Norway's King Harald V, Europe's longest serving monarch, has died at the age of 89.
The monarch, who reigned since 1991, had been on sick leave for several weeks, with his son, Crown Prince Haakon, 53, stepping in to serve as king regent.
His death on Aug. 28, comes a day after the Norwegian royal household announced Aug. 27 that the monarch was in an "extremely serious" condition, with the king's wife, Queen Sonja, and Haakon canceling all royal engagements Thursday.
In a statementFriday, King Charles III sent his "most heartfelt condolences" to Harald's family while paying tribute to his friend and "dear cousin." Charles and Harald are second cousins once removed.
"For thirty-five years, King Harald served his people with unwavering dedication,
guiding Norway through times of great change with warmth and humility," King Charles said.
"As Norway mourns the loss of so towering a figure, my whole family join in remembering a much-loved kinsman and friend whose kindness, compassion and deep sense of duty echoed from across the sea and across the decades," Charles continued.
Harald was hospitalized over the weekend and had been receiving treatment for a rare blood condition known as haemolytic anaemia. Symptoms of the disorder, in which red blood cells are destroyed faster than they can be made, include dizziness and fever.
Members of the royal family rushed to be at the king's hospital bedside in Oslo this week, including Haakon's wife, Crown Princess Mette-Marit and the king's sister, Princess Astrid, according to public broadcaster NRK.
Caroline Vagle, royal correspondent for Se og Hør magazine, described Harald as "a much-loved king."In remarks to AFP, Vagle said the royal household had "been very restrained in its communication about the king's health" in recent years.
Members of the public began laying flowers and candles outside the Palace in Oslo on Thursday, according to Norwegian media reports. One person paying tribute as the king's condition worsened told NRK that Harald was "the grandfather of all of Norway."
The monarch battled myriad health issues in recent years. He was fitted with a pacemaker in 2024 and in February, he was hospitalized while on a trip to Tenerife, where he was treated for an infection and dehydration.
In 2024, Harald said he would be reducing the amount of official engagements citing his age but vowed not to abdicate the throne. The oath he made in 1991, he said, was for life.
Norway royal family succession: King Harald's death makes Crown Prince Haakon next king
Harald's death alters Norway's line of succession.
Harald's son Crown Prince Haakon becomes Norway's new king. Haakon's daughter, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 22, is next in line to the throne followed by his son, Prince Sverre Magnus, 20.
Princess Märtha Louise, the second child of Harald and Sonja, now moves up the line of succession, from fourth to third place.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Norway's King Harald dies at 89, King Charles pays tribute to 'dear cousin'
