Norway’s King Harald V has died at the age of 89 after being hospitalised for treatment of a rare blood disorder, the royal palace in Oslo said.
Harald died peacefully at 6:35 a.m. local time on Friday at the National Hospital in Oslo. The royal flag was lowered to half mast as Norway entered a period of national mourning ahead of his funeral, with mourners gathering outside the palace to lay flowers and flags.
Harald, who had ruled Norway for 35 years, has been succeeded by his 53 year old son, Crown Prince Haakon. The new king is expected to hold an extraordinary council of state with the government.
Harald was Norway’s first king to be born in the country since the 14th Century. He became king in 1991 following the death of his father, King Olav V.
He was widely regarded as a popular and modernising monarch who helped make Norway’s royal family more open and closely connected to the public. His decision to marry Sonja Haraldsen, a commoner, in 1968 broke with royal tradition and later helped pave the way for his own children to marry outside royalty.
Harald was also remembered for his response to the 2011 terrorist attacks in Norway, when far right extremist Anders Behring Breivik killed 77 people in Oslo and on the island of Utøya.
In a televised address following the attacks, Harald called on Norwegians to stand together and reject fear. His emotional public response became one of the defining moments of his reign.
The king also became known for his support for diversity. In a widely praised 2016 speech, he said Norway was home to people of different nationalities, religions and sexual orientations.
Harald’s health had deteriorated in recent years, leading him to reduce his public duties. He was treated for haemolytic anaemia, a rare condition in which red blood cells are destroyed faster than they can be replaced. He was admitted to hospital on August 17, with Haakon taking over his official duties as regent.
His death comes during a difficult period for the Norwegian royal family, which has faced a series of health problems and controversies. Haakon’s wife, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, recently underwent a lung transplant after suffering from a rare form of pulmonary fibrosis.
The royal family has also faced controversy surrounding Mette Marit’s son, Marius Borg Høiby, who was convicted of multiple offences and sentenced to four years in prison. He has appealed the sentence.
Mette Marit has also faced scrutiny over her previous association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, for which she apologised and acknowledged having exercised poor judgement.
Despite the controversies, royal observers said criticism had generally not been directed personally at Harald, who remained widely respected among Norwegians.
Harald is survived by Queen Sonja, their daughter Princess Märtha Louise, King Haakon and six grandchildren.
His reign will be remembered for modernising Norway’s monarchy, promoting openness and diversity, and presenting the royal family as a more approachable institution.
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