Harald gathered Norway around him, Astrid Hansen says

Norway is mourning King Harald, who died early Friday after reigning since 1991, according to KVF. Astrid Hansen, a Norwegian resident of the Faroe Islands, remembered him as a king for the people.

“It is a sad day,” said Hansen, who has lived in the Faroe Islands for three years and describes herself as interested in the monarchy.

Hansen works for the Salvation Army and said she attaches great importance to how people are treated. In her view, King Harald took that responsibility very seriously.

She remembered the late king as someone who brought people together. Hansen said Norwegians could easily see themselves in him and his family because he never hid the fact that, like all families, they faced difficulties at home.

Although Hansen cannot imagine Norwegian society without a king, she acknowledged that not everyone agrees and that some believe the monarchy belongs to a bygone era.

“Now that we live in a society with so many changes, I think it is good that there are some who hold on to tradition,” she said.