Customers at a supermarket in Rødberg certainly did not expect to encounter the King of Norway in the fruit and vegetable section. Haakon VIII slipped among them to do some shopping, far from the protocol usually associated with the monarchy.
The 53-year-old ruler is currently staying with his family in a private chalet in Uvdal, northwest of Oslo, during the autumn holidays. He took the opportunity to go to a Kiwi chain store, where his presence obviously did not take long to be noticed.
Wolodomyr Buha, photographer for the regional newspaper “Laagendalsposten”, happened to be in the business when he recognized the monarch. “A little surprise awaited me,” he tells “Dagbladet”. “Her Majesty was there, choosing some fruit.”
Haakon VIII was also available to those present. According to several witnesses, he spoke with customers and agreed to pose alongside them.
A seemingly banal scene, but rather unusual for a head of state. Caroline Vagle, a specialist in the Norwegian royal family, sees this as an illustration of the sovereign’s closeness to the population. Continuing to perform such ordinary gestures himself would contribute to the accessible image of the new king.
Haakon VIII acceded to the throne recently, following the death of his father, King Harald, on August 28.
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