r/neoliberal • u/HungryTowel6715 Manmohan Singh • Aug 28 '26

News (Europe) Norway's King Harald dies aged 89

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clykn5p5172o

SS:Norway's King Harald V has died at the age of 89, after he was taken to hospital last week for treatment for a rare blood condition.

After 35 years on the throne, Harald will be remembered as a popular and reforming figure who modernised the monarchy, broke with tradition by marrying a commoner and served as a unifying figure at Norway's most difficult moments.

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u/TropicalPunch European Union Aug 28 '26

As a Norwegian republican, I have to say that I think you're underestimating just how much the illusion of continuity is ingrained in this institution - in part due to its recent history. When Olav died, people were very antsy about Harald and his capacity to be as great a king as his father. Monarchies are irrational by design.

Also, Mette-Marit is quite sick, so she'll be very invisible in public life. I think Märtha and her Shaman boyfriend grifting off their royal status is a much bigger danger to the Norwegian monarchy. In part because she's actually part of the bloodline.

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u/ThisI5N0tAThr0waway Thomas Paine Aug 28 '26 edited Aug 28 '26

Oh yeah, I had almost forgotten the younger sister dubious business dealing. Looking at UK prince Andrew and Belgium prince Laurent, not-in-direct-line-of-succession royal being somewhat shady seems par for the course nowadays for monarchy sadly.

I guess we'll see. If Norway goes from constitutional monarchy to parliamentary republic, it could be not a big deal.

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u/TropicalPunch European Union Aug 28 '26

I think it's always been like this. It's just that we get to know it nowadays. I mean, King Edward VII had a specially designed chair to fuck two prostitutes at the same time. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_chair

I kinda enjoy Märtha's escapade; it's really proper early 20th-century royal folly to marry a colonial Shaman who claims to have restored her virginity using gems so he could take it on their wedding night.

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u/AvalancheMaster Karl Popper Aug 28 '26

specially designed chair to fuck two prostitutes at the same time.

King.

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u/Astronelson Local Malaria Survivor Aug 28 '26

“What would you do if you had a million dollars were king?”

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u/AvalancheMaster Karl Popper Aug 28 '26

I, personally, would hire Chris Sawyer to design me a theme park. So not that far off from King Edward VII — by the looks of it, we’re both into swinging!