– You can change what you want – VG

In Harald Stanghelle’s new book “King Counts”, Stanghelle writes that King Harald has a close relationship with his son, Crown Prince Haakon.

“He has become a friend and a co-worker. He asks me for advice and I receive it. The relationship has become increasingly close,” says the king.

King Harald describes the crown prince as a wise man and that “he will do well when the time comes.”

I think my father was more concerned than I was. I’m so lucky that it’s Crown Prince Haakon who takes this further. He has been with me the entire time as King and has been involved the entire time. Then you can take what you want and change what you want. “

The king says that the close cooperation between the king, queen, crown prince and crown princess has meant a lot to him.

“An extravagant past”

In the book, the king talks about being a team and that Queen Sonja has contributed crucially to this.

“When we had children, the queen and I, we told each other that when they grow up and grow up, they would not have to go through the same thing as us. King said.

And the marriage experiences of the royal couple would later matter to the crown prince, the day he fell in love with himself.

In her first meeting with the king and queen, Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby told herself about her rebellious and turbulent youth, according to the book.

The king concluded that Mette-Marit had an “acting past”, but at the same time said “we can do this”.

Consulted with the Prime Minister

Before the engagement was announced, King Harald summoned then-Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg to a conversation at the castle.

The Norwegian Constitution has a section that states that the Crown Prince cannot marry without the permission of the king. King Harald’s interpretation of the law, however, was that the “king” had to be regarded as the King in government, that is, the government.

“But just when it comes to this paragraph, King
must approve the marriage of the crown prince, I want to believe that the king is actually the king, that is, me, and not you, ”said King Harald, and then both he and the prime minister laughed, writes Stanghelle.

In any case, the king wanted to hear the opinion of the Prime Minister that the Crown Prince would marry Mette-Marit, who also had children before.

Both the king and the prime minister believed that Mette-Marit’s past should not ruin love.

When Prime Minister Stoltenberg was informed that Crown Prince Haakon wanted to marry Mette-Marit, it took the Prime Minister five minutes to say that “this is what we are going to look for.” The same was the conclusion when the case was presented to the entire government. “

Must sit until “bitter end”

The king describes a basic attitude that he and Queen Sonja have taken with them since their marriage:

“Many of us have had the privilege of marrying for love. It is a great gift; at the same time, it’s a human right to make one of life’s most important decisions on your own behalf, “he says.

Although the king is not concerned that the crown prince will one day replace him, he has no plans to abdicate immediately.

In the book, he says that the king’s obligations are something he values ​​very much:

“Once you’ve taken the oath to the Storting, it lasts a lifetime. It’s that easy for me. We’re at ‘the bitter end’. There’s something about the death of the King, long live the King!” He says.

King Harald underwent a successful heart operation earlier this month. Here he leaves Rikshospitalet: