Norway’s King Harald V, who ruled for more than three decades, has died in the country’s constitutional monarchy as a Norwegian, and it’s the end of a long-standing monarchy in Norway.
The Norwegian Royal Court announced that King Harald died peacefully at Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet at 6:35 a.m. local time on Friday, August 28, 2026. The palace described the death with “deep grief,” confirming the death of the monarch who had been on the Norwegian throne since 1991.
Harald had had several health problems in recent years. He had been hospitalized in August for complications due to treatment for haemolytic anaemia and later developed a bacterial bloodstream infection. His health deteriorated in the last days of his life, despite medical treatment.
King Harald became king on 17 January 1991 following the death of his father King Olav V. He was well-liked during his 35-year reign, a friendly person, with a nationalistic ideology and in the process modernising the Norwegian monarchy constitutionally and ceremonially.
Haakon becomes Norway’s new king.
After Harald’s death, his only son Crown Prince Haakon automatically became Norway’s new monarch. Haakon, 53, had already assumed many of his father’s official duties during the king’s recent periods of illness.
At the time of his father’s death, Haakon became king, Reuters reported. The transition will be accompanied by a formal Council of State, and Norway will be in a period of national mourning at the funeral of King Harald.
The transition represents a generational change for Norway’s royal family. Haakon has worked for decades preparing for the job and frequently presents the monarchy at official events, international engagements and state functions.
His accession, however, comes at a difficult time for the royal household as the family struggles with controversies over members of the family.
Mette-Marit’s Epstein Controversy
One of the most sensitive issues facing the new king is his wife, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, and her past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The Norwegian Royal Court has admitted and addressed the issue in a detailed statement. Mette-Marit regrets the relationship and says she should have looked into Epstein’s background more closely and apologizes for the position the association placed the royal family in.
According to the Royal Court’s account, Mette-Marit’s contact with Epstein ended in 2014. The palace has said she did not receive money from him personally or through organizations with which she was involved. It has also said she was not aware of the full extent and nature of Epstein’s criminal conduct at the time of their association.
The issue intensified in 2026 when private correspondence about the relationship became public. In response, the Royal Court said that earlier accounts did not reflect the full length of the written contact as some older emails were no longer available.
The palace has also said Mette-Marit has expressed sympathy and solidarity with Epstein’s victims and accepted responsibility for her own judgment in maintaining the relationship.
A Difficult moment for Norway’s Monarchy.
King Harald’s death came at a very sensitive time for the Norwegian royal household. In addition to the Epstein affair, the family has been caught up in legal disputes with Mette-Marit’s son Marius Borg Høiby, and the future image and public standing of the monarchy is in question.
Despite these challenges, Harald was well-respected throughout his reign. He was particularly praised for his response to national tragedies such as the 2011 terrorist attacks, when he delivered a powerful message about tolerance, diversity and the importance of standing together as a society.
His marriage to Sonja Haraldsen was also significant in the history of the Norwegian monarchy. After a long relationship, they married in 1968 despite concerns over Sonja’s commoner background. Queen Sonja survives him.
Now that Haakon is king, how will the new king balance continuity with modernization and public confidence in the institution?
The Norwegian monarchy is going to be brought to a new era with the death of King Harald V. For many Norwegians, his death is the end of a familiar chapter in which stability, humility and national service are still part of the story. For King Haakon, the task of building on that legacy and guiding the royal family through a period of intense public scrutiny will be forthcoming.
