Throughout the nineteenth century Norway, whilst in theory a constitutionally independent state, was, in fact, united to Sweden under a common monarchy. As the century war on, a Norwegian nationalist movement grew in strength to such an extent that, in June 1905, the Norwegian Parliament dissolved the union with Sweden and declared Norway fully independent. In the absence of a suitable Norwegian-born candidate, Prince Charles of Denmark was then invited to become king and he was duly elected by a national referendum of 13 Novmeber. He and his wife Maud - the youngest daughter of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra - left Copenhagen aboard the Danish royal yacht Dannebrog on 23 November 1905 amidst scenes of great public celebration. On 25 November the royal couple arrived in Trondheim where Charles was crowned as King Haakon VII, reigning until his death in 1957.

The Danish royal yacht Dannebrog was built in Copenhagen in 1879 for King Christian IX (Queen Alexandra's father) and remained in service until 1931. A schooner-rigged steel paddle yacht displacing 770 tons, she was 199 feet long and had a 26½ foot beam. When launched she was a stylish companion to most other European royal yachts but, even by 1905 standards, she had acquired a dated though undeniably elegant look.