Haakon VIII, who became Norway’s king Friday after the death of his father, earned a political science degree from UC Berkeley in 1999.
Lindsey Wasson/Associated Press
Norway’s new king once came to California hoping to get as far away as possible from the royal life waiting for him at home.
Haakon VIII, who became Norway’s monarch Friday, Aug. 28, after the death of his father, King Harald V, attended UC Berkeley in the 1990s. He earned a degree in political science in 1999 and lived at International House.
The future king’s decision to attend Cal was more than an academic choice. In his 2023 autobiography titled “Haakon,” the royal wrote that he wanted to be “as far away as possible” from home, according to Reuters.
Article continues below this ad
California offered anonymity, or at least a version of it. Haakon surfed, explored the Bay Area music scene and got a taste of college life without the usual ceremonies and expectations of the Norwegian royal family.
“In the water, I could be myself,” he wrote.
He also recalled attending a heavily policed concert by the Brooklyn-born rapper Nas, during the height of the East Coast-West Coast hip-hop rivalry. It was apparently one of the more memorable ways to spend an evening in California.
Haakon, 53, was born in Oslo in 1973, the only son of Harald and Queen Sonja. He has an older sister, Princess Märtha Louise, but became heir to the throne when his grandfather, King Olav V, died in 1991.
Article continues below this ad
Norway had changed its succession law the year before, giving firstborn children priority regardless of gender. The change was not retroactive, which is how Haakon ended up ahead of his sister.
His daughter, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, is now next in line to the throne.
After his time at Cal, Haakon earned a master’s degree in development studies from the London School of Economics. He also attended the Royal Norwegian Naval Academy and completed training with Norway’s Foreign Ministry.
He returned to Berkeley in April 2024 during a California visit focused on climate, technology and economic cooperation between Norway and the state. At his alma mater, he met with students and joined a discussion about artificial intelligence and the future of work.
The trip also included meetings with local technology companies and a visit to San Quentin Rehabilitation Center with Gov. Gavin Newsom. The idea was to show Haakon how California was borrowing from Norway’s emphasis on rehabilitation in its correctional system.
Article continues below this ad
Haakon’s path to the throne has not been entirely smooth. He spent years adjusting to a public role he had once tried to escape, and his family has faced intense scrutiny in recent months.
His wife, Queen Mette-Marit, drew criticism over past contacts with Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender. She has not been accused of wrongdoing, but she has stated she was manipulated and deceived by Epstein.
Her eldest son, Marius Borg Høiby, Haakon’s stepson, was convicted in June of two counts of rape and domestic violence. He was sentenced to four years in prison. He and prosecutors have appealed aspects of the case.
Mette-Marit also underwent a lung transplant in June after years of treatment for chronic pulmonary fibrosis.
Haakon has increasingly taken on royal responsibilities as his father’s health deteriorated. Now, as king, he inherits a largely ceremonial position but one that remains important to Norway’s identity and international representation.
Article continues below this ad
He has adopted the motto “All for Norway,” used by his great-grandfather, King Haakon VII.
For Haakon, the private refuge he found in California remains part of his public story. In his autobiography, he wrote that he is happiest in the water with his family.
“Nothing beats that feeling,” he wrote.