RismadarVoice Reporters, August 29, 2026
Norway has entered a new chapter following the death of King Harald, with his son, Haakon VIII, succeeding him as monarch.
King Harald, who reigned for 35 years, died on Friday at the age of 89 after a period of ill health. His death has triggered a national mourning period across the Scandinavian country.
Thousands of Norwegians gathered in Oslo to pay their final respects, laying flowers, cards and national flags outside the Royal Palace.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, after meeting the new monarch, described the transition as the beginning of a new era.
“An era has ended. A new one begins. The king is dead. Long live the king,” Støre said.
He described Harald as a monarch who was deeply connected to the Norwegian people, praising his warmth, humour and commitment to the country.
Haakon, 53, formally assumed his responsibilities after arriving at the Royal Palace with his 22-year-old daughter, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, who is now Crown Princess.
In a statement, the new king thanked the Norwegian government and citizens for their support and sympathy towards the Royal Family.
Norway’s parliament is expected to receive Haakon’s oath of allegiance in its main chamber on Tuesday.
The country’s mourning period will continue until King Harald’s funeral, although a date for the ceremony has not yet been announced.
Haakon is not expected to undergo a coronation, as the practice was abolished in Norway in 1908. However, he may choose to have his reign formally blessed at Trondheim Cathedral, a historic venue for Norwegian royal ceremonies.
Harald, who became king in 1991, was widely regarded as a symbol of Norway’s modern, open and tolerant society.
He was also Europe’s oldest reigning monarch at the time of his death.
Harald had been receiving treatment at a hospital in Oslo since August 17 after being diagnosed with haemolytic anaemia, a condition involving the accelerated destruction of red blood cells.
Prime Minister Støre said Harald had guided Norway through decades of significant social and economic transformation.
“He was a king of his time and for his time,” Støre said.
Mourners who gathered outside the palace described Harald as a unifying figure who had developed a close relationship with ordinary citizens.
One mourner, Line Stousland, 49, described him as “a king of the people” and said he had been “like a grandfather to the whole nation.”
Many Norwegians also remembered Harald’s public response following the 2011 attacks carried out by far-right extremist Anders Behring Breivik, in which 77 people were killed.
Tributes have also come from foreign governments and royal families. Former United States President Donald Trump described Harald as a “strong, proud, and greatly respected man.”
Harald’s final years were marked by recurring health problems, which forced him to reduce his official engagements. However, he repeatedly rejected calls to abdicate, citing his lifelong oath to the Norwegian parliament.
The Norwegian Royal Family has also faced several challenges over the past year.
Queen Sonja was briefly hospitalised in May after experiencing heart-related problems.
Haakon’s wife, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, has faced public scrutiny over her links to Jeffrey Epstein, the late American sex offender.
Her son from a previous relationship, Marius Borg Høiby, was sentenced in June to four years in prison after being convicted of two rapes.
Mette-Marit, who has a serious lung condition, underwent a lung transplant in July.
Despite the controversies, the succession of Haakon VIII marks a significant transition for Norway as the country bids farewell to a monarch remembered for his long service and ability to unite the nation.
