The King of Norway, Harald V, has died in the Norwegian capital of Oslo at the age of 89, ending over three decades of reign.According to a statement from the royal palace, he passed away peacefully "at Oslo University Hospital on Friday 28 August, 0635 (local time, 0435 GMT)."The king was taken to the hospital last week, on August 17, for treatment regarding a bacterial infection in his blood, an infection that he was evidently unable to recover from.He had been hospitalized in 2024 for a similar infection while on holiday in Malaysia and was fitted with a pacemaker as a result.At the time of his death he was Europe's oldest living monarch.Harald had been in poor health for many years, with the most prominent sign of his decline being his use of forearm crutches when making public appearances to keep his balance.Harald was a popular and well-loved king, being seen as a calm and steady leader who understood his role as a constitutional head of state..His death also comes during a period of turmoil for the Norwegian royal family, who have been rocked by scandal in recent years due to the association of now-Queen Mette-Marit with convicted child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.Controversy has also surrounded the Queen's son from a previous relationship, Marius Borg Høiby, who was sentenced to four years in prison following a conviction for rape earlier this year.Upon Harald's death, his son, then-Crown Prince Haakon, now King Haakon VIII, has become King of Norway, with his wife, Queen Mette-Marit, being a source of much division in Norwegian constitutional matters.As a result of the Queen's unpopularity, support for the monarchy has taken a significant dive, dropping from a steady 80% support to now hovering around just 60% to 65%..Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney released a statement mourning the death of the king, noting his ability for reform while still honouring the traditional role of the monarch. "King Harald devoted his life to Norway. Forced into exile as a young child during the Second World War, he returned to Norway in 1945, became Crown Prince in 1957, and acceded to the throne in 1991. For over three decades, he served with a deep sense of duty and guided the monarchy through decades of change, balancing tradition with a more open and modern institution. In moments of national tragedy, he helped bring Norwegians together and remained a steady presence in the life of his country," the prime minister wrote in a statement. .King Harald was also a cousin of Canada's king, King Charles III, who released a statement, similar to Carney's, mourning the death of the king and paying tribute to his legacy and his service to the Norwegian people.Due to his relation to King Charles, Harald was technically 81st-in-line to the British and Canadian throne. .King Haakon will take an oath before the Parliament of Norway this coming Tuesday; the oath is meant to signify the monarch's promise to govern Norway in line with its constitution and laws.
