King Harald V's Death Marks End of 35-Year Reign, Transition to His Son's Rule Begins
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King Harald reigned for 35 years and died at the national hospital in Norway's capital where he was being treated for a rare blood condition. His son, King Haakon VIII, became Norway's new monarch on Friday.
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ABC NewsKing Harald V of Norway has died at 89 STAVANGER, Norway -- King Harald V of Norway, who went into exile in the United States as a child during the Nazi occupation of his homeland and refused a string of European noblewomen in order to marry his school sweetheart, has died. He was 89.
NPR NewsLike other royal houses in Europe, the Norwegian monarchs serve a largely symbolic role, enjoying celebrity status while real power in the democracy of 5.5 million rests with an elected parliament. Harald was crowned after his British-born father, King Olav V, died in January 1991, and reigned during an oil-and-gas-driven economic boom in his country.
Associated PressOSLO, Norway (AP) — Tens of thousands of mourners paid their respects to Norway’s King Harald V on Saturday, placing flowers and condolence cards outside the royal palace in Oslo a day after the monarch died at 89.
Washington TimesOSLO, Norway — Tens of thousands of mourners paid their respects to Norway’s King Harald V on Saturday, placing flowers and condolence cards outside the royal palace in Oslo a day after the monarch died at 89.
Washington PostNorway’s King Harald, who fled Nazis as a child and modernized monarchy, dies at 89 The Norwegian ruler's forbidden love story with a commoner who would become queen sparked a scandal but ultimately endeared him to the public.
PBS NewsHourNorway's crown prince becomes King Haakon VIII after his father's death Crown Prince Haakon, 53, became King Haakon VIII when his father, Harald V, died Friday at 89. Haakon adopted the motto, "All for Norway," that dates back to his great-grandfather.
ReutersNorway mourns King Harald as crowds gather at royal palace - Reuters Norway mourns King Harald as crowds gather at royal palace Reuters
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Haakon adopted the motto “All for Norway,” which dates back to his great-grandfather. His wife became Queen Mette-Marit, while his oldest child, Ingrid Alexandra, became crown princess and heir to the throne.
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Associated PressHaakon adopted the motto “All for Norway,” which dates back to his great-grandfather. His wife became Queen Mette-Marit, while his oldest child, Ingrid Alexandra, became crown princess and heir to the throne.
BBC NewsHaakon is a great-great-great-grandson of Britain's Queen Victoria. His daughter Ingrid Alexandra, 22, now becomes the crown princess and heir to the Norwegian throne.
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Haakon is well acquainted with his royal obligations. As his father aged and his health declined in recent years, he stepped in as the country’s regent on several occasions.
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Associated PressHaakon is well acquainted with his royal obligations. As his father aged and his health declined in recent years, he stepped in as the country’s regent on several occasions.
BBC NewsHaakon assumes his new role at a difficult time, as the royal family has faced health challenges and scandals this year.
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The family was reunited in Norway in June 1945, shortly after the end of the war. Harald attended public schools, the Norwegian military college and Oxford University.
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NPR NewsThe family was reunited in Norway in June 1945, shortly after the end of the war. Harald attended public schools, the Norwegian military college and Oxford University.
BBC NewsPrince Harald returned with his family to Norway at the end of the war and completed his school and compulsory military service. He became crown prince in 1957, and studied social science, history and economics at Balliol College in Oxford from 1960 to 1962.
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As a young man, Harald was urged to find a bride among the princesses of Europe. For nine years he shunned a series of noblewomen, holding out until he finally won his father’s permission to marry his school sweetheart, Sonja Haraldsen, the daughter of a successful businessman.
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NPR NewsHarald married his high school sweetheart As a young man, Harald was urged to find a bride among the princesses of Europe. For nine years he shunned a series of noblewomen, holding out until he finally won his father's permission to marry his school sweetheart, Sonja Haraldsen, the daughter of a successful businessman.
BBC NewsHe met Sonja Haraldsen, the daughter of a businessman, at a party, but the crown prince had to wait nine years before he was allowed to marry her. His father, King Olav, had always hoped he would marry a European princess.
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Harald won the praise of the country with an emotional speech at a memorial service after a right-wing extremist, Anders Behring Breivik, killed 77 people in bomb and gun attacks in Norway in 2011.
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ABC NewsHarald won the praise of the country with an emotional speech at a memorial service after a right-wing extremist, Anders Behring Breivik, killed 77 people in bomb and gun attacks in Norway in 2011.
BBC NewsIn July 2011 Harald faced his greatest challenge yet as king, when neo-Nazi Anders Breivik murdered eight people with a car bomb in Oslo before moving on to a youth camp on the island of Utøya, where he shot dead 69 others, most of them teenagers.
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At around the same time, her eldest son, Marius Borg Høiby, was convicted of rape in a high-profile trial and sentenced to four years in prison. Høiby, Mette-Marit's son from a previous relationship before she met Haakon, has no royal titles or official duties.
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ABC NewsAt around the same time, her eldest son, Marius Borg Høiby, was convicted of rape in a high-profile trial and sentenced to four years in prison. Høiby, Mette-Marit's son from a previous relationship before she met Haakon, has no royal titles or official duties.
BBC NewsBut in recent years it has been beset by scandal. Only this year, Haakon's wife Mette-Marit has apologised for several years of ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and her son has been convicted of rape in a high-profile trial. Marius Borg Høiby, who was born from an earlier relationship, is appealing against the conviction.
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Hours later, the new king met government ministers for an extraordinary council of state meeting, after which the 53-year-old announced he was taking on the royal family's motto "All for Norway".
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The late king was a popular and reforming leader in Norway who modernised the monarchy.
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Britain's King Charles III said he was mourning his "dear cousin". King Harald V was a second cousin of King Charles' mother, Queen Elizabeth II. Haakon VIII is the great-great-great grandson of Queen Victoria.
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Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, who laid flowers outside the palace and signed a book of condolences after greeting the new king, said the country was "united in grief and gratitude".
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Published Oslo's Mayor Anne Lindboe has cancelled her own wedding because of the death of Norway's King Harald V.
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The constitution was changed in 1990 to give women the right to inherit the throne, so Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra is in line to be Norway's first female head of state since the 15th Century.
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Although Harald remained popular until his death, a poll for newspaper Aftenposten earlier this year found that support for the monarchy had dropped from 72% in 2024 to 54%.
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Tove Taalesen, royal correspondent for Nettavisen, believes the scandals will be challenging but Haakon is "very much ready for the task".
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The palace in Oslo said he passed away peacefully at 06:35 local time (04:35GMT) on Friday at the national hospital in Oslo.
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ABC NewsThe royal palace said he died at the National Hospital in Oslo on Friday at 6:35 a.m.
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Independent claims that didn't surface elsewhere in our corpus. Treat as supplementary — not corroborated across outlets.
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01 Washington Times “It’s special, intimate, and lovely. I’m placing my right hand on my chest in gratitude to him and the royal family,” Roni Ervik, 46, told NRK as he paid his respects. He said he was also paying tribute to the late king on behalf of his family, who are from western Norway.
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02 Associated Press “It’s special, intimate, and lovely. I’m placing my right hand on my chest in gratitude to him and the royal family,” Roni Ervik, 46, told NRK as he paid his respects. He said he was also paying tribute to the late king on behalf of his family, who are from western Norway.
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03 NPR News Like his father — an Olympic champion sailor in 1928 — Harald loved the sea and sailboats. He represented Norway at several Olympics, and in 1987 he skippered his yacht to gold in the World Championships.
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04 ABC News Like his father — an Olympic champion sailor in 1928 — Harald loved the sea and sailboats. He represented Norway at several Olympics, and in 1987 he skippered his yacht to gold in the World Championships.
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05 BBC News In a televised memorial address - one of multiple eulogies by ministers - he said the late king's "legacy lives on" and offered condolences to the royal family and Queen Sonja, who would have celebrated her 58th wedding anniversary with Harald on Saturday.
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