King Harald, the Royal House | Will give the princess more responsibility: – Crisis for the royal family

In an article in Aftenposten, royal house expert and historian Trond Norén Isaksen attacks an issue that appeared for the first time in 17 years on 19 April – when the government suddenly found itself obliged to hold ministers without a regent present.

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At the same time that King Harald (87) was sick, Crown Prince Haakon (50) was on his way home from the USA.

Later in the day, when the crown prince was back in Norway, an extra cabinet meeting was held to appoint new ministers.

Will let Ingrid Alexandra rule

This paragraph, however, royal house expert Trond Norén Isaksen will change. He believes that section 41 must be changed so that the heir to the throne’s first-born can also act as regent.

Tove Taalesen: Ingrid Alexandra is no ordinary 19-year-old

In the Aftenposten chronicle, he writes, among other things:

– In Norway, for the first time since 1905, there is an adult heir to the throne in the second generation, but at the age of 20, Ingrid Alexandra does not have the opportunity to act as regent.

– Such a change will make the monarchy more efficient, reduce the pressure on the often double-working crown prince and also give Princess Ingrid Alexandra valuable experience for her future as head of state, adds Isaksen.

He is supported by Nettavisen’s royal house expert, Tove Taalesen, who believes that the challenges of missing regents will continue into the future as the situation is now.

– I completely agree with Isaksen, and think it is time for a change, she says to Nettavisen.

– We have to accept the consequences of having monarchs who live longer, because this will also be a challenge in the future.

– Crisis for the royal family

Taalesen has long been concerned that the royal family has become so small.

– And it has actually become even smaller now that the king has reduced his position, she points out, and adds that there will probably be more strain on the crown prince as the situation is now.

– When we have a king with a reduced workload, a crown prince who works more, a crown princess who is ill and does not work one hundred percent and a queen who is 87 years old, then there is a lack of people. There is actually a bit of a crisis for the royal family, she believes.

For that reason, Taalesen thinks it is a good idea to involve the crown princess to a greater extent.

– Of course it can be challenging for a young girl, but at the same time she has known all along that she will be queen one day. So it is in her entire heritage that these are her tasks, she says.

– Probably sits quite far inside the Storting

Law professor Eirik Holmøyvik at the University of Bergen is an expert on the Constitution, and is very skeptical about both whether the constitutional amendment is necessary and whether it can be implemented. To amend the Constitution, a two-thirds majority in the Storting and an intermediate parliamentary election are needed.

– This is about creating more monarchy. I think that is probably quite far in the Storting, also because the Constitution already has a well-functioning system for such cases, says Holmøyvik to NTB.

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He points out that the monarch has a formal and mainly ceremonial role in today’s cabinet. The decisions that the King in Council signs off on are in reality already taken in advance of the government.

– Only regard for pomp and splendour

– From that perspective, there is neither a practical nor a legal need for the number two in the line of succession to be able to step in as regent. There, the Constitution has rules for the government to adopt royal resolutions only in these very special cases, says the professor.

Nor does Holmøyvik believe that there is any danger of abuse or a lack of legal certainty that would require a royal signature.

– It is only for the sake of pomp and splendor. There are many things about the Constitution that we need to change before this.