Norway’s King Haakon VIII swore an oath of allegiance to the country’s Constitution in parliament on Tuesday, marking an important symbolic step in his accession following the death of his father, King Harald V, who reigned for 35 years.


Haakon, 53, became monarch after Harald died on Friday at the age of 89. He has adopted the royal motto “All for Norway,” which was first used by his great-grandfather.


Haakon travelled the short distance from the Royal Palace to the Storting, Norway’s parliament, in an open car. Inside the chamber, Speaker Masud Gharahkhani formally announced Harald’s death and Haakon’s succession before the new king took the oath.


“I promise and swear that I will govern the Kingdom of Norway in accordance with its Constitution and Laws; so help me God, the Almighty and Omniscient,” he said.


Norway’s monarchy traces its roots to King Harald Fairhair in the ninth century. When the country regained independence from Sweden in 1905, three-quarters of voters in a national referendum backed the restoration of the monarchy.


The monarchy’s role is largely ceremonial today, with political power resting with the elected government and parliament. The royal family nevertheless continues to play a role in representing and promoting Norway internationally.


Harald’s coffin was taken on Monday to the chapel at the Royal Palace in central Oslo, where it will remain until his funeral on September 9. The chapel will be open to the public each day from Tuesday afternoon through September 8 for people wishing to pay their respects.


The Royal Palace said visitors would not be permitted to photograph or film inside the chapel, or to leave flowers or other items.


Haakon’s wife, Queen Mette-Marit, joined the procession accompanying Harald’s coffin on Monday in her first official appearance since becoming queen. She has largely stayed out of public view following a lung transplant in June.


The palace said ahead of Tuesday’s ceremony that Mette-Marit would not attend the swearing-in. It cited Are Holm, a pulmonologist at Oslo University Hospital, as saying that complications following a transplant were not uncommon and that the Queen had experienced them several times, “including today.”


“As a result, the Queen must remain under observation throughout the day. Unfortunately, the Queen will therefore be unable to attend the swearing-in ceremony at the Storting today,” Holm said.


By Tamilla Hasanova