Washington.- U.S. President Donald Trump lamented the passing this Friday of King Harald V, at 89 years old, whom he considered “a truly great loss!” of a “strong, proud, and deeply respected man.”
“It is very sad to hear of the passing of King Harald of Norway. He loved his country and was truly loved and respected by his people. Our hearts are with the Royal Family and all of Norway during these difficult times,” he posted on his Truth Social network.
A statement from the Royal House of Norway reported that the monarch passed away “peacefully” at the Oslo University Hospital, where he was admitted on August 17th suffering from anemia, but his condition worsened last weekend when his ailment developed into a blood infection.
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Harald V ascended to the throne in 1991 and enjoyed great popularity among the Norwegian population, as he reached approval ratings of over 70%.
His youngest child and first in the line of succession, Haakon, 53, automatically became the new head of state of Norway, and according to the cabinet of ministers, he has chosen the name Haakon VIII for his reign.
The new king will take the oath of allegiance to the Constitution as the new monarch and head of state of the Nordic country next Tuesday before the Storting or Parliament, the institution reported.
