Norway’s King Harald V has died at the age of 89 after a prolonged period of ill health, with his only son, Crown Prince Haakon, succeeding him as monarch.

The Norwegian Royal Palace announced on Friday that Harald died peacefully at Oslo University Hospital at 6:35 a.m. on August 28, 2026. The monarch had been receiving treatment at the hospital since August 17 after being diagnosed with haemolytic anaemia, a condition in which red blood cells are destroyed faster than the body can replace them.

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Following the announcement, the Norwegian flag at the Royal Palace in Oslo was lowered to half-mast, while members of the public gathered to mourn the monarch and lay flowers. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store also cancelled a planned trip to Germany following news that the king’s condition had deteriorated.

Harald became king in 1991, following the death of his father, King Olav V, and went on to become Europe’s oldest reigning monarch. Despite several health challenges in recent years, including the installation of a pacemaker, Harald had repeatedly rejected suggestions that he should abdicate, maintaining that he intended to remain on the throne for life.

Members of the royal family, including Queen Sonja, Crown Prince Haakon, Mette-Marit and their children, were reportedly with the king during his final hours.

Crown Prince Haakon now succeeds his father as King of Norway, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the Norwegian monarchy.