King Charles Pays Tribute To His 'Dear Cousin' After King Harald V of Norway Dies
Buckingham Palace released the statement from His Majesty after the Norwegian monarch passed away at the age of 89
King Charles III issued a moving statement to pay tribute to his cousin, King Harald V of Norway.
The Royal Palace of Norway confirmed that Europe's oldest reigning monarch peacefully passed away at 6:35 am at Oslo University Hospital. He died aged 89-years-old after sitting on the throne for three decades. He was originally taken to hospital on 17 August, where he was treated for haemolytic anaemia, a condition caused by an abnormally rapid destruction of the body's red blood cells. The Palace later confirmed his condition worsened due to complications from a bacterial infection in his blood.
Following his passing, Buckingham Palace issued an official statement from the British Monarch, who remembered the close ties between the countries. "It is with the most profound sadness that my wife and I have learned of the death of my dear cousin, King Harald V of Norway," The King said.
"For thirty-five years, King Harald served his people with unwavering dedication, guiding Norway through times of great change with warmth and humility. 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.
He continued: "The United Kingdom and Norway share particularly close historical and family ties, with Britain one of the first countries to recognise Norwegian independence and establish diplomatic relations in 1905. These special bonds were even further strengthened during the dreadful trials of the Second World War and helped to bind our two countries together.
His Majesty finished the statement, adding: "The Queen and I extend our deepest and most heartfelt condolences to Queen Sonja and all her family, as Britain shares in Norway's grief at this time of such heartbreaking loss."
King Harald V was one of Queen Victoria's great-great-grandchildren, making him a distant cousin of King Charles. He was immediately succeeded by his son Haakon. He did not attend the Coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla at Westminster Abbey in May 2023, however, his son Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit represented Norway on his behalf. Flags are now flying at half-mast at official UK royal residences, including Buckingham Palace, Clarence House, Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, Scotland, to mark the death.
