Nordic monarchies

Denmark, Norway and Sweden are constitutional monarchies. They can all be traced to the Viking Age around 1,000 AD.

Understand
The Nordic monarchs were traditionally also the heads of their respective national churches, though only the Danish monarchy retains that role today. However, all three countries still constitutionally require their monarchs to be Lutherans.

Denmark
Denmark has been a continuous monarchy for 1,000 years. Denmark proper forms The Danish Kingdom (Kongeriget Danmark) together with the Faroe Islands and Greenland, a personal union under the same monarch; Frederik X as of 2024. The Danes hold their monarchy in high regard, especially since World War II in Europe as the Germans occupied Denmark, as King Christian X remained on the throne as Head of State in symbolic resistance, riding his horse through Copenhagen daily. There has been no coronation of the Danish monarch since that of King Christian VIII in 1840; Frederik X's ascension to the throne was simply proclaimed by the prime minister from the balcony of Christiansborg Palace without any pomp, which was followed by cheers from his subjects as he stepped out to greet them for the first time.

Norway
Norway became a unified monarchy in AD 872. Norway was in a personal union with Denmark from 1380 until 1814, and then in a personal union with Sweden until 1905. Since then, Norway has been an independent monarchy. Harald V has been monarch since 1991. The first monarch after 1905, Haakon VII, was a Danish prince and brother of King Christian X of Denmark.

While the king is constitutionally the head of state and supreme commander of the armed forces, the executive power in practice rests with a cabinet (the council) headed by the prime minister. King Harald is a 4-star general and admiral. The most important executive decisions are made in cabinet meetings headed by the king, the King-in-Council. When a bill is by the parliament it becomes valid law when approved by the King-in-council. King-in-council is usually held every Friday at 11:00 in the Council Hall of the Royal palace. Cabinet ministers can be seen coming and going in black limousines.

The king appoints the prime minister based on an understanding of the political situation in the parliament, often after consulting the outgoing prime minister or the speaker of the parliament. According to tradition, a newly appointed cabinet appears from the palace to meet the press and greet the public. Each year the king drives the short stretch from the palace to the parliament building to open a new session of the parliament. The king delivers the speech from the throne which is the official proclamation of the cabinet's policy for the next 12 months.

The King's only real prerogatives are regarding medals, honours and orders. The King enjoys sovereign immunity and cannot be prosecuted or held legally accountable. Only a minority of voters and politicians (known as republicans) want to replace the king with an elected president. While frequently the subject of jokes and satire, the royal family is generally highly regarded for their low-key style, sound morals and symbol of unity and freedom during the second world war. King Harald's motto is the same as his father and grandfather: Alt for Norge translated as Everything (or all) for Norway. There has been no coronation ceremony in Norway since that of King Haakon VII in 1906; King Harald V only received a blessing from the Church of Norway.

Sweden
"Svear äga konung taga, så och vräka. "Swedes may king take, and also remove.""

- The older Västgöta Code, establishing an elective monarchy

Sweden was unified in the 11th century, and was an elective monarchy up to 1397, when the country became part of the Kalmar Union with Denmark and Norway. In 1523, the Swedish riksdag elected Gustav Vasa as king; with him Sweden became a sovereign and hereditary monarchy.

Since 1973, the King of Sweden has been Carl XVI Gustaf. His motto is För Sverige - I tiden, "For Sweden, with the times", a phrase found on Swedish coins. Since 1975, the title confers no political power, and a purely ceremonial role. Succession had male priority until 1980 when it became gender-neutral with the King's eldest daughter Victoria being Crown Princess since then. The King has many non-government commitments; the most famous one is to award the Nobel Prize annually in Stockholm, as the protector of the Nobel Foundation.

Sweden has eleven Royal Palaces (kungliga slott), most of them open to the public.

Like most other surviving European monarchies, Sweden no longer holds coronations for its monarch; its last coronation was held for King Oscar II in 1873. King Carl XVI Gustaf merely took his oath of office before the cabinet, which was followed by a simple enthronement ceremony in the Royal Palace of Stockholm, where the royal regalia were displayed but not worn.

Finland
Finland was part of the Swedish Kingdom from the Middle Ages until 1809 (see Swedish Empire) and then a Grand Duchy of the Russian Empire, with the Russian Czar as the Head of State. At independence 1917, Finland declared itself a republic. However, after the civil war, before the new constitution went into effect, a king was elected by what was left of the parliament; he never took office. A compromise was reached, where the president got far-reaching powers and a palace that could have been a king's. Most of the powers were removed in the 1980s and 1990s.

Iceland
Iceland has had a parliamentary government since it was settled in the Viking Age. It was a subject of the Kingdom of Denmark, and became a republic when it gained independence in 1944.

Destinations
The Nordic monarchies also feature royal guards and changing of the guard ceremonies akin to the ones of the British monarchy. While not as well-known as the British counterparts, they are no less spectacular, and without the crowds that come with the British versions.

Go next
Sweden also has several nobility palaces and manors without direct connection to the Royal family.