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Oslo – Al-Wadi Newspaper — (AP)
Norwegian authorities announced Friday the death of King Harald V of Norway at the age of 89, following more than three decades on the throne.
The Royal Palace said King Harald died at the National Hospital in Oslo at 6:35 a.m. It did not immediately announce details of the funeral arrangements.
Harald V was Europe’s oldest reigning monarch and remained committed to the throne despite his advanced age, at a time when several European monarchs have abdicated in favor of their children in recent years.
Following his death, the Norwegian throne automatically passed to his son, who became King Haakon VIII.
As in most European monarchies, the Norwegian king has largely a symbolic and constitutional role, while actual political power rests with the elected parliament under the country’s democratic system. Norway has a population of about 5.5 million.
Harald ascended to the throne in January 1991, following the death of his father, King Olav V, who was born in Britain. He ruled Norway during a period of significant economic growth and prosperity, driven largely by revenues from oil and gas.
Widespread Praise for the King’s Legacy
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre expressed his sorrow over the king’s death, saying the entire country was mourning.
In a statement, Støre said the Norwegian people would remain grateful to the late king for his “long life in service to Norway,” noting that Harald V had demonstrated an unwavering faith in the Norwegian people throughout his more than three decades on the throne.
The prime minister added that the king helped Norwegians see the best in themselves and in one another, highlighting his role in bringing society together and preserving the standing of the monarchy.
Childhood in Exile During World War II
Harald V was born in 1937 in Asker, near Oslo, and was the first Norwegian prince to be born in Norway since King Olav IV in 1370.
During World War II, the Norwegian royal family was forced to leave the country following the Nazi invasion and occupation. Harald spent part of his childhood in exile in the United States before returning to Norway after the war.
His grandfather, King Haakon VII, ascended the Norwegian throne after the dissolution of the union between Sweden and Norway in 1905, ushering in a new era in the history of Norway’s modern monarchy.
During his reign, Harald V became known for his close relationship with ordinary citizens and for efforts to modernize the monarchy and adapt it to changes in Norwegian society.
He was also closely associated with the story of his marriage to Sonja Haraldsen, who came from neither a royal nor an aristocratic family. The king and his then crown prince had rejected several potential matches with European princesses before Harald married Sonja, his longtime sweetheart.
