King Harald V of Norway, Europe's oldest reigning monarch, has died at 89 after 35 years on the throne. The Royal Palace announced he passed early Friday morning at Oslo's National Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment for a rare blood disorder. His son automatically becomes King Haakon VIII.
Harald was more than a ceremonial figurehead. Under Norway's constitution, the monarch also serves as the formal head of the Church of Norway, the country's Evangelical Lutheran state church. Every major moment of his reign, from his 1991 accession following his father's death to his own coronation, was marked by church tradition and blessing, and his funeral is expected to be held with full Lutheran state honors at Oslo Cathedral.
Harald's life carried its own story of faith and endurance. As a boy, he fled Norway with his family during the Nazi invasion, taking refuge in the United States before returning home after the war. He later broke royal tradition by marrying a commoner, Sonja Haraldsen, after nine years together, a match many credited with humanizing and modernizing the monarchy.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said the nation is now grieving together, and by Friday morning, mourners had already gathered outside the Royal Palace in Oslo, laying flowers as the royal flag flew at half-mast.
Harald is survived by Queen Sonja, his two children, and five grandchildren, including Princess Ingrid Alexandra, who now becomes heir to the Norwegian throne.
