JUST IN: After 35 Years, King Harald V OF Norway Dies At 89
King Harald V of Norway has died at the age of 89 after reigning for 35 years, with his son, Crown Prince Haakon, succeeding him as king.
Harald, who had served as monarch since 1991, was Norway’s longest-serving king and, following the death of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, had been Europe’s oldest reigning monarch.
The Royal Palace in Oslo said Harald had been hospitalised after being diagnosed with hemolytic anaemia, a condition in which red blood cells are destroyed faster than the body can replace them. His condition deteriorated over the weekend, and he was also treated for a bacterial infection in his blood.
Haakon, 53, had served as regent while his father was hospitalised and has now assumed the Norwegian throne.
Harald had experienced several serious health challenges throughout his later years. He underwent surgery for bladder cancer in 2003 and later had surgery to replace an aortic valve. He underwent another valve replacement in 2020 and was fitted with a permanent pacemaker after suffering health problems while on holiday in Malaysia in 2024.
In April 2024, the Royal Palace announced that Harald would reduce his public duties because of his age.
Born on February 21, 1937, at the Skaugum royal estate near Oslo, Harald was the only son of Crown Prince Olav, who later became King Olav V, and Princess Märtha of Sweden.
He became crown prince in 1957 following the death of his grandfather, King Haakon VII, and his father’s accession to the throne.
Harald studied at the Norwegian Military Academy in Oslo and later at Oxford University in Britain. He was also an accomplished sailor and represented Norway at three Olympic Games — Tokyo in 1964, Mexico City in 1968 and Munich in 1972.
Harald with Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II during a visit to Buckingham Palace in 2005
(Photo: AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File)
In 1968, he married Sonja Haraldsen, the daughter of a clothing merchant. Their relationship had lasted nine years before their marriage, which initially faced opposition because Sonja was not from a royal or noble family.
The couple had two children, Princess Märtha Louise and Haakon, who has now become king.
Harald was largely a ceremonial monarch but became a prominent national figure during periods of crisis.
Following the 2011 terrorist attack carried out by Anders Behring Breivik, in which 77 people were killed, mostly teenagers at a Labour Party youth camp on Utøya, Harald met victims’ families and addressed the nation, urging Norwegians to stand together and reject fear.
His death comes as the Norwegian royal family faces renewed scrutiny over controversies involving his successor’s family.
Haakon’s wife, Queen Mette-Marit, has faced serious health problems and underwent a lung transplant in June because of chronic pulmonary fibrosis.
Her son, Marius Borg Høiby, 29, was also convicted of two counts of rape and sentenced to four years in prison, according to the report. Although Høiby does not hold a royal title and is not in the line of succession, his case has affected the public image of the royal family.
Mette-Marit has also faced scrutiny over her past relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after correspondence between them became public.
A poll conducted by Norstat during Høiby’s trial showed support for retaining Norway’s monarchy falling from 70 per cent to 60 per cent. Support later recovered to 64 per cent in a May poll.
Harald himself, however, continued to enjoy strong public support, with one poll giving him a favourability rating of 9.2 out of 10.
The late king also maintained a connection with Israel despite never visiting the country. Following the October 7, 2023 terrorist attack, he sought permission to personally express condolences but was reportedly prevented from doing so by the Norwegian government.
Harald later addressed the attack during a visit to a synagogue in Oslo in 2024, calling for unity and an end to hatred, incitement and threats.
His death now marks the end of a 35-year reign, with Norway entering a new royal era under King Haakon.