Norway Begins New Era with King Haakon VIII Following King Harald's Passing

London, United Kingdom Aug 30, 2026 ALN: Norway has officially opened a new chapter in its history under King Haakon VIII, who is scheduled to deliver a memorial speech following the passing of his father, King Harald, at the age of 89.

The palace announced that the monarch's "memorial speech" would be broadcast at 7:00 PM local time (1700 GMT). Flags across the nation flew at half-mast as thousands of Norwegians gathered at the Royal Palace in Oslo, where tributes in the form of flowers accumulated after over 20,000 people paid their respects to the late king on Friday.

Condolences poured in from European monarchies and world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, who praised King Harald as "a strong, proud, and greatly respected man." Anne Lobbe, a 35-year-old citizen, expressed the collective sentiment, stating, "Everyone is sad, and the king was a man whom everyone respected. A fine man, so I think everyone feels a bit down today."

King Haakon is expected to hold audiences later in the day with leaders from the Church of Norway, parliament, and the supreme court. A national period of mourning has been declared, although no date has been set for the late king's funeral.

On Tuesday, King Haakon will swear an oath of allegiance in Norway's parliament. The 53-year-old monarch takes over a monarchy known for its modernity and modesty, yet one that has recently faced a series of scandals.

Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store remarked, "An era has ended. A new one begins. The king is dead. Long live the king," shortly after meeting the new monarch on Friday.

City halls across Norway have set up condolence books for the public to share personal messages. Unni Zetterquist Thorsen, 68, was one of the first to write in Oslo's City Hall, thanking the late king for his "patience and strength through difficult times in Norway." She added, "He's essentially been a steady support."

National Mourning

The late king's casket was transported from Oslo University Hospital to the royal palace on Friday. The public will have the opportunity to view the casket in the palace chapel on dates yet to be determined.

Although King Haakon and his wife, Queen Mette-Marit, are not expected to have a formal coronation—Norway abolished that practice in 1908—they may choose to have their reign blessed in a ceremony at Trondheim Cathedral, where Norwegian monarchs were crowned between 1814 and 1906.

King Harald, who was the oldest reigning monarch in Europe, had been hospitalized since August 17 due to haemolytic anaemia, a condition that causes rapid destruction of red blood cells and leads to fatigue and shortness of breath.

Prime Minister Store described Harald as "a king of his time and for his time," noting that he guided Norway through decades of significant change, during which the nation became richer, more populous, and more diverse. King Harald was widely regarded as a symbol of an open and tolerant Norway.

Many citizens recalled King Harald's poignant speech following the 2011 massacre carried out by neo-Nazi Anders Behring Breivik, which claimed 77 lives and marked Norway's worst tragedy since World War II.

Caroline Vagle, a reporter for magazine Se og Hor, remarked, "The late king was someone who always seemed to find the words that brought us together and gave us a sense of security." King Harald faced increasing health challenges in his later years, prompting him to reduce his official engagements.

Despite his health issues, he consistently ruled out the possibility of abdicating, maintaining that he had taken a lifelong oath before the Norwegian parliament.

The past year has been turbulent for the Norwegian royal family, with King Harald's wife, Queen Sonja, also 89, briefly hospitalized in May due to heart problems. Additionally, King Haakon's wife, Mette-Marit, is under scrutiny due to her past ties to the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In June, Mette-Marit's son from a previous relationship was sentenced to four years in prison for two rapes. Mette-Marit herself has been battling a serious lung disease and underwent a lung transplant in July.