‘The king is dead, long live the king’: Norway mourns Harald as son Haakon takes throne

On Friday, thousands of Norwegians gathered in Oslo to mourn the death of their longtime monarch, King Harald V, who passed away at the age of 89 after a reign of 35 years. His 53-year-old son, Haakon VIII, immediately ascended to the throne, taking the name King Haakon VIII. The late King Harald was laid to rest in a motor procession, traveling to the royal palace with his grandson, Prince Haakon, 22, and Princess Ingrid Alexandra, who officially informed the government of her father's passing.

King Haakon VIII expressed gratitude to the Norwegian people for their support and sympathy during this difficult time.

Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store hailed King Harald as a king of his era, emphasizing his love for his people, humor, warmth, and unwavering faith in them. The new monarch is set to take an oath of allegiance in Norway's parliament on September 1. The government declared a period of national mourning until Harald's funeral, whose date remains to be determined.

As people lined the streets during the procession, they paid their respects to the late king, laying flowers, cards, and national flags. Many hugged and held each other as they expressed their grief. The flag at the palace was lowered to half-mast following Harald's death, but was raised once again after Haakon arrived for the meeting. Other official buildings also had their flags at half-mast until after Harald's burial.