BREAKING: Norway’s King Harald V Dies at 89, Crown Prince Haakon Becomes King

Norway’s King Harald V has died at the age of 89 after more than 35 years on the throne.

He is succeeded by his son, Crown Prince Haakon, who now becomes the country’s new monarch.

The Royal Palace in Oslo announced on Friday that King Harald died peacefully at 6:35 a.m. local time at the National Hospital, where he had been receiving medical treatment.

His death came after his health reportedly deteriorated in recent weeks.

He was admitted to hospital on August 17 after undergoing treatment for haemolytic anaemia, a rare medical condition that causes the destruction or reduction of red blood cells.

Following the announcement of his death, Norway’s royal flag was lowered to half-mast as citizens gathered outside the Royal Palace to mourn the monarch and lay flowers in his honour.

Harald became King of Norway in January 1991 following the death of his father, King Olav V. During his long reign, he helped modernise the monarchy and developed a more informal and personal relationship with the Norwegian people.

One of the major moments that challenged royal tradition came before he became king. In 1968, then-Crown Prince Harald married Sonja Haraldsen, the daughter of a businessman.

The relationship had faced considerable resistance because Sonja did not come from a royal family.

They eventually married after years of courtship.
King Harald was also widely respected for the way he responded to national tragedies.

Following the 2011 terrorist attacks in Oslo and Utøya, which claimed 77 lives, he repeatedly called for national unity and urged Norwegians not to allow fear to divide them.

Beyond his constitutional and ceremonial responsibilities, Harald was known for his passion for sailing and sport.

He represented Norway at three Olympic Games as a sailor and remained involved in sporting and environmental causes throughout his life.

The late monarch also became an important voice for tolerance and inclusion. In a widely praised speech in 2016, he spoke about Norway as a country made up of people with different nationalities, religions, backgrounds and sexual orientations, stressing the importance of acceptance and belonging.

In recent years, however, the Norwegian royal family faced increased public attention over health concerns and controversies involving some members of the family.

King Harald gradually reduced his official duties as his health declined.

He is survived by Queen Sonja, whom he married nearly six decades ago, their daughter Princess Märtha Louise, his successor King Haakon, and six grandchildren.

With Crown Prince Haakon now ascending the throne, Norway enters a new chapter under a younger monarch.

King Haakon will inherit the responsibility of maintaining the public confidence and popularity associated with his father’s long reign while guiding the monarchy through growing public scrutiny.

King Harald’s death marks the end of more than three decades of his leadership of Norway’s constitutional monarchy and the beginning of a new era under King Haakon.

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