Norway had of old been a hereditary monarchy, but this had become less and less a reality, as at the last royal successions, hereditary claims had been bypassed for political reasons.
Norvegia avusese mereu o monarhie ereditară veche, însă acest lucru devenea din ce în ce mai puțin o realitate, de vreme ce la ultimele succesiuni regale, cererile ereditare au fost ocolite din motive politice.