Norway’s crown prince becomes King Haakon VIII after his father’s death

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) – Norway has a new king, whose tasks will include stabilizing the Scandinavian country's monarchy and boosting the royal family's popularity after his wife's past contacts with deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his stepson's rape conviction.

Key points

• Crown Prince Haakon, 53, became King Haakon VIII when his father, Harald V, died Friday at 89.
• Norway's monarchy has old roots, tracing its origins to King Harald Fairhair in the ninth century.
• As his father aged and his health began to fail over recent years, the prince stepped in as the country's regent on a number of occasions.

What happened

Crown Prince Haakon, 53, became King Haakon VIII when his father, Harald V, died Friday at 89. Haakon adopted the motto, "All for Norway, " that dates back to his great-grandfather. While his oldest child became Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra and the heir to the throne, his wife became Queen Mette-Marit.

Haakon knows the ropes. As his father aged and his health began to fail over recent years, the prince stepped in as the country's regent on a number of occasions.

Norway's monarchy has old roots, tracing its origins to King Harald Fairhair in the ninth century. When Norway regained its independence from Sweden in 1905, three-quarters of voters in a national plebiscite approved restoring the monarchy. Today, the role is largely symbolic as the power lies with an elected parliament, but the country's royal family retains celebrity and a role in promoting the wealthy nation worldwide.

The bottom line

For now, norways crown prince becomes King Haakon VIII after his fathers death remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.