Born Christian Frederik Carl Georg Valdemar Axel in Charlottenlund Palace, near Copenhagen. Known as Prince Carl of Denmark, he became the first king of Norway after the 1905 dissolution of the union with Sweden and was one of the world's few elected monarchs. Succeeded by his son Olav.
After the German invasion of Norway in 1940, Haakon and his government went into exile in Britain. Here he broadcast messages of resistance back to Norway via the BBC, as did Queen Wilhelmina to the Netherlands. The 2016 film 'The King's Choice' tells the story of the German invasion of Norway and Haakon's refusal to negotiate a surrender.
Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk
