King Haakon VIII takes the throne in Norway following death of Harald V - follow live

Summary

King Haakon VIII has taken the throne in Norway following the death of his father, Harald V
Harald, who was on the throne for 35 years, died early on Friday at the national hospital in Oslo where he was being treated for a rare blood condition
The Norwegian PM says "a whole nation is in mourning" following his death - Oslo's mayor says she has cancelled her wedding, which was scheduled for today
The late king was a popular leader and is credited with modernising the Norwegian monarchy - he broke with tradition by marrying a commoner, Queen Sonja
Flowers are being laid at a memorial near the palace, and the UK's King Charles III shares his "most heartfelt condolences"
King Haakon has met with government ministers at the Royal Palace in the capital
He has opted to keep the family's long-standing royal motto: "All for Norway"

Live Reporting

Edited by Caitlin Doherty and Tinshui Yeung

Politicians pay respects, as mountain of flowers grows outside the Royal Palacepublished at 15:26 BST
Flocks of mourners have gathered outside the Royal Palace in Oslo, where the piles of bouquets and Norwegian flags are growing.
Multiple politicians have been seen there, including foreign minister Espen Barth Eide and finance minister Jens Stoltenberg of the Labour Party, as well as leader of the Conservative Party Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide.
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide (L) and Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide - second from the right - who leads the Conservative Party in Norway
With a new king, comes a new heir to the thronepublished at 15:12 BST
Image source, Getty Images
With King Haakon VIII now the head of state, his daughter Ingrid Alexandra, 22, now becomes the crown princess and heir to the Norwegian throne.
It's only in recent decades - since the constitution changed in 1990 - that women have been given the right to inherit the Norwegian throne.
It means that Ingrid Alexandra could be Norway's first female monarch since the 15th Century.
Born and raised in Oslo, the princess completed her military service in 2025, having spent 15 months as an engineer soldier and rifleman.
In May 2025, it was announced that she was to move to Australia to study international relations and political economy at the University of Sydney.
Environmental protection and climate change have previously been given as her key interests on the royal family's website - although the biographies are currently unavailable while the site is updated.
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Princess Ingrid Alexandra made her first public appearance in Australia in May 2026 - where she is a student - to mark Norwegian constitution day

Flag flies at half-mast over Buckingham Palacepublished at 14:59 BST
Image source, PA
The Union flag is flying at half-mast over Buckingham Palace, in tribute to King Harald V.
The flag placement is a symbol of mourning and respect in many countries, including in the UK.
Harald has ties to the British Royal Family, and was the second cousin of late monarch Queen Elizabeth II.
King Harald's coffin to be moved from hospital to Royal Palacepublished at 14:44 BST
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
A flag flies at half mast at the Norwegian Royal Palace
King Harald's coffin will be moved from hospital to the Royal Palace in Oslo this evening, the Norwegian Royal Family has confirmed.
His son King Haakon, the new Queen Mette-Marit, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, Harald's wife Queen Sonja, Prince Sverre Magnus, and Princess Märtha Louise will accompany the coffin.
A procession will leave the the chapel at Rikshospitalet at 18:30 local time (17:30 BST) and will work its way towards the palace.

Norwegian prime minister pays tribute to King Harald Vpublished at 14:30 BST
Image source, Reuters
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere has joined the crowd of mourners gathered outside the Royal Palace in Oslo.
Stoere, who has led the country since 2021, added his own bouquet to the growing number of tributes.
Earlier, he gave a televised address in which he said the country was "united in grief and gratitude", but that Harald's "legacy lives on".
Image source, Reuters
'It was an honour to meet you,' says Haaland as Norway's footballers pay tributepublished at 14:15 BST
Image source, Amanda Pedersen Giske / NTB / AFP via Getty Images) / Norway OUT
Norway's footballers have also been paying tribute to the late King Harald on social media.
Women's team captain Ada Hegerberg writes "rest in peace our King" on her Instagram story.
Meanwhile, Norway men's captainMartin Ødegaard writes: "Thank you for everything you were for Norway.
"A great king and a great man whom we all felt close to."
Erling Haaland writes in a post: "Rest in peace, King Harald. Thank you for everything you meant to Norway. It was an honour to meet you."
Harald had invited the men's national football team to a reception at the Royal Palace following their most successful World Cup this summer.

'He made us feel at home, and he made us feel loved,' Oslo mourners remember King Harald Vpublished at 14:02 BST
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
Biteya Terfassa says King Harald V was like a grandfather she never had
Outside the Royal Palace in Oslo, mourners have gathered to pay their respects to the late King Harald V - some bringing bouquets or single roses.
"I personally will say he was everything for us, especially being an immigrant," Biteya Terfassa, an Oslo resident who was born in Ethiopia, tells Reuters news agency.
"He made us feel at home, and he made us feel loved. So he was like a grandfather that I never had."
"All my thoughts go to the queen, I'm a widower myself," says Gry Thune Young.
She feels optimistic about King Haakon VIII: "He will do the same good work [as Harald], using the same good words... but in his way."
Her feelings are echoed by Elisabet Salthe and Jan Erik Nilsen. Things will not be normal in Norway for some weeks, Elisabet says, "but that's life".
Haakon "is a modern man" who will "take care of the Norway kingdom", Jan Erik adds.
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
Elisabet Salthe and Jan Erik Nilsen feel optimistic about King Haakon VIII
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
"All my thoughts go to the queen, I'm a widower myself," Gry Thune Young says
Mayor of Oslo cancels wedding following death of late kingpublished at 13:46 BST
Image source, Getty Images
The Mayor of Oslo Anne Lindboe has cancelled her wedding following the death of the late King Harald.
Lindboe had been due to get married on Friday to her fiance Pål Sandvid, her political adviser confirms to the BBC.
"It's hard to imagine an Oslo and a Norway without you. You didn't need a crowd to be King," Lindboe had written earlier in a tribute to Harald on Instagram.
"Even the majority of Norwegians who never met you in person still felt like they knew you," she adds.

How King Harald broke with tradition to marry his lovepublished at 13:31 BST
Harald set a new precedent for Norway's royal family by marrying a commoner - after a long wait.
When Harald was crown prince, he met Sonja Haraldsen, the daughter of a businessman, at a party, but he had to wait nine years before he was allowed to marry her.
His intention to wed her instead of someone from a royal family or nobility "sparked considerable debate" as many "predicted the fall of the monarchy as a result of such a marriage", his biography on the royal website read.
His father finally gave his consent, and the couple wed in Oslo Cathedral on 29 August 1968 - meaning they would have celebrated their 58th anniversary tomorrow.
Harald's choice paved the way for his own two children to marry non-royals.
Image source, AFP via Getty Images
Norway PM says nation is united in grief after king's deathpublished at 13:07 BST
Norway's Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, has said the country is "united in grief and gratitude" following the death of Harald V.
In a televised memorial address, Støre said the late king's "legacy lives on" and offered condolences to Queen Sonja and the royal family.
He also welcomed Norway's new monarch, King Haakon VIII, and Queen Mette-Marit, into their new roles.
Image source, AFP via Getty Images

European leaders pay tribute to the late King Haraldpublished at 12:50 BST
Tributes have been shared for Norway's late monarch by European leaders.
Norway's prime minister, Jonas GahreStore describes how "a whole nation is in mourning and the people of Norway are left with a deep sense of gratitude for a long life in the service of Norway".
"For more than three decades as monarch, Harald V demonstrated an unwavering faith in the Norwegian people. He helped us to see the best in ourselves – and in one another," he adds.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says that Harald "embodied dignity, wisdom, and an unwavering commitment to his country". He adds that Ukraine will always remember his "steadfast support and solidarity" during the "darkest days of Russia's aggression".
"Norway has lost a great figure who stood for prudence and unity," Germany's chancellor Friedrich Merz says.
Finland's president Alexander Stubb adds that Harald will be remembered for his "long-standing and devoted service as head of state, his ability to unite Norwegians from all walks of life, and his steadfast commitment to maintaining hope and confidence in the future through all times".
Sweden's prime minister Ulf Kristersson says for decades the monarch had been a "safe, respected and uniting force in both Norway and the Nordic region", adding his "long and devoted work in the service of Norway will be remembered with warmth and respect."
Haakon VIII keeps family's long-standing royal mottopublished at 12:39 BST
King Haakon VIII has announced his royal motto, choosing the same words used by his father, grandfather and great-grandfather: "All for Norway".
The new king made the announcement during his first cabinet meeting after succeeding his father.
Image source, AFP via Getty Images

Moment Norway's public broadcaster announced King Harald's deathpublished at 12:29 BST
This morning, newsreader Petter Oulie-Hauge announced the death of King Harald on NRK, Norway's public broadcaster, and the ascension of his son, the new king.
The announcement followed days of news about Harald's declining condition after he entered hospital on 17 August to receive treatment for a rare blood condition.
Norway's King Harald V dies aged 89published at 12:21 BST
If you're just joining us, here's what you need to know:
Norway's King Harald V died peacefully in hospital at 06:35 local time on Friday (05:35 BST).
His son has become King Haakon VIII upon his father's death.
A period of national mourning has been declared, and crowds have been laying flowers outside the Royal Palace in Oslo.
Hours after the king's death, the new King Haakon and his daughter, now-Crown Princess, arrived at the palace to meet government ministers in an extraordinary council of state.
Image source, PA Media
Image caption,
King Harald pictured in 2018

King Harald had strong ties to the UK monarchypublished at 12:02 BST
Felicity Baker
BBC News
King Harald had strong ties to the UK monarchy.
He was a second cousin of Queen Elizabeth II. They shared the same great-grandparents, King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra - and Queen Elizabeth's grandfather, King George V, and King Harald's grandmother, Queen Maud, were siblings.
Queen Elizabeth's first state visit to a non-commonwealth country as monarch was Norway in 1955, and she would visit the country on two further separate occasions, in 1981 and 2001.
Image source, PA Media
Image caption,
Queen Elizabeth II and King Harald V at the Royal Palace in Norway during an official visit in 2001
Government ministers lay flowers at palacepublished at 11:57 BST
Norwegian politicians have been photographed laying white roses outside Oslo's Royal Palace this morning, wearing black among crowds of mourners.
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
Norwegian Finance Minister and former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide and Health Minister Jan Christian Vestre outside the royal palace
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
Norwegian Finance Minister and former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg pays his respects

Who is the new King of Norway?published at 11:51 BST
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
King Haakon during the Fifa World Cup in Florida
King Haakon VIII has become the new king of Norway following the death of his father, Harald V.
Haakon is the fourth king to head Norway's modern monarchy, since it was restored in 1905 after the country gained independence from Sweden.
He worked closely with his father as he carried out royal duties, and in recent years took on more responsibilities as Harald was ill or absent.
He becomes King at a turbulent time for Norway's royal family. The monarchy is popular, but has been beset by scandal in recent years.
The new king's wife Mette-Marit has apologised for ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Her son from a previous relationship, Marius Borg Høiby, has been convicted of rape in a high-profile trial. He is appealing against the conviction.
You can read more in our story here
King Haakon VIII becomes the new Norwegian monarchpublished at 11:30 BST
Image source, Det Norske Kongehuset
King Haakon VIII has become the new King of Norway following the death of his father Harald V.
An official portrait of the new king has been shared by the Norwegian royal family.

Watch the moment new Norwegian king arrives at Royal Palacepublished at 11:23 BST
Media caption,
Harald's successor King Haakon arrives at Royal Palace
A trumpet played out as the new King Haakon was driven into the Royal Palace in Oslo.
The king was seen dressed in military regalia in a black Audi as crowds quietly stood and watched on.
As we reported earlier the king and his daughter Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 22, have been meeting with government ministers at the palace.
Norway's PM among ministers signing book of condolencepublished at 11:18 BST
Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre has been seen signing a book of condolence in the Royal Palace beside a portrait of the late king and lit candles - signs of official national mourning.
He was followed by other government ministers writing also their tributes.
Image source, EPA