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Norwegian king leads family to memorial service as Norway mourns King Harald V

King Haakon VIII, now 53, vowed to be 'present and attentive' and declared unity his central mission as his daughter Ingrid Alexandra became heir to the Norwegian throne.
King Haakon VIII, now 53, vowed to be 'present and attentive' and declared unity his central mission as his daughter Ingrid Alexandra became heir to the Norwegian throne.
Tens of thousands of Norwegians brought flowers to Slottsplassen square as King Haakon VIII adopted the motto 'All for Norway', inherited from his great-grandfather.
Tens of thousands of Norwegians brought flowers to Slottsplassen square as King Haakon VIII adopted the motto 'All for Norway', inherited from his great-grandfather.

Norway's new king joined his mother Queen Sonja and daughter Crown Princess Ingrid at Asker Church southwest of Oslo on Sunday, the first memorial service he has attended since his father King Harald V died at 89 on Friday. Haakon, 53, choked back tears in his first televised address as monarch, telling Norwegians he will miss Harald's 'laughter' and 'good-natured way of dealing with people'. He vowed to 'risk everything, even one's life, for Norway's freedom and independence', adopting his great-grandfather's motto 'All for Norway'. Harald's death, after a 35-year reign, came one day before what would have been his and Queen Sonja's 58th wedding anniversary.

Tens of thousands of Norwegians have left flowers, cards and candles outside Oslo's Royal Palace, where Harald's coffin arrived Friday evening.

'Thank you for being such a good dad,' Haakon told his late father in his first speech, his voice breaking as he addressed Queen Sonja on their anniversary.

No funeral date has been set yet, but Haakon is due to take his oath before parliament on Tuesday to protect Norway's constitution.

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