Norway’s King Harald V Dies at 89 and His Son Becomes King Haakon VIII
STAVANGER, Norway (AP) — King Harald V of Norway, who went into exile in the United States as a child during the Nazi occupation of his homeland and refused a string of European noblewomen to marry his school sweetheart, died Friday. He was 89.
Norway's King Harald V passed away at the age of 89 at the National Hospital in Oslo, according to the palace. He had spent nearly three decades as monarch, modernizing the royal house while declining to abdicate as other aging monarchs did in recent times. His son, Haakon VIII, took over the throne. Born in 1937 in Asker, Harald was Europe's oldest monarch.
During World War II, his family fled to Sweden and the United States to avoid capture by the Nazis. Upon his return to Norway in 1945, Harald attended public schools, the Norwegian military college, and Oxford University. He was known for his love of the sea and sailboats, participating in several Olympics and skippering his yacht to gold in the World Championships in 1987.
In 1968, King Harald married his school sweetheart, Sonja Haraldsen, who later became Queen. The couple had two children, Haakon and Märtha Louise. In 1990, the Norwegian Constitution was amended to allow the first born, regardless of gender, to take precedence in the line of succession, though Haakon continued to precede his sister.
Harald's reign was marked by modernizing the monarchy and promoting values such as freedom, openness, and equality. He delivered a heartfelt speech following the tragic 2011 terrorist attacks in Norway, emphasizing belief in the Norwegian people.
Written by urgent.news from The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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