Norway's crown prince becomes King Haakon VIII after his father's death

COPENHAGEN, Denmark -- Norway has a new king, whose tasks will include stabilizing the Scandinavian country's monarchy and boosting the royal family's popularity after his wife's past contacts with deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his stepson's rape conviction.Crown Prince Haakon, 53, became King Haakon VIII when his father, Harald V, died Friday. Haakon adopted the motto, “All for Norway,” that dates back to his great-grandfather. Haakon's oldest child now becomes Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra and the heir to the throne.Haakon knows the ropes. As his father aged and his health began to fail in recent years, the prince stepped in as the country’s regent on several occasions.Norway’s monarchy has old roots, tracing its origins to King Harald Fairhair in the ninth century. When Norway regained its independence from Sweden in 1905, three-quarters of voters in a national plebiscite approved restoring the monarchy. Today, the role is largely symbolic as the power lies with an elected parliament, but the country's royal family retains celebrity and a role in promoting the wealthy nation around the world.Haakon is the younger child of Harald, born two years after his sister, Pr...