By Globe News Report Staff
Norway’s King Harald V has died at age 89 after being hospitalized with a rare blood condition. The Royal Palace announced that he died peacefully on Friday at 6:35 a.m. local time at Oslo University Hospital.
Harald had been hospitalized on August 17 for treatment of hemolytic anemia, a condition that reduces the number of red blood cells in the body. His son, Crown Prince Haakon, had been serving as regent during his father’s illness and has now become King Haakon VIII.
A Reign That Modernized the Monarchy
Harald reigned for 35 years after taking the throne in 1991, following the death of his father, King Olav V. He was Norway’s first native-born king since the 14th century and was widely seen as a down-to-earth, unifying figure throughout his reign.
Harald broke royal tradition by marrying a commoner, Sonja Haraldsen, after telling his father he would remain unmarried unless allowed to wed her. The couple married in 1968 and were together for nearly 58 years. That decision later made it easier for his own children to marry outside royalty as well.
A Voice During National Tragedy
Harald is remembered for his response to the 2011 terrorist attacks in Oslo and on the island of Utøya, in which 77 people were killed. In a televised address, he spoke directly to grieving families, saying, “I can only imagine the depth of your pain. As King of this nation, I feel for each and every one of you.” Historians have described that moment as central to how many Norwegians came to see the modern monarchy.
In 2016, Harald gave another widely praised speech celebrating Norway’s diversity, describing Norwegians as people of many backgrounds, faiths, and identities living together as one nation.
Early Life and Legacy
Harald was born in 1937 near Oslo. As a child, he fled to Sweden and later the United States with his mother and sisters after Nazi Germany invaded Norway in 1940. He returned to Norway after the war and went on to become an accomplished sailor, representing Norway at the Olympics three times.
He is survived by Queen Sonja, his son King Haakon VIII, his daughter Princess Märtha Louise, and six grandchildren. Norway has entered a period of national mourning, with crowds gathering outside the royal palace to pay their respects.
Sources: Information for this report was gathered from the BBC and the Associated Press.