Norway mourns King Harald as Haakon VIII ascends throne

Norway has entered a period of national mourning following the death of King Harald V, who reigned for 35 years. His 89‑year‑old body was taken from Rikshospitalet to the Royal Palace in Oslo where a public procession carried his coffin to the palace chapel, where he will lie in state until a funeral is scheduled. His son, Crown Prince Haakon, now King Haakon VIII, will take the oath before the Storting on Tuesday and later attend a stripped‑down coronation‑style service.

Harald’s death was announced early Friday at 06:35 local time, after a treatment for a rare blood condition. The announcement was met with crowds outside the palace who laid flowers and flags; many mourners were seen in tears. An estimated 10,000 people lined the streets to watch the late king’s coffin pass, according to the Norwegian broadcaster NRK. A candle with the word “thanks” was placed outside the palace, and a 21‑shot salute was fired from Akershus Fortress at noon.

Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, who laid flowers outside the palace and signed a book of condolences, said the country was “united in grief and gratitude.” In a televised memorial address, he added that the late king’s “legacy lives on” and offered condolences to Queen Sonja, who would have celebrated her 58th wedding anniversary with Harald on Saturday. Ministers delivered several eulogies, and ordinary citizens gathered outside the palace to pay their respects.

International and royal observers also paid tribute. King Charles III, whose mother Queen Elizabeth II was Harald’s second cousin, and other European monarchs sent condolences. Norway’s superstar footballer Erling Haaland posted on Instagram, thanking Harald for “everything you meant to Norway” and recalling a meeting at the palace after the FIFA World Cup.

The public mourning period will see flags flown at half‑mast across Norway and the Nordic region. Portraits of the late king will be displayed, candles lit, and moments of silence observed at professional events. Non‑work‑related social events will be cancelled or postponed; even Oslo Mayor Anne Lindboe, who had a wedding scheduled for Friday, postponed her nuptials.

Haakon, now the monarch, will need to balance his new official duties with the health challenges facing his family. Queen Mette‑Marit, who underwent a lung transplant after years of pulmonary fibrosis, remains in recovery. Earlier this year, she faced scrutiny over a friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and later apologized publicly. Mette‑Marit’s son from a previous relationship, Marius Borg Høiby, was convicted of rape and other offences in June and is appealing a four‑year sentence. Høiby, who was raised with the royal family from age four, is not a member of the monarchy.

Harald was widely described as an inclusive, transparent, and empathetic “people’s king” who modernised the Norwegian monarchy. A recent poll by the newspaper Aftenposten found support for the monarchy fell from 72 % in 2024 to 54 % earlier this year. Royal experts told the BBC that while the new king faces questions about the turbulence surrounding his family, he is respected, hard‑working, and believed capable of moving forward despite the challenges.

King Haakon’s first public meeting with government ministers took place in an extraordinary council of state. He reaffirmed the royal family’s motto, “All for Norway,” signalling his commitment to the nation’s welfare. His eldest daughter, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 22, accompanied him to meet ministers; she is the next in line to the throne following the 1990 succession reform that allowed firstborn women to inherit the crown.

The date of Harald’s funeral has not yet been announced. Until then, the public will be able to pay their last respects in the palace chapel. Norway’s mourning period reflects the deep affection and respect the country has for its former king and the new king’s pledge to carry on his legacy.