In accordance with Norwegian tradition, the country’s Crown Prince is appointed the highest rank of the three military branches at the age of 40.
Crown Prince Haakon graduated from the Naval Academy in 1995 and has served aboard missile torpedo boats and other vessels.
Chief of Defense Harald Sunde underlines the royal family’s importance to the Norwegian Armed Forces:
“The King’s and the Crown Prince’s ties to the Armed Forces are valuated very highly. The royal family’s strong and unifying force when the nation is put to the test, like during World War II, is a guiding star for us in the Armed Forces”, the forces’ web site reads.
According to the Norwegian Constitution, the King is the highest ranking officer in the country. The King in Council, that is the Government, has the highest military responsibility in war and peace.
