Support for Norway’s monarchy has risen to 72%, according to a new Norstat poll commissioned by NRK in the days immediately following the death of King Harald V. The figure is eight percentage points higher than in May, when 64% of respondents said they supported keeping the monarchy.
The survey, reported by Aftenposten, found that 20% would prefer a republic or another form of government, while 8% said they did not know.
The poll was conducted by Norstat over the weekend immediately after Harald’s death on Friday, 28 August, during a period of national mourning and the first days of King Haakon VIII’s reign.
Support for the Norwegian monarchy increased by eight points
The new figure represents a significant short-term increase in support for the Norwegian monarchy. In the previous Norstat survey for NRK, carried out in May, 64% supported the monarchy.
The latest poll therefore suggests that the succession and the public response to Harald’s death have been accompanied by a renewed consolidation of support around the institution.
The timing of the survey is important. It was carried out while Norwegians were mourning a king who had reigned since 1991 and as Haakon began performing his first duties as monarch. The figures consequently provide an early indication of attitudes towards the monarchy during an exceptional moment rather than necessarily pointing to a lasting change in public opinion.
A difficult period for Norway’s royal family
The increase also comes after a particularly difficult period for the Norwegian Royal Family. During the past year, several separate issues have generated public debate about the monarchy and some of its members.
Queen Mette-Marit, who has faced serious health problems, was also criticised after new details emerged about her past contacts with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. She apologised for what she described as poor judgement. Her son from a previous relationship, Marius Borg Høiby, has meanwhile been at the centre of a major criminal case unrelated to his mother’s official royal role.
The wider royal family has also faced recurring debate over the distinction between royal status and private commercial activities, particularly in connection with Princess Märtha Louise, who stepped away from official royal duties in 2022.
These controversies had raised questions about public confidence in individual members of the royal family. In February, for example, an Aftenposten poll found that only 22% of respondents considered Mette-Marit suitable to become queen.
The new Norstat poll suggests, however, that criticism of individual royals has not translated into a comparable rejection of the institution itself. Nearly three in four Norwegians now say they support the monarchy, a distinction that could become particularly important as Haakon VIII begins defining his reign after more than three decades under Harald V.
