it, or because there could be allegations of racism. Or it might be the case that, since ML and her daughters are not in direct line to the throne, the prime minister feels that the matter is not serious enough to warrant government intervention, especially in face of the aforementioned potential political risks.
 
Prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre:
- I will not comment on the details of what we have now followed over the last few days, but it is a family with some very clear challenges, which also applies to a good number of other families in Norway. This family, unlike them, has to endure full floodlights on it. I can imagine that is a big burden. This is a moment where we stop and get to know that this is a family. And in families there are also challenges and problems, also in this family, says Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre to NTB.
The party leaders find the situation sad and praise the work the royal family is doing.

That the extremely serious scandal centered on Marius Borg Høiby but also involving or impacting other members of the Royal Family hasn't prompted monarchist political leaders to curtail their public praise for the monarchy and royal house, and that even republican political leaders are choosing not to criticize the monarchy at this time, are optimistic signs for the future of the monarchy, I would say.

That the Prime Minister is publicly signaling that the Government will leave this to the royal family to handle as a private matter, and encouraging the public to accept this approach, will probably also be a relief to the Royal Family and facilitate their recovery as an institution.
 
I don't know much about Nordic Royal Houses, which is the reason I usually don't comment. I also believe that cultural upbringing gives all of us biases when commenting on other countries' issues.

Having said that and as a Spaniard who has lived the heights and lows of Juan Carlos and how he almost brought the monarchy becoming obsolete in Spain, I'd love to say a few things.

1. Harald is a well loved monarch. I doubt anyone can seriously think he's racist or unfair. He's known for being kind and open minded. But....and here comes the dreaded but,

2. Protecting a monarchy, the highest institution in Norway, is much more than being a great person. It means making difficult decisions when the Institution, the highest institution in the land, may be under threat. Harald is also a father, and the lines between institution and fatherhood get emotionally blurred.

3. I don't fully understand why Durek or Marius are part of the Royal House. Felipe made it simpler in Spain - royal house means working royals (except Juan Carlos but this is a different topic) and family of the king. Being family means just that, private citizens without receiving moneys from the State. Why hasn't Harald made such an easy distinction?.

4. Governments intervene when the highest institution on the land can be seeing as corrupt, obsolete or no longer fit to their population. One of the reasons for monarchies making a firewall is to prevent the institution from burning from outside with people like Durek or Marius.

Monarchies in Europe are fragile because the younger generation are much more in tune into ethical politics. Norway has always supported their monarchy....... but careful, it can go downhill very fast if the institution is no longer seen as "clean".
 
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