King Harald: – Had this in the open air bathroom.

On Wednesday the book “The King Counts” was published, written by former editor Harald Stanghelle.

The book has been created as a result of a series of conversations with King Harald (83) and contains several funny little details from the king’s life at 83 years old.

In the book, the king talks about his experience of some of the perhaps most traditional that we have in this country; I mean, there are pictures of royalty hanging in the open-air bathroom.

– Clings to the “bitter end”

Grandfather photo

It’s probably mostly on the hanging toilet. I have brought it with me, ”says the king of the portraits of him and his family that hang of himself in Norwegian houses and cabins.

TRADITION: In Norway, there is a great tradition of having a photo of royalty in the open-air bathroom. Here from the Ryvarden lighthouse, which had a picture of King Olav. Photo: Irene Jacobsen / Aller Media
see more

In the book it seems that he does not know very well what to say to this tradition, but that he assumes that it is about the royal family as a symbol, and not himself as a person.

“I have no problem with that,” concludes the king in the book.

Today, many people hang photos of the royal family in cabins and open-air bathrooms out of sheer nostalgia. Traditionally, images were justified by the fact that people dried themselves with newspapers and magazines, but that older people did not want the image of royalty for this very purpose. Photographs of royalty used to be a regular feature in the nation’s weekly magazines.

This tradition has been so strong that King Harald in the book reveals that the royal family was no exception.

“By the way, we had such a photo ourselves, in the bathroom of the prince’s hut in Sikkilsdalen. It was probably King Haakon who hung there, I think (King Harald’s grandfather, diary, note). Now it has probably been replaced by another thing ».

In the prince’s cabin: The Norwegian royal family on Easter holidays at the prince’s hut at Sikkilsdalen in Jotunheimen in 1950. Here three generations (vf) King Haakon, Crown Prince Olav and Prince Harald on the outskirts of Prinsehytta. Photo: Jan Stage NTB / NTB
see more

– proud

The book “The King Counts” touches on various personal themes, such as the death of his former son-in-law Ari Behn and Maud Angelica Behn’s speech in front of a crowded Oslo Cathedral during the funeral.

Maud Angelica stood by her father’s gurney when he delivered the powerful speech for which he subsequently received this year’s acute psychiatry award.

– I want to tell everyone who has been through this – there is always a way out. Even if it doesn’t feel that way. There are people who can help. You can get help. I ask you with all my heart, soul and body, ask for help. It is never a shame. It is a strength, not a weakness. You can also go to a professional, they are there to help you, said Maud Angélica in the church.

The king himself says that he had failed to deliver the grandson’s speech.

“It was a strong speech. I was proud of her.” That she did it, “I thought. She hadn’t made it,” says the king.