Norwegians are bidding farewell to King Harald at the Royal Palace in Oslo, where his coffin lies in state for the public to pay their respects. Many have come to honour a monarch widely seen as a symbol of unity, who ruled the country for 35 years.
A period of national mourning was declared across the Nordic kingdom after King Harald V, Europe's oldest monarch, passed away on Friday at the age of 89. Thousands have flocked to the capital to lay flowers and express their reverence. He was known as a reformer, embodying an open, tolerant and inclusive Norway.
"He meant so much and was a king of unity," Line Stousland, 49, told AFP. "He was the people's king, like the grandfather of the whole country."
King Harald died at Oslo University Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment since 17 August. He suffered from haemolytic anaemia, a condition marked by the abnormal destruction of red blood cells, leading to fatigue and shortness of breath.
The date of the funeral has not yet been announced. Flags are flying at half-mast across Norway, and portraits of the king in ceremonial robes appear everywhere, from bus stops and offices to shops and public buildings.
While the nation mourns, the transition to a new reign began immediately. King Harald's 53-year-old son will be known as King Haakon VIII, formally becoming Norway's new monarch the moment his father died. He is expected to take his oath before parliament on Tuesday, pledging to uphold the Norwegian constitution and laws.
King Haakon inherits a monarchy praised for its modernity and simplicity, but one recently tainted by a series of scandals. Earlier this year, two senior Norwegian politicians and a princess were linked to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Police have opened an investigation into former Prime Minister Thorbjorn Jagland on suspicion of corruption, while the princess's son, Marius Borg Hoiby, 29 – the new king's stepson – was sentenced in June to four years in prison for two counts of rape and 32 other charges, including domestic violence.
"An era has ended, a new era begins. The King is dead. Long live the King," Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said shortly after meeting the new monarch. "We will remember King Harald for his love of the people, his humour, warmth and unwavering faith in us."
