King Haakon VIII of Norway paid tribute to his late father in his first address to the nation since becoming monarch. His voice momentarily broke with emotion as he mentioned his widowed mother, Queen Sonja.

King Harald, who emerged from the shadow of his extroverted father and became a reformer during his more than three decades on the throne, died on Friday at the age of 89.

His son Haakon, dressed in a black suit, white shirt and black tie, praised Harald as a devoted family man in a pre-recorded television address at the palace. "My dear father, thank you for being such a good dad for Martha and I", he said, referring to his sister, Princess Martha Louise.

Haakon emphasized that he would do things his own way, just as his father had done before him, and reiterated the fundamental principles of Norway as a constitutional monarchy. These are embodied in the oath he will take in Parliament on Tuesday, in which he will pledge to uphold the country's constitution and laws.

"We believe in our system of self-governance – and in democracy. We believe in a society built on the rule of law – where every individual has equal worth", he said. "We believe in a Norway where there is room for everyone. We shall feel the strength of our community - and know deep within ourselves that we are one people", he added.

At the end of his speech, mourners gathered in front of the palace, who had been watching on their cell phones, spontaneously broke into applause.

(Reuters, im)