I believe that King Olaf V of Norway tried everything in his might and power to break up his son's relationship with Sonja and prevent marriage. For 10 years, he held out hope that Harald would give up on her and marry a princess. Irene of Greece and Denmark was his preferred choice of bride: the king even encouraged her to move to the country and learn the Norwegian language.
In the end, the son won the battle over his weary father, who reluctantly gave in. He had no choice, since there was no other heir to the throne. Harald, taking advantage of that position, was able to force his hand ("It's Sonja, or I renounced my rights").
As for the eligible princesses in Europe: they, too, gave up on him -- realizing that it was futile to try any further to catch his eye. They probably realized that Harald and Sonja meant business ... that theirs was true love, not just infatuation or a passing phase ...
Honestly, now: what woman wants to marry a man openly in love with another? By 1968, the relationship was no longer a secret in the continent. Sonja would constantly lurk in the background, nestled in Harald's soul as the true love of his life. If not the official queen of Norway, she would be the queen of his heart ...
Times definitely had changed from the days when Crown Prince Ferdinand of Romania, designated heir of his uncle King Carol I, bowed to royal duty by severing ties to Elena Văcărescu and marrying a suitable princess (Marie of Edinburgh, Saxe-Coburg and Gotha) ...
I don't think rebel and liberated Pss Caroline would had ever fit in stiff, formal and protocol-abiding Luxembourg.
I guess the GD family would have prefer someone from a royal family, even non-reigning, such as Brazil or some austrian arch-duchess, or someone close related to RF such as Catherine of Limburg-Stirum.
Both Gdk Jean and GDss Josephine-Charlotte had renounced their youngtime loves in the name of duty and they found, at least, comfort with each other, so it was appropriate for them to think that their eldest son and heir would do the same.
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