“We have become much closer to each other” – VG

Ari Behn passed away on Christmas Day at age 47. The family was open to taking their own lives.

Now King Harald recounts his experience of death in the new book “The King Counts”.

Author Harald Stanghelle writes that Behn was going to visit the family in Kongsseteren on the day he took his own life.

“We were together when it happened. It was a shock. We were very shocked, even though we knew he was in trouble. It’s painful and takes a long time to get over it. The fact that we were together when we learned of the death meant that we, as grandparents, had the opportunity to get closer to the grandchildren. We have become much closer to each other, “says King Harald in the book.

“I spoke of the father of our grandchildren”

King Harald was also open about Behn taking his own life in his New Year’s speech.

“I had no doubt that what had happened to Ari Behn should be included in the speech. When her family decided to be open about why, it came naturally to me. It would have been completely wrong if I hadn’t included it. But it was difficult to find the right words. He was talking about the father of our grandchildren, ”he says in the book.

– His Majesty the King, through several conversations with Harald Stanghelle, contributed to the book “The King Counts”, and experiences that the book stands up well on its own without further statements, says the Palace’s head of communications, Guri Varpe, in a statement to VG.

Behn married Princess Märtha Louise in 2002. They had three daughters together, before divorcing in 2016.

In connection with the book, Her Majesty The Queen, The Royal Court, The Royal Collections and Kagge Forlag have posted photos:

Shortly after the death was known, the king announced on the Royal House website that he and Queen Sonja received the news of the death with great sadness.

– Ari was an important part of our family for many years, and we carry with us warm and good memories of him, it was said in the message.

Behn’s death also marked the King’s New Year’s speech.

– Several of us enter the new year with sadness in our hearts. But hope belongs to everyone, he says in the speech.

King Harald went on to describe the importance of enormous support.

“There is comfort in all the good memories and beautiful words that have been passed down about the father of three of our beloved grandchildren.”

“Sometimes life is unbearable. For some, it gets so dark that nothing helps. Not even the love of loved ones. Some see no other way than to leave life. Those who stay must live. Poorer, without it they loved, “said King Harald in the New Year’s address.

“I’m proud of her”

Maud Angelica, Ari Behn’s 16-year-old daughter, has been praised for her bravery and outspokenness since speaking at the funeral.

“It was hard to hear it. I hadn’t heard it before, but I knew she would. She had given the speech for a small circle by the gurney when she was in Ullevål hospital. I was not there. It was a strong speech. I was there. proud of her. ‘That she can do it’, I thought. I had not succeeded, “says the king of the book’s speech.

The king himself was 17 when he lost his mother. The book says that the King has thought about it, that both deaths left deep pain. He came back when he saw a grandson give a speech in his father’s coffin in Oslo Cathedral. A young man the same age he was when his mother died:

“That’s why I say that I could not give that speech,” he continues.

See Maud Angelica’s speech:

In Stanghelle’s book on the king, he writes that there is little doubt that the early loss of his mother by the king left traces:

“It was a house of mourning. Mostly I had to process this myself. There was no one to talk to about this, but one of Dad’s good friends brought it up. He understood how I felt. Otherwise, not many people talked about it, no. Much has changed as people now take on the personal and the emotional more often. That was not the case then. I don’t know that I lost my mother
it was very processed. But life had to go on. I had to do it. It was a difficult time, but worse for King Olav, I think. Losing your mother is bad. We had to live it, we had to overcome longing one way or another. “

In March, in connection with a trip to Jordan, King Harald (83) said that life was about to return to normal after a bad winter, but that it would take time to move on after the death of Ari Behn.

– It will take a little time. Not a bit either, I think. We have three grandchildren who have lost their father. So it will take time, King Harald told the Norwegian press in Jordan.

It was the first time the royal couple answered questions about how they feel after the ex-son-in-law. he took his life at christmas.

– Then the worst begins to subside. Normalize a bit, continued the king.