The True Story Behind Norway's Version of "The Crown"
By now, most people have at least heard about the incredibly popular Netflix show “The Crown.” This drama about the British royal family taps into people's fascination with royalty. That is why Norway is seizing the opportunity to create its own version of the popular series. Find out more about the show and the Norwegian Royal Family in this article.
This upcoming show will be called “The Winter Throne” and it will tell the tale of Norway's royal family. Chances are if you do not live in Norway, or have not studied its culture before, then you know very little of the Norwegian royal family. In order to prepare you for the eventual premiere of The Winter Throne, here is a bit of information regarding Norway's royal family.
Photo: Thomas Brun/NTB Scanpix
Who Is Part of the Norwegian Royal Family?
The House of Glücksburg royal family was first established back in 1905 when King Haakon VII was declared the official king of Norway. This transition of power marked an important moment in Norway's history because it came as a result of the official dissolution of the Sweden-Norway union and cemented Norway as an independent nation once again.
Together with his wife, Queen Maud, King Haakon VII ruled over Norway until his death in 1957. At this point, their son, Olav V, took over as king of Norway until his death in 1991. From there, King Harald V became the official king of Norway and currently holds the same position.
Photo: Det Kongelige Hoffs Fotoarkiv
What You Can Expect From The Winter Throne
The story of Norway's version of The Crown is likely to start long before King Haakon VII first became the King of Norway in 1905. Being born as Prince Charles of Denmark, he went through some very interesting training for a naval career. Later on, his marriage to Princess Maud in 1896 allowed for a closer relationship between Denmark and England thanks to Princess Maud being the daughter of King Edward VII of England.
After being offered the title of the Norwegian King in 1905, he graciously accepted, but not before requiring that he was first approved by the Norwegian plebiscite. With an overwhelming majority vote in his favour, he officially took on an Old Norse name and was retitled as King Haakon VII.
Photo: Oslo Museum
The King was very beloved in Norway for the vast majority of his rule and managed to successfully guide them through World War I before running into a bit of trouble in World War II. This is because of Norway’s Storting body being directly pressured by German forces to make King Haakon VII step down from his title. Being the strong-willed individual that he was, King Haakon VII decided to defy German wishes and remained the king of Norway. Unfortunately, this caused him to be exiled to England until the end of the war.
By demonstrating his conviction to the Norwegian people, it inspired many of them to form a resistance against the invading German forces. King Haakon VII was graciously welcomed back to Norway at the end of the Second World War and remained a popular ruler until his death.
With the impressive tale of a king uniting a country not only once, but multiple times throughout his reign, Norway's version of The Crown is sure to be an exciting series. Be sure to visit Norway and Oslo on one of the popular tours from Fjord Tours in order to find out more about the family that will be the centre of the upcoming show The Winter Throne.
Photo: Sven Gj. Gjeruldsen, Det kongelige hoff