King Harald of Norway Has Died at Age 89, Leaving an Uncertain Future in His Wake
Europe's oldest-reigning monarch passed away on August 28.
King Harald V of Norway has died at the age of 89, the Norwegian royal court announced on Friday, August 28. The king was Europe’s oldest living monarch and reigned since 1991 alongside his wife, Queen Sonja.
"It is with deep grief that we announce that His Majesty King Harald has passed away," a statement from the royal court read. "King Harald died peacefully at Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet Friday 28 August at 6:35 AM."
The couple’s son, Crown Prince Haakon, will rule as King Haakon, and his wife, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, will be Norway's new queen.
King Harald was taken to the hospital on August 17 and was treated for a bacterial infection in his blood, with the royal court announcing the morning of August 27 that his condition had become “very serious.”
Queen Sonja, King Harald, Crown Prince Haakon, Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Princess Ingrid Alexandra pose for a Christmas portrait in 2024. Ingrid Alexandra will take the throne after her father, Haakon.
King Harald shares a laugh with members of Norway's World Cup soccer team this summer.
Queen Sonja and Crown Prince Haakon canceled all of their previously scheduled royal events, rushing to the king’s bedside along with other members of the royal family Thursday.
Born on February 21, 1937, King Harald was the only son of Crown Prince Olav (later King Olav V) and Crown Princess Martha. His childhood was shaped by World War II, when the Norwegian royal family was forced into exile following Nazi Germany’s occupation of Norway.
Harald become the crown prince in 1957 following the death of his grandfather and spent decades preparing for the throne. He married Sonja Haraldsen, a commoner, in 1968, and ascended to the throne in January 1991 fathering the death of his father, King Olav.
King Harald is blessed during a ceremony on June 23, 1991 as he takes the throne.
Crown Prince Haakon is pictured with his father, King Harald.
An accomplished sailor, King Harald competed for Norway in three Olympic Games and remained passionate about the sport throughout his life.
He and Queen Sonja had two children, Crown Prince Haakon and Princess Martha Louise, and the king was grandfather to five grandchildren.
Although King Harald and Queen Sonja were beloved by the Norwegian people, the crown prince and princess's popularity took a dip after a serious of shocking incidents involving Crown Prince Haakon's stepson, Marius Borg Høiby, in the past two years.
Høiby, who is Crown Princess Mette-Marit's son from a previous relationship, was found guilty of two counts of rape in June and sentenced to four years in prison. However, he appealed the decision and was released on house arrest as he awaits an appeal trial.
Marius Borg Høiby, top right, poses with members of the Norwegian royal family for a formal portrait on Princess Ingrid Alexandra's 18th birthday.
Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who recently went through a lung transplant, also had a series of emails to her former friend Jeffrey Epstein released earlier this year, forcing her to apologize for her actions.
"It is important for me to apologize to all of you whom I have disappointed," she said in a statement. "Some of the content of the messages between Epstein and me does not represent the person I want to be. I also apologize for the situation I have put the Royal Family in, especially the King and Queen."
Funeral details for King Harald will be released in due course.
