Norway's King Harald V, Europe's oldest monarch, dies at 89
Summary
King Harald V of Norway, Europe’s oldest monarch, died at age 89 in Oslo. He became king in 1991 and was known for modernizing the Norwegian monarchy while serving as a symbolic head of state in a democratic country.Key Facts
- King Harald V died on a Friday at 6:35 a.m. at the National Hospital in Oslo.
- He was 89 years old and Europe’s oldest monarch at the time of his death.
- Harald became king in January 1991 after the death of his father, King Olav V.
- His son, Crown Prince Haakon, automatically succeeded him as King Haakon VIII.
- The Norwegian monarchy has a mostly ceremonial role; real political power is held by the elected parliament.
- Harald was born in Norway in 1937, the first Norwegian prince born there since 1370.
- During World War II, Harald and his family fled to the United States to avoid Nazi occupation.
- He married his school sweetheart Sonja Haraldsen after nine years, despite pressure to marry a European princess.
- Harald was an accomplished sailor and represented Norway in several Olympics.
- He worked to modernize the monarchy and maintain its popularity in Norway.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
