King Haakon thanked Narvik for sharing the grief after Harald

King Haakon gave a speech in the town hall square in Narvik on Tuesday. It was the first public gathering on his first official journey around the country as king, and the municipality had invited residents to come along.

King Harald died barely two months ago, and the King thanked the people of Narvik for the flowers they had laid in this very square and for the greetings in the books of condolence at the town hall. Just before the speech he had been for coffee at the home of Magne Øymo, 91, in Bjerkvik, who lost his mother and his twin brother during the battle of Narvik in 1940.

The speech in full

His Majesty King Haakon's speech at the public gathering in the town hall square in Narvik on Tuesday 13 October 2026. Translated from Norwegian.

County Governor,
Mayor,
Dear everyone,

How wonderful to be here with you in Narvik, and so good to be back in town. Many thanks to the mayor for a warm speech and words of welcome. Many thanks to the choir, who already have the song ready for the 2029 world championships! And Fargespill: you were really good. And to Mathilde for leading the programme here so well.

It is a little strange – and good – to stand here today knowing that only a few weeks ago people laid flowers in this square in memory of my father, King Harald. I also know that many of you wrote greetings in the books of condolence that were placed here in the town hall, and elsewhere in the municipality. I want to give all of you a big and warm thank you from our family for sharing the grief and the loss with us.

When many of us share the grief, it becomes easier to bear.

My visiting Narvik now is not a random choice.

This is a hub in Northern Norway. You have a very important harbour, and you have the Ofoten Line. A lot of positive things are happening here at the moment, in technology, in business and in preparedness. And you have a brand new bike park that opened only a few weeks ago.

Here in Narvik you also have the country's oldest school of music and arts – which has now moved into fine new premises – and the secondary school has a new building, so a great deal is going on.

You set yourselves big goals and achieve a lot together. The Winter Festival Week – which has its 70th anniversary in February – is one example. And you have been awarded the alpine world championships in 2029. I think that deserves a proper round of applause.

I am really looking forward to it, and I think it is impressive that you came out on top against strong competitors. I have had some unforgettable and very fine ski tours in your magnificent countryside here in the mountains above Narvik, and I know what you have to show the world.

This is going to be fun.

Narvik also has a very special place in Norway's history. And I was reminded of the reason again when I was having coffee at the home of Magne Øymo and his partner Sonja in Bjerkvik just before I came here.

Magne was five years old during the battle of Narvik in the spring of 1940. He went through something no child should have to go through when both his mother and his twin brother Kjell were killed in front of him.

The battle of Narvik was Nazi Germany's first major defeat. It was a joint Allied effort, which still today reminds us of the importance of international cooperation.

But Magne Øymo's story also shows that mistakes are made in war. Serious mistakes. Because it was Allied forces that attacked Magne's home village of Bjerkvik on 13 May 1940. That has not been easy to come to terms with.

Here in Norway we have fortunately lived for a long time in a safe, good and peaceful country. But all of you who are schoolchildren know that in classrooms all over the country there are children and young people with experiences from other parts of the world that resemble Magne's.

It is important that we manage to preserve the open, free and diverse society we have created together – and that people can live safe, good lives.

Afterwards I am going to get to know some young people who work on democracy at the Narvik Centre. I am looking forward to that. Because this is an important part of our preparedness: being aware of what builds and preserves democracy – and what can threaten it.

Now, in the total defence year 2026, it matters to me to come here to Northern Norway to meet people from the whole breadth of our defence and our society. After the visit to the Narvik Centre I am going to the fire station to see how different bodies train and work together. Then I travel on to visit the Finnmark Brigade in Sør-Varanger and Porsanger.

Dear everyone, here in Narvik I think you know a good deal about how a good society is created and preserved:

You have a strong culture of volunteering, where you get things done together.

You have knowledge and awareness of history, which also prepares us for the future.

And I think you people of Narvik wish each other well. That you stand together. And through this you build a resilience that is good to have on good days – and absolutely necessary on difficult days, when you meet resistance and challenges.

Up here in the north you know how important it is that nobody stands alone when it really matters. Keep taking good care of one another.

Thank you so much for the fine welcome here in Narvik. I am looking forward to the rest of the programme here and the rest of the visit.

Thank you all very much.