Norway's King Harald V dies at 89

Norway's King Harald V, a reformer who modernized the monarchy and served as a unifying national figure for over three decades, died on Friday at the age of 89. The Norwegian royal palace announced that the king passed away peacefully at Oslo University Hospital at 6:35 a.m. local time on August 28, 2026. The palace stated it was with deep sorrow that it announced His Majesty's death. King Harald had been hospitalized since August 17 for a bacterial infection in his blood. His family, including Crown Prince Haakon, Queen Sonja, and his grandchildren, had gathered at his bedside in recent days.