King Harald V of Norway, Europe’s oldest reigning monarch, has died at the age of 89 after 35 years on the throne.
The Norwegian Royal House announced that the monarch died on Friday, August 28, shortly after 6:35 a.m. He is succeeded by his only son, Crown Prince Haakon, who becomes King Haakon VIII.
Harald is survived by his wife of 57 years, Queen Sonja, their two children and five grandchildren. His death marks the end of a 35-year reign during which he became a widely respected and popular figure in Norway.
Harald ascended the throne in January 1991 following the death of his father, King Olav V. He presided over Norway during a period of significant economic prosperity, driven largely by the country’s oil and gas wealth.
Born in 1937 in Asker, near Oslo, Harald was the first Norwegian prince to be born in the country since King Olav IV in 1370. Norway later regained its own monarchy when Harald’s grandfather, Haakon VII, became king following the dissolution of the union between Sweden and Norway in 1905.
Unlike several other European monarchs who have abdicated in recent years, Harald remained on the throne despite his advancing age and health challenges. His reign was also marked by efforts to modernise the Norwegian royal institution.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said the king’s death had left “a whole nation” in mourning, describing Harald’s life as one marked by dedicated service to Norway.
The government declared a national period of mourning, while crowds gathered outside the Royal Palace in Oslo to honour the late monarch.
Tributes also poured in from royal families and political leaders across Europe.
Britain’s King Charles expressed his family’s grief over the loss of a longtime friend, praising Harald’s “kindness, compassion and deep sense of duty.”
Denmark’s King Frederik and Queen Mary also paid tribute, remembering Harald as “a fine man with a twinkle in his eye and a big heart.”
