King Harald V of Norway, Europe’s oldest monarch, has died at the age of 89, bringing an end to his 35-year reign.
The Royal House of Norway announced that the King died on Friday shortly after 6:35 a.m. His son, Haakon, succeeds him as monarch.
Harald leaves behind his wife of 57 years, Queen Sonja, their two children and five grandchildren. His granddaughter, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, now becomes heir to the Norwegian throne.
Harald ascended the throne in 1991 at the age of 53, following the death of his father, King Olav V.
A childhood shaped by war
Born on February 21, 1937, Harald was the youngest of three children and the only son.
At the time, Norway’s Constitution provided that only male heirs could inherit the throne.
Harald was three years old when Nazi Germany invaded Norway during World War II. His family, along with members of the Norwegian government, fled to Sweden before Harald later travelled with his mother and sisters to Washington, D.C.
Meanwhile, his grandfather, King Haakon VII, and father, Olav, relocated to London and remained there until the end of the German occupation.
Harald returned to Norway with his family on June 7, 1945, following Germany’s surrender, and was welcomed by thousands of people in Oslo.
In an effort to strengthen the monarchy’s connection with ordinary Norwegians, Harald attended a state school for his early education. He later studied at Oslo Cathedral School before completing military training and studying social science, history and economics at the University of Oxford.
The sailor king
Harald was passionate about sailing from childhood and inherited the interest from his father, King Olav V.
The Royal House of Norway estimates that he participated in more than 1,000 regattas and sailing events during his lifetime.
As Crown Prince, he represented Norway in sailing at three Olympic Games — Tokyo in 1964, Mexico City in 1968 and Munich in 1972.
He also served as Norway’s flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
Marriage to Queen Sonja
Harald and Sonja Haraldsen dated for nine years before King Olav V eventually gave permission for them to marry.
Their relationship initially faced resistance because Sonja was a commoner. Harald is believed to have threatened to renounce his claim to the throne if he could not marry her.
The couple eventually married at Oslo Cathedral on August 29, 1968, in a ceremony attended by about 800 guests, with celebrations continuing across Norway for three days.
They had two children: Princess Märtha Louise, born in 1971, and Haakon, born in 1973.
A constitutional change in 1990 subsequently introduced equal succession rights for male and female heirs, although the change did not apply retroactively to Princess Märtha Louise.
“All for Norway”
Harald was the first Norwegian-born prince in 567 years.
Following Norway’s independence from Sweden in 1905, voters chose to retain the country’s monarchy, with Harald’s Danish-born grandfather becoming King Haakon VII.
Like his father and grandfather, Harald adopted the royal motto “We give our all for Norway.”
During his reign, Harald and Queen Sonja travelled extensively throughout the country, visiting communities across Norway.
Although the Norwegian monarch’s role is largely ceremonial, the King presides over Council of State meetings and formally opens each annual session of Parliament.
Health challenges
Harald experienced several health challenges in his later years, including two heart surgeries. His most recent heart operation, in 2020, involved replacing a valve that had originally been implanted in 2005.
His son Haakon acted as regent during periods when illness prevented the King from carrying out official duties.
Harald also underwent surgery in 2021 to repair a damaged tendon above his right knee and was frequently seen using crutches afterwards.
In 2023, he was hospitalised with a respiratory infection but continued to maintain a demanding schedule, carrying out 275 official engagements that year.
He was hospitalised again in 2024 while on a private holiday in Malaysia after developing an infection and a low heart rate. A pacemaker was subsequently fitted.
Despite his declining health, Harald remained committed to his role.
Following the abdication of Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II in January 2024, Harald dismissed speculation that he might retire, reaffirming his belief that being monarch was a lifelong duty.
“I maintain what I have said all along, I have taken an oath,” he said. “It lasts for life.”
With his death, King Haakon becomes Norway’s new monarch, beginning a new chapter for the Norwegian royal family after more than three decades under Harald V.
Source: citinews
