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Norway’s King Harald has died aged 89, with his 53-year-old son Crown Prince Haakon succeeding him on Friday.
The palace said Harald died peacefully at Oslo University Hospital at 6:35 am after being admitted on August 17 with haemolytic anaemia.
“It is with deep sadness that we announce that His Majesty King Harald passed away today,” the palace said.
The Norwegian royal palace in Oslo lowered its flag to half-mast following the announcement.
Harald, Europe’s oldest reigning monarch, had suffered several health problems in recent years, including infections and heart-related issues that led to him having a pacemaker fitted. His condition became “extremely serious” on Thursday, prompting Queen Sonja, Haakon, his wife Mette-Marit and their adult children to gather at his bedside.
Harald became king in 1991 and remained on the throne for 35 years.
He repeatedly ruled out abdication, saying he had made a lifelong oath before Norway’s parliament.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store cancelled a planned trip to Germany after the king’s health deteriorated.
The past year has been difficult for Norway’s royal family, with Harald hospitalised for an infection and dehydration while visiting Tenerife in February. Queen Sonja was also briefly hospitalised in May for heart problems.
The royal family has also faced controversy surrounding Mette-Marit and her son, Marius Borg Hoiby. Mette-Marit has faced scrutiny over her past correspondence with convicted US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Her son, Hoiby, was sentenced in June to four years in prison for rape and other offences, but has appealed the verdict. Mette-Marit, who has a serious lung condition, underwent a lung transplant in July.
Despite the controversies and health challenges, the Norwegian royals remain broadly popular, with Harald widely remembered for his modest lifestyle and unifying role.
