Well he's in a fast shrinking club of monarchs who continue to take that stand. His personal choice and conviction of course but in a modern and progressive country like Norway it seems quite odd. Harald remains King on paper and in his palace but that's about it. Haakon can be best described now as the Prince Regent. Pity, a nice ceremonial transfer of power with many happy faces could have given everyone a well deserved moral boost. Although the very cringe worthy abdication ceremony of MII should be avoided at all cost.
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"Despite his advancing age and ill-health, King Harald has openly ruled out abdicating. In January, he told reporters that he had taken an oath that "lasts for life".
"It's that simple for me," he added. "We're at it until the bitter end."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-68874904