International Students warmed by Mourning Country

Friday morning, August 28th: it was announced that King Harald V had passed away. As rain fell over the palace, thousands flocked to the city center, bringing flowers and other tributes to the late king.

When asked about his opinion of the public’s outpouring of support, exchange student André Rofail (21) shared his admiration:

– I think that it was really beautiful.

André Rofail studies political science and communications while on exchange at the University of Oslo. In his home country, Canada, he had seen a similar public outpouring of emotion after the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.

– It’s not too far off from when our monarch died either. We had Queen Elizabeth, Queen of Canada, and afterwards we got King Charles. I was definitely surprised, and I felt the grief of the Norwegian people; they said that the king was like a grandfather to all of them. I thought that was really sweet…I felt the solemn ambiance of what happened there. 

Rofail was not the only international student captivated by the public's reaction to the late king’s death; Sara Ben Hamida (22), a master’s student studying International and European Law, had this to say:

– I was quite surprised. Coming from France, we do not have a monarchy. Their reaction was really surprising, considering the fact that we only hear about bad things regarding monarchy. But then I got to learn more about the king and how he presented himself and the different public speeches that he gave, and I really understood why they were so impacted and affected. 

Coming Together

On Wednesday, September 9th, over forty thousand people flocked to the city center to attend the public funeral of the late king. Both Rofail and Benhamida were among the non-Norwegians who attended the historic event.

– I did. Yeah, I felt since I'm in the country, I should. I felt a sense of duty, Rofail says.

– Yes, I did. I went there at 9:00,  next to the palace. There were a lot of people, says Ben Hamida.

After being asked about the future of Norway’s monarchy, both Rofail and Ben Hamida pointed out the late king’s inclusivity and the legacy he left as cause for hope.

– I think that the king did leave a kind of grandfather-type legacy, saying that everyone does belong in Norway. There’s a specific quote when he said, whether you believe in God or Allah, or you like women, you like men, who cares? Everyone’s Norwegian. He craved a sense of belonging for everyone, Rofail says. 

He is referring to Harald V.’s famous 2016 speech in which he declared: ‘Norway is us.’

– I think it should be in good hands. They probably want to stick with that legacy, Rofail says.

Ben Hamida points out her own views against the monarchy as a whole, but notes positives in the late king’s character.

– After he passed, I read a lot of stories and watched a lot of videos and speeches. He brought the monarchy into modern times. He made the royal family more relatable to the people. I personally do not relate to them at all. But after learning about his history, I felt more welcome as an international woman living in Norway. 

– I’m French, I’m Tunisian, and I don’t believe there should be a monarchy, but that does not mean I don’t respect what the king meant to them,  Ben Hamida says.

Benhamida pointed out a conversation she had with one of her Norwegian friends after the king’s death as cause for hope.

– After his passing, I talked to a few friends. I spoke a lot with one friend of mine who is Norwegian. We talked a lot about the king himself. He shared with me how nice and welcoming Harald was, how he fought for nine years to be with his wife since she was a commoner. 

– My friend was really hopeful about the future of the monarchy, because his son, the current king Haakon, seems to be just as soft and open-minded as the old king who passed. I would say the same thing. He set quite a good example. I think his son will logically follow it, Ben Hamida says.

Scepticism in Light of Controversial News

But not every opinion was as positive; Ben Hamida shared her concerns about the royal family’s recent presence in international news, following the scandal of Mette-Marit’s connections with the convicted sex-offender Jeffrey Epstein.

– It is sad. Her status as a member of the royal family enabled her to be in contact with Jeffrey Epstein. 

Julia Sosnowska (23), a bachelor's student in History with a degree in Norwegian philology from her home university in Poland, had similar qualms with the monarchy.

– I was never interested in royalty. It’s outdated; I don’t think it should be a thing. They have a president; a president is also a representative. I didn’t know much about the king [before arriving in Norway]. I knew mostly about the bad things, says Sosnowska, referring to Mette-Marit’s connections to Epstein and her son’s recent conviction for two counts of rape. 

But Sosnowska did not just feel negatively.

– You could say that he was progressive…if we take into account that he was royalty and old. 

And in reaction to his death she said: 

– I was sad. People loved him.

Although Sosnowska was moved by the public’s outpouring of support, she pointed out that since the king’s death was such an emotional moment, the aftermath has made it impossible to assess the current standing of the monarchy.

– When people point out bad things about the dead, especially a short time after their death, I often hear people say ‘we shouldn’t do this now,’ or that it is ‘more important to remember the good things.’ 

Is there ever a right time? Her last remarks were about the status of the monarchy as a whole.

– There is so much privilege that comes with wealth and power. In Poland, members of parliament have the privilege of immunity while in office. Being a member of a royal family gives you a privilege for life. 

But whether or not you believe there should be a monarchy or not. Hearing Rofail, Ben Hamida, and Sosnowska speak about the late King, it is evident that Harald V. reached many hearts, not just those in Norway.