Norway mourns beloved King Harald as its shared grandfather

Norway’s King Harald V has died at the age of 89, prompting genuine national mourning, Yle reports in an analysis by journalist Terhi Pirilä-Porvali. Although his death was not unexpected, it has not lessened the grief felt across the country.

Harald was widely seen as a monarch who combined centuries-old royal traditions with an approachable and human manner. In a February opinion poll, Norwegians gave him a score of 9.2 out of 10 for how well he represented the country.

Pirilä-Porvali recalled seeing crowds gather outside the Royal Palace in Oslo during French President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Norway in summer 2025. People waiting to catch a glimpse of the royals spoke warmly of Harald, describing him as the shared grandfather of the entire nation.

His popularity was also reflected in broad opinion polls, despite scandals that had damaged the standing of other members of the royal family and the monarchy as a whole.

Harald earned the public’s affection through his personality and lifelong service to Norway. During the Second World War, he fled the country with his family after Germany occupied Norway. When the royal family returned to a free Norway in June 1945, the young prince became a symbol of a brighter future.

Harald later became an Olympic sailor and a sporting hero. He shared Norwegians’ love of skiing, outdoor life and watching sports. As a modern monarch with no formal political power, he also succeeded in answering the question of why the institution remained useful to the country.

A king who chose love and family freedom

Harald married the woman he loved despite opposition from his father, King Olav. Sonja Haraldsen was neither royal nor aristocratic, but she quickly won the hearts of Norwegians. The couple had to wait nine years before receiving permission to marry in 1968.

Harald and Queen Sonja wanted their children to be free to choose their own spouses. Members of the family have caused various controversies over the years, but Harald was seen above all as a humane father.

He did not want to strip his daughter Märtha Louise of her princess title, even though she had been criticised over making money from it. In spring and summer, he took the same approach when Crown Princess Mette-Marit faced criticism over her contacts with Jeffrey Epstein, who had been convicted of sexual offences, and when Mette-Marit’s son Marius Borg Høiby was convicted of, among other crimes, rape.

Harald did not publicly condemn members of his family. Instead, he and the queen continued their official duties. Public sympathy remained with the elderly royal couple, who were not themselves involved in the controversies.

A unifying figure after Utøya

Harald’s reign also included tragedies that shook Norway, most notably the terrorist attack on Utøya. The king and his family mourned alongside the public and among the people. In a moment of shock, he became a force who united and brought the nation together.

Harald also addressed the nation in 2021, ten years after the Utøya attack. Norway’s monarchy is unusual because it does not date back centuries. Norwegians chose the monarchy as their form of government in a vote in 1905.