Norwegian King Harald V, the oldest monarch in Europe, has passed away at the age of 89.
According to reports from AFP and other news outlets, the Norwegian royal family announced on the 28th (local time) that King Harald V had died.
In a statement, the royal family expressed their sorrow, saying, "We are very sad to announce that King Harald V has passed away today," adding that he died peacefully at 6:35 a.m. at Oslo University Hospital. Following his death, his eldest son, Crown Prince Haakon, will ascend to the throne, taking the official title of Haakon VIII.
King Harald V had been hospitalized since August 17 due to complications from treatment for aplastic anemia. His condition worsened significantly over the weekend due to a bacterial infection in his blood.
As news of the king's critical condition spread, hundreds of Norwegians gathered outside the Royal Palace from the previous afternoon, laying flowers and wishing for his recovery. After the announcement of his death, crowds continued to gather in the palace square to pay their respects.
King Harald V ascended to the throne in 1991 after the death of his father, King Olav V, and led Norway for 35 years. Although he had reduced his official engagements due to various health issues in recent years, he had remained on the throne, citing a 'lifetime pledge' to Crown Prince Haakon.
While the Norwegian king does not hold political power, King Harald V modernized the monarchy and became a symbol of national unity, earning high support among the public for his approachable demeanor.
During World War II, when Nazi Germany occupied Norway, he fled to the United States with his mother and two sisters, living in exile for several years. After the war, he returned to Norway, attended the Norwegian Military Academy, and studied at the University of Oxford in England.
His grandfather, King Haakon VII, also fled to Britain during the Nazi occupation, refusing German demands, a choice that earned him deep respect from the Norwegian people.
Like his father, King Olav V, Harald V was also an accomplished sailor, representing Norway in the Olympics multiple times and winning the World Sailing Championship in 1987.
His marriage was also a departure from royal tradition. Despite pressure for the royal family to find a bride from European aristocracy, he resisted for nine years and ultimately married Sonja Haraldsen, the daughter of a businessman and his high school sweetheart.
His father, King Olav V, expressed concerns that marrying a commoner could weaken the royal family's standing, but the Norwegian public warmly welcomed the wedding of Crown Prince Harald and Sonja Haraldsen in August 1968. Queen Sonja stood by King Harald V for nearly 60 years, remaining at his side until the end.
In 2011, following a terrorist attack by far-right extremist Anders Behring Breivik that killed 77 people, King Harald V comforted the nation, emphasizing faith in democracy and Norwegian society in a speech aimed at overcoming fear, leaving a lasting impression on the public.
In 2016, he made headlines again with a speech supporting equality for LGBTQ individuals, refugee acceptance, and religious tolerance, as reported by the Associated Press.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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