Crown Prince of Norway

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon is heir to the throne of Norway. He undertakes a wide range of official duties as Crown Prince, both in Norway and abroad.

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon. Photo: Dusan Reljin, The Royal Court

Crown Prince Haakon acts as regent in cases where His Majesty The King is unable to perform his duties due to absence from the realm or illness.

The Crown Prince is normally in attendance when the King presides over the Council of State at the Royal Palace, and when the King’s grants the Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and representatives of the Norwegian Armed Forces audience.

The heir to the throne may attend meetings of the Council of State after reaching the age of 18, ‘without vote or responsibility’. If the King is ill or abroad, the Crown Prince presides over the Council of State in his capacity as Crown Prince Regent. Photo: Håkon Mosvold Larsen / NTB

Official duties

Crown Prince Haakon carries out a wide variety of official engagements in Norway every year. The Crown Prince’s programme reflects areas he has been engaged in for many years, and includes a strong commitment to the environment and sustainability, youth, and international affairs. He focuses on business and value creation, with particular attention to entrepreneurs and the green transition.

Every year he also leads delegations and travels abroad on behalf of the Norwegian government, strengthening bilateral relations within trade and industry, science and culture, as well as promoting Norwegian interests.

Official visits abroad

Crown Prince Haakon visits the street festival and the Norwegian-American museum Vesterheim in Decorah, accompanied by Ambassador Anniken Huitfeldt. Photo: Ola Vatn, The Royal Court

Crown Prince Haakon, along with Ambassador Anniken Huitfeldt, Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide, and Minister of Trade and Industry Cecilie Myrseth outside the Minnesota State Capitol. Photo: Ola Vatn, The Royal Court

Crown Prince Haakon visits Minnesota, the state with the largest Norwegian-American population. Photo: Ola Vatn, The Royal Court

General Shawn Manke in conversation with The Crown Prince. The Minnesota National Guard has worked with the Norwegian Home Guard for over 50 years. Photo: Ola Vatn, The Royal Court

Governor Tim Walz welcomed the Norwegian delegation at the Minnesota State Capitol in Saint Paul. Photo: Ola Vatn, The Royal Court

Crown Prince Haakon meets President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv during his visit to Ukraine. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB

Crown Prince Haakon meets President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv during his visit to Ukraine. The Crown Prince is visiting the country to express Norway’s strong support for the Ukrainian people and their leaders. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB

Crown Prince Haakon during a wreath-laying at the ‘Angels of Victory’, a memorial for fallen soldiers in Moschun in the Kyiv region of Ukraine. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB

Meeting places

Creating meeting places is important to the Crown Prince. In 2012, he initiated the SIKT conference. This has become an annual meeting place which brings together 200 young leaders and talents from all sectors of Norwegian society, in different Norwegian cities.

The first SIKT conference was held in 2013. Here, from Samfundet in Trondheim during SIKT 2022. Photo: Stian Andreassen / SIKT

Through the Crown Prince and Crown Princess’ Foundation, Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit support projects aimed at youth and young people who risk being left on the outside of the community. The fund was established in connection with their wedding in 2001.

The foundation seeks to strengthen community among young people, so that everyone feels a sense of belonging and can participate. The Crown Prince serves on the foundation’s board and takes an active role in its collaborative projects, participating in various activities organized by the foundation. One example is the annual Future Meeting, where young people from across the country present ideas for the future on a selected theme.

International involvement

The Crown Prince is very active in the international sphere, where young leadership, sustainability and the fight against poverty are issues particularly close to his heart.

In 2003 he was appointed as Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). In this capacity he goes on an annual field visit to UNDP funded projects all over the world.

In his work for UNDP, Crown Prince Haakon puts special emphasis the Sustainable Development Goals. Goal number one - the fight to alleviate poverty – and number four - sustainable oceans - are at the core of his efforts. The complex interplay between climate change, social inequalities, and poverty is usually a topic during field visits with UNDP.

The Crown Prince travelled to Mesetas, Colombia. Photo: FN-sambandet / Eivind Oskarson

United Nations Development Programme

UNDP Goodwill Ambassador

Crown Prince Haakon has been a UNDP Goodwill Ambassador since 2003. He has undertaken numerous field visits to promote UNDP projects worldwide:

Jamaica (2024), Kenya (2022), Colombia (2019), Liberia (2017), East Timor (2015), Tanzania (2014), Zambia (2013), Haiti (2012), Nepal (2011), Botswana (2009), Mongolia (2008), Burundi (2007), Guatemala (2006), Sierra Leone (2005), and Cambodia (2004).

Climate, oceans and the environment

Crown Prince Haakon’s international engagement also focuses on climate and the environment, with particular attention to the oceans, polar issues, nature conservation, and the fight against climate change. He is especially interested in understanding how technology and innovation can provide solutions to protect nature and the climate, both in Norway and globally.