Wednesday 23 March 2011

Crown Prince Regent sends Norwegian planes to Libya

In an extraordinary State Council held at the Royal Palace at 9 a.m. today the Crown Prince Regent gave his assent to a royal resolution authorising the Minister of Defence to send six Norwegian warplanes to assist in the efforts to enforce UN resolution 1973 (aimed at stopping the genocide Muammar Gaddafi is carrying out against his own people). The planes will be put under American command.
Crown Prince Haakon is Regent while the King and Queen are holidaying privately abroad. Since turning eighteen in 1991 he has been Regent on numerous occasions, including two lengthier periods during his father’s illnesses in 2003-2004 and 2005, and as such it has fallen upon him to host two state visits (by the Emperor of Japan and the President of Portugal) and to appoint a member of the cabinet (Anniken Huitfeldt in 2008), but committing Norwegian forces to combat is obviously the most serious government decision he has been called upon to authorise.

2 comments:

  1. It is interesting that it is a royal resolution.

    I am used to the distinction between royal resulutions and Crown Prince Regent resolutions.

    Would you please care to explain, sir, why we have a royal resolution when the Crown Prince assents, as we -- at least peviously -- have had Crown Prince Regent resolutions?

    Thank you! :-)

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  2. I do not know the reasons for using the term "royal resolution" in this particular case, which you will have to ask the government about. But historically there have also been other "royal resolutions" issued by a regent rather than by the monarch. For instance I recently read a royal resolution issued by Prince Oscar acting as regent in 1871.

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