| Haakon VIII | |
|---|---|
| |
| King of Norway | |
| Reign | 13 November 1989 – present |
| Benediction | 13 November 1990 |
| Predecessor | Harald V |
| Heir apparent | Ingrid Alexandra |
| Born | 20 July, 1973 St. Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway |
| Spouse | Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby |
| Issue | Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra Prince Sverre Magnus |
| Full name | |
| Haakon Magnus | |
| House | Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg |
| Father | Harald V, King of Norway |
| Mother | Sonja Haraldsen |
| Religion | Church of Norway |
Haakon VIII (born 20 July 1973) is the current ruling King of Norway, being the youngest to ascend to the throne of Norway. He is the youngest child and only son of King Harald V and Sonja Haraldsen, a survivor of the Oslo blast. Haakon spent much of his childhood witnessing the reconstruction of Norway under his father and the Prime Minister, John Lyng.
During his adolescence, Haakon studied at Trondheim and he planned to join the military in the Karelian War. However, King Harald's ill health would force these plans to be scrapped. In 1989, at the young age of sixteen, Haakon became King of Norway.