In the midst of their summer vacation, King Harald V (89) and Queen Sonja (89) received sad news. Their good friend Johan Baumann, former politician and sports official, passed away on July 16 at the age of 91. For decades, he belonged to the innermost private circle of the Norwegian royal couple.
A friendship since childhood
The King and Baumann are said to have known each other since their childhood, as the Norwegian portal Newsner reported. Both moved in the same circle of friends when they grew up in Oslo. Queen Sonja also shares a common past with the deceased: Baumann grew up with her in the Vinderen district in western Oslo and had known her since she was five years old.
From this shared youth developed a connection that lasted the rest of their lives. Baumann is said to have been very close to the royal couple throughout all these years. Anyone who followed the appearances of the Norwegian royal family saw him regularly at their side, at private occasions as well as at official events.
Ski president and local politician
Baumann was president of the Norwegian Ski Federation Norges Skiforbund from 1987 to 1995. The former Høyre politician had completed officer training and worked in business. In Drammen, a long career in local politics was added, which is why his death also caused grief there.
What appears remarkable from today's perspective is what Baumann said during his lifetime about dealing with his royal friend. He told Drammens Tidende that politics was never a topic between them. He had never experienced the King discussing political issues with him.
A confidant far from politics
For a monarch whose office requires political neutrality, this restraint was more than a private quirk. It shows how consistently Harald drew the line between person and institution.
Baumann thus belonged to that small group of confidants who did not experience the King primarily as head of state. He was certainly an important support for the royal couple even during the challenges of recent years - whether regarding the controversial wedding of daughter Märtha Louise (54) to shaman Durek Verrett (51), the lung disease of daughter-in-law Mette-Marit (52), or the trial of her eldest son Marius Borg Høiby (29).
