King Harald V of Norway has died at the age of 89, ending a reign that spanned more than three decades. His only son, Crown Prince Haakon, has now succeeded him as monarch.
The Norwegian Royal Palace confirmed the king’s death on Friday, stating he passed away peacefully at Oslo University Hospital at 6:35 a.m. He had been receiving treatment there since August 17.
Following the announcement, the Norwegian flag at the Royal Palace in Oslo was lowered to half-mast, and members of the public began gathering outside to mourn.
Harald had been battling haemolytic anaemia, a condition where red blood cells break down faster than the body can replace them. His condition worsened sharply on Thursday, prompting Queen Sonja, Crown Prince Haakon, Princess Mette-Marit, and their children to rush to his bedside. Haakon reportedly stayed with his father through the night as his condition turned critical.
Norwegians flocked to the Royal Palace to pay tribute, leaving flowers and forming small groups in quiet mourning. One mourner, 24-year-old Kaspara Bolstad, described the king as a stabilizing figure who was widely respected regardless of political leaning, crediting him with promoting unity and inclusiveness during a time of deep social division.
Harald ascended the throne in 1991 after the death of his father, King Olav V, and had since become Europe’s longest-reigning monarch. Despite health struggles in recent years — including a pacemaker installation — he consistently rejected calls to abdicate, insisting he would serve until death in keeping with the oath he swore before Norway’s parliament.
His declining health had already forced Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store to cancel a scheduled trip to Germany on Thursday.
The king’s death caps a difficult stretch for the Norwegian royal family. In February, he was hospitalized in Tenerife for an infection and dehydration while on holiday. Queen Sonja, also 89, was briefly hospitalized in May for heart-related issues. Crown Princess Mette-Marit has also faced her own health battle, undergoing a lung transplant in July, in addition to past scrutiny over her correspondence with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Her son, Marius Borg Hoiby, was separately sentenced in June to four years in prison on rape and other charges, a ruling he is appealing.
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