The Royal Palace announcement ton Norway’s King Harald’s death on August 28, 2026. ROYAL COURT
Norway’s King Harald V, Europe’s oldest living monarch, has died at the age of 89 after more than three decades on the throne.
The Royal Court announced that King Harald died peacefully at Oslo University Hospital on Friday (August 28) at 6:35am. His death marks the end of a 35-year reign. His son, Crown Prince Haakon, 53, has succeeded him as King Haakon VIII.
Harald is survived by Queen Sonja, Princess Märtha Louise, King Haakon and his grandchildren.
An extraordinary Council of State is due to be held on Friday, during which the new king will meet with the government.
The royal flag over the palace in Oslo was lowered to half-mast following Harald’s death, while members of the public gathered to lay flowers and flags in tribute. Norway has also declared a period of national mourning leading up to the king’s funeral.
Harald had been admitted to hospital on August 17 while being treated for a rare blood condition. His health deteriorated in the days before his death, with the royal family gathering at his bedside.
Harald: The king who modernised monarchy
Born on February 21, 1937, at the Skaugum estate near Oslo, Harald was the first Norwegian-born prince in centuries.
He was three years old when Nazi Germany invaded Norway in 1940. His mother, Crown Princess Märtha, fled the country with Harald and his sisters. The family later travelled to the United States at the invitation of US President Franklin D Roosevelt, while Harald’s father and grandfather remained in Europe during the war.
Harald returned to Norway with his family in 1945 and completed his education before undertaking compulsory military service. From 1960 to 1962, he studied social science, history and economics at Balliol College, Oxford.
He became Crown Prince in 1957 following the death of his grandfather, King Haakon VII.
Harald later became known for challenging some of the traditional conventions surrounding European royalty.
He fell in love with Sonja Haraldsen, the daughter of a businessman and a commoner. The couple waited nine years before receiving permission to marry.
Harald later recalled telling his father that if he could not marry Sonja, he would remain unmarried. King Olav V eventually gave his consent, and the couple married at Oslo Cathedral on August 29, 1968.
The marriage helped pave the way for a more modern Norwegian royal family, with Harald and Sonja later welcoming commoners as spouses of their own children.
When King Olav became ill in 1990, Harald served as regent. He became king following his father’s death on January 17, 1991.
A unifying figure in Norway
Harald’s reign included some of Norway’s most difficult moments.
Following the July 22, 2011 terrorist attacks in Oslo and on the island of Utøya, in which 77 people were killed, the king used his public platform to call for unity. In a speech after the attacks, he said: “I can only imagine the depth of your pain. As King of this nation, I feel for each and every one of you.”
The king also became known for his support for diversity. In a widely reported speech in 2016, Harald spoke about Norway’s multicultural population, saying Norwegians came from countries including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Poland, Sweden, Somalia and Syria.
He said Norwegians could “believe in God, Allah, the Universe and nothing” and described a country that included “girls who love girls, boys who love boys, and girls and boys who love each other”.
Royal observers described Harald as an informal and approachable monarch who helped make the Norwegian royal institution more open.
Outside his royal duties, Harald was a keen sportsman and accomplished sailor. He represented Norway in sailing at three Olympic Games, competing at Tokyo in 1964, Mexico City in 1968 and Munich in 1972.
He also had a long association with environmental causes and was among the initiators of the Norwegian branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). He served as president of the organisation’s Norwegian chapter for 20 years.
Family life and challenges
Harald and Queen Sonja were married for almost 58 years and had two children, Princess Märtha Louise and King Haakon.
The king supported his son when Haakon married Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby in 2001. Mette-Marit was a commoner and a single mother to her young son, Marius Borg Høiby, from a previous relationship.
Harald and Sonja welcomed Mette-Marit and her son into the family, although the Royal House later clarified that Høiby was never a member of the Royal Family.
The king’s daughter, Princess Märtha Louise, also attracted international attention over her personal and professional life. She relinquished her royal duties following controversy surrounding her business activities and her marriage to American spiritualist Durek Verrett in 2024.
In recent years, the Norwegian Royal Family has faced further scrutiny over controversies involving Mette-Marit and Høiby.
Mette-Marit’s past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein came under renewed scrutiny after documents relating to Epstein were released. She later apologised for what she described as poor judgment in maintaining the friendship.
Høiby was convicted in June of multiple offences, including rape, and sentenced to four years in prison. He has appealed the conviction and sentence. Mette-Marit also underwent a lung transplant this year after living with pulmonary fibrosis, a rare condition affecting the lungs.
Despite the controversies surrounding members of the family, Harald himself remained widely popular in Norway.
Harald’s final years
Harald’s health had declined significantly in his final years, leading him to reduce his public engagements. He had undergone several medical procedures and was fitted with a pacemaker in 2024.
In August, he was admitted to Oslo University Hospital while receiving treatment for haemolytic anaemia, a condition in which red blood cells are destroyed faster than the body can replace them. He was also treated for a bacterial infection.
Biography: King Harald V of Norway
Full name: Harald V
Born: February 21, 1937
Died: August 28, 2026
Age: 89
Reign: 1991 to 2026
Wife: Queen Sonja
Children: Princess Märtha Louise and King Haakon VIII
Predecessor: King Olav V
Successor: King Haakon VIII
King Harald V was born at Skaugum near Oslo in 1937 and became Norway’s first Norwegian-born prince in centuries.
His childhood was shaped by World War II, when the Norwegian Royal Family fled the country following Nazi Germany’s invasion in 1940. Harald spent part of his childhood in the United States before returning to Norway in 1945.
He became Crown Prince in 1957 and later studied at Oxford University. A passionate sailor, he represented Norway at three Olympic Games.
His marriage to Sonja Haraldsen in 1968 marked a significant break with royal tradition, as she was a commoner. The couple remained married for almost 58 years and became parents to Princess Märtha Louise and King Haakon.
Harald ascended the throne in 1991 following the death of his father, King Olav V.
Over the next 35 years, he became known for his informal approach to the monarchy, his support for diversity and his role as a unifying figure during times of national crisis.
He was particularly remembered for his response to the 2011 terrorist attacks in Norway and for his 2016 speech celebrating the country’s diversity.
Harald remained active in sailing and environmental causes throughout much of his life, while continuing to undertake official duties despite increasing health problems in his later years.
He died peacefully at Oslo University Hospital on Friday (August 28), aged 89. He was succeeded by his son, King Haakon VIII. ICA/CAM/PGD/Expat Media
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