King Harald V of Norway has died at the age of 89 following a prolonged illness, the Norwegian Royal Family has confirmed. His son has succeeded him as King Haakon VIII.
The monarch ascended to the throne in 1991 after the death of his father, King Olav V, and held the distinction of being Europe's eldest reigning sovereign. The new Queen is Mette-Marit, while the heir to the throne is 22-year-old Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, who is set to become Norway's first Queen Regnant following changes to absolute primogeniture laws permitting female royals in the succession line to reign.
Death at Rikshospitalet
In an official statement, the Norwegian Royal Court revealed that the King died at Rikshospitalet in Oslo. It states: "It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of His Majesty King Harald today. King Harald passed away peacefully at the National Hospital on Friday, August 28, at 6.35am."
The former monarch, who had experienced poor health since 2003, was initially hospitalised when medics grew worried about complications from his haemolytic anaemia treatment. While receiving care for this ailment, the King subsequently developed fluid retention, which necessitated additional hospital intervention. It later came to light on Sunday that the royal's condition had worsened after contracting a bacterial blood infection.
Family at the King's side
The Palace verified that the King was receiving antibiotic therapy for this and was showing a positive response to treatment. Yet the "stable" state he maintained mere days earlier deteriorated rapidly when the Norwegian Royal Court disclosed on Thursday morning that the monarch's situation was "very serious."
King Harald received visits at Rikshospitalet hospital on numerous occasions recently from his son and daughter-in-law, the former Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit. On Thursday morning, King Harald's spouse, Queen Sonja, was photographed entering with the late King's elder sister, Princess Astrid, the Crown Prince and Princess alongside their offspring, Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus. The King's daughter, Princess Martha Louise, was also confirmed by her representative to be present at her father's side.
His step-grandson, Marius Borg Hoiby, who has been freed from custody under house detention following charges of four counts of rape, was likewise spotted attending the hospital in a prison vehicle. Reports indicated he was fitted with an ankle monitor.
Tributes and succession
The former King's passing arrives days following the new King and Queen's 25th wedding anniversary celebrations. The Norwegian Royal Family has endured a challenging year as Mette-Marit confronted her own medical crises when her chronic pulmonary fibrosis progressed to a critical phase. She underwent a lung transplant earlier this year, from which she continues to recuperate. Beyond witnessing her son face rape charges, she became entangled in the Epstein Files controversy after correspondence she had sent to the convicted sex offender featured in the vast tranche of documents unveiled by the US Department of Justice.
Just prior to the announcement of the monarch's passing, a cherry picker was observed hoisting black banners at The Royal Palace in Oslo while mourners assembled to place flowers on the pavement outside. Onlookers gathered as every division of the Norwegian armed forces, alongside horses and musicians, paraded around the Palace grounds.
King Harald entered the world on February 21, 1937, while his grandfather, King Haakon VII, occupied the throne. He became the first Norwegian-born sovereign to succeed to the crown since Olav IV more than 600 years earlier in 1380. Harald wed Sonja Haraldsen in 1968. Given her status as a commoner, Harald's father initially resisted sanctioning the union; nevertheless, he declared that should he be prevented from marrying Sonja, he would remain unwed entirely, potentially terminating his family's dynasty and the Norwegian monarchy itself.
The pair produced two offspring, Princess Märtha Louise and King Haakon VIII. He leaves behind grandchildren including the future Queen, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, Prince Sverre Magnus and Martha Louise's children, Maud, Leah and Emma Behn. Details regarding his funeral arrangements remain unconfirmed, though numerous Norwegian rulers have been interred at the Royal Mausoleum in Oslo.
