- King Haakon VII -
of Norway, in Admiral's Uniform 1945

King Haakon VII tried to keep his
country neutral in World War II,
but Germany invaded his kingdom
on April 9th 1940. With his cabinet he
fled Oslo to avoid capture, and after
a strenuous journey through Norway
they managed to sail for England.
His refusal to submit when a
German-pressured Storting asked him
to abdicate inspired the Norwegians
to resist the German occupation.
After a five-year exile he returned to Norway in 1945, and continued in high
 esteem of his people until his death.

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