Norway’s King Harald V has died at the age of 89, the royal palace announced Friday. He passed away at Oslo’s National Hospital.
Harald, Europe’s oldest monarch, became king in 1991 after the death of his father, King Olav V. His son will now succeed him as King Haakon VIII.
Born in 1937, Harald spent part of his childhood in exile in the United States after Nazi Germany occupied Norway during World War II. He later studied at Oxford University, served in the military and represented Norway in sailing at several Olympic Games.
Harald also became known for marrying his longtime sweetheart, Sonja Haraldsen, despite pressure to choose a bride from European royalty. They married in 1968.
During more than three decades on the throne, Harald worked to modernize Norway’s monarchy and became widely respected for speeches supporting democracy, diversity and tolerance.
Despite health problems in his later years, Harald repeatedly rejected the idea of stepping down, saying his commitment as king “lasts for life.”