King Harald V of Norway died on Friday at the age of 89. After his death, his son Crown Prince Haakon took over the throne of the country. Now King Haakon is the eighth king of Norway. Harald V was the oldest ruler in Europe. The Norwegian royal palace said that King Harald breathed his last at 6:35 am on Friday at the National Hospital in Oslo. The Norwegian government also confirmed the news of his death. Harald had been the king of Norway for almost 35 years.
He took over the throne after his father’s death:
King Harald made many efforts to modernize the Norwegian monarchy. However, despite his advancing age, he did not decide to abdicate like some other kings in Europe. Norway is a constitutional monarchy. The role of the king here is mainly symbolic. The country’s real political power is held by an elected parliament. King Harald was very popular among the people of Norway, which has a population of about 5.5 million. Harald ascended the throne in January 1991 after the death of his father, King Olav V. During his reign, Norway saw a long period of economic prosperity, driven by oil and gas revenues.
PM says – ‘The whole country is in mourning’:
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Storr expressed his deep condolences on the death of King Harald. He said, ‘The whole country is in mourning and the people of Norway express their deep gratitude to King Harald for his long service to the country. The Prime Minister said that for more than three decades as king, Harald V showed unwavering faith in the people of Norway. His words united people in difficult times. After the terrorist attacks in 2011, he shared the grief of the people. Even when Norwegian sportsmen achieved great success, they shared their joy with them. The Prime Minister has expressed his condolences to Queen Sonja and the entire royal family.
Harald somehow survived the Nazis:
King Harald was born in 1937 in Askar, near Oslo. He was the first Norwegian prince to be born in Norway since 1370. Harald was only three years old when Nazi Germany occupied Norway during World War II. To avoid being captured by the Nazis, his mother, Harald, and his two sisters, Ragnhild and Astrid, were taken by ship first to Sweden and then to the United States. At that time, Harald’s father and grandfather had fled to Britain with the Norwegian government and were living in exile. Harald’s grandfather, Haakon VII, was highly respected among Norwegians for his resistance to German pressure.
But he performed duties at the age of 6:
While living in the US, the Norwegian royal family often visited the White House as guests. Harald was only 6 years old when he performed his first official duty. He attended the naming ceremony of a new fighter jet at a Norwegian airbase in Canada. After the war, the royal family returned to Norway in June 1945. After attending public schools, Harald studied at the Norwegian Military College and Oxford University.
Represented the country at the Olympics:
Like his father, Harald also had a special interest in the sea and sailing. His father, King Olav, became a champion in sailing at the 1928 Olympics. Harald also represented Norway in many Olympic Games. In 1987, he won a gold medal at the World Championships as captain of his boat.
PM Modi condoles the demise of King Harald Condolences are pouring in from various countries of the world on the demise of King Harald. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed deep sorrow over the demise of King Harald V. Modi said that he had met King Harald during his visit to Norway earlier this year. Modi was impressed by the King’s humble demeanor and his deep sense of service to his country. He expressed his deepest condolences to the Norwegian royal family and the people of the country.
