Norway’s King Harald dies at 89

King Harald V of Norway passed away at the age of 89 on Friday, bringing an end to his 35-year reign, according to the Norwegian royal household. The monarch's health had significantly declined in his final days. Earlier in the week, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre cancelled a trip to Germany to be by the king's side. Harald had ruled since 1991, steadfastly refusing to abdicate despite his deteriorating health and the repeated urging to do so.

He is succeeded by his 53-year-old son, Crown Prince Haakon, who ascends to the throne under Norway's constitutional monarchy. Haakon's wife, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, takes on the title of queen consort, amid controversy over her past relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender. The crown princess has apologized, describing the relationship as "simply embarrassing" and admitting she made "poor judgment."

Her son, Marius Borg Høiby, 29, was convicted of two counts of rape in June, a verdict he is appealing. Høiby is currently under house arrest. Despite the controversy surrounding the royal family, Harald remained a beloved figure in Norway, with a February poll by public broadcaster NRK revealing that while support for the monarchy had plummeted to a record low of 60 percent, he was given an average "grade" of 9.2 out of 10 by the public, compared to 7.9 for Haakon and just 3.7 for Mette-Marit.