QWhat is happening in the royal house of Norway, usually so peaceful and harmonious? Norwegians have been wondering since the summer, terrible summer marked by scandals which shook the Palace, precipitating the monarchy to a record low level of popularity. Unheard of since the 1905 referendum on the maintenance of royalty after the dissolution of the union of the Scandinavian kingdom with Sweden.
Indeed, in the latest poll of September 9, carried out by Norstat for the public radio and television group NRK, only 62% of those questioned declared themselves in favor of the monarchy. Never has the popularity rating of royalty been so low, according to this opinion institute. In 2017, support for the royal regime was 81% during the double 80th anniversary of the royal couple, King Harald V and Queen Sonja. But last May, the love rating had fallen to 73% before falling further to 62% in September while 27% of Norwegians clearly say they want the establishment of a republic.
For historian and writer specializing in royal issues Tor Bomann-Larsen, interviewed by The Point“the drop in the polls that occurred over the summer is sensational.” A spectacular fall “caused by two negative affairs which tarnished the image of the Palace in public opinion: the controversial marriage of Princess Martha Louise, daughter of the sovereign, with the American shaman Durek Verrett and the arrest […] Read more
