King Harald V of Norway died at age 89 on Friday, August 28, 2026, at 6:35 a.m. local time at Rikshospitalet, part of Oslo University Hospital, the Norwegian Royal Palace announced. His son, Crown Prince Haakon, automatically became King Haakon VIII upon his father’s death, under a Norwegian succession that requires no ceremony to take effect. Norway has begun a period of national mourning.
Harald was taken to Rikshospitalet, part of Oslo University Hospital, on August 17 after a medical examination that afternoon. He was being treated for haemolytic anaemia, a blood disorder in which red blood cells are destroyed faster than the body can replace them. The cortisone treatment he received for the condition caused fluid retention that required hospital care, the palace has said. His condition worsened over the following days; doctors have said he also developed a bacterial infection of his bloodstream and is being treated with antibiotics. On Thursday the Royal House announced: “His Majesty the King’s health condition is extremely serious.” In a second statement later that day, the palace said his condition remained unchanged.
Key facts
- Died: Friday, August 28, 2026, at 6:35 a.m., at Rikshospitalet, Oslo, at age 89
- Admitted: August 17, 2026, treated for haemolytic anaemia and a later bloodstream infection
- New king: Haakon, 53, is now King Haakon VIII, effective immediately on his father’s death
- Reign: Harald was king from 1991 until his death, and had been Europe’s oldest reigning monarch
- Next steps: An extraordinary Council of State and an oath before the Storting, followed by a state funeral at Oslo Cathedral and burial at the royal mausoleum at Akershus Fortress
Family at his side
Queen Sonja, Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit are at Harald’s bedside at the hospital, and the palace says his elder sister, Princess Astrid, is also among family members who have gathered there. Reports also named Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus among those at the hospital. Queen Sonja and Crown Prince Haakon have cancelled all of their scheduled royal engagements, and the wider royal household has called off its official program while the family remains with the King.
Norwegian state broadcaster NRK aired special coverage of the King’s health this week. According to wire service reporting, one NRK reporter told viewers the public should “prepare for the worst” — a personal assessment from the broadcast, not an official prognosis from the palace or the King’s medical team.
Haakon becomes king
Haakon, 53, was acting as regent in his father’s place from August 17 while Harald was hospitalized. On his father’s death, Haakon automatically became King Haakon VIII — Norwegian succession takes effect immediately, without a coronation. He has chosen to keep his own name as his royal name and to keep his father’s motto, “Everything for Norway.” An extraordinary Council of State, where Haakon formally informs the government of his accession, and an oath before the Storting (Norway’s parliament), are expected to follow in the coming days.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre canceled a planned trip to Germany after the palace’s Thursday announcement. He said the news deeply affected him and that his thoughts, and the country’s, are with the King and the royal family.
A long reign, and past health scares
Harald reigned as King of Norway from 1991 until his death and had been Europe’s oldest reigning monarch. He has faced a string of health issues in recent years — he received a permanent pacemaker in 2024 and was hospitalized in Tenerife, Spain, in February 2026 for an infection while on holiday — and has said in the past that he does not intend to abdicate. Those earlier episodes are separate from his current hospitalization.
Norway has begun a period of national mourning, with flags flown at half-mast at royal residences, state buildings and military installations. The palace has said a state funeral will be held at Oslo Cathedral, with burial at the royal mausoleum at Akershus Fortress alongside earlier monarchs including Haakon VII and Olav V; a specific date has not yet been announced. Plainly Now will update this story as further details are released.