Norway’s King Harald V has died at the age of 89 after being hospitalized last week for treatment for a rare blood condition.

The Norwegian royal palace announced that Harald died peacefully at 06:35 local time (04:35GMT) on Friday at the national hospital in Oslo. Following his death, the royal flag on the palace roof was lowered to half-mast.

Harald’s death comes after members of the royal family visited him in the 24 hours before his passing, while members of the public gathered outside the palace to lay flowers.

His son, Haakon, 53, has succeeded him as king.

Harald spent 35 years on the Norwegian throne and was widely regarded as a popular monarch who helped reshape the institution and make it more modern and accessible.

He became Norway’s first king born in the country since the 14th Century. During his reign, he broke with royal tradition by marrying a commoner and was often seen as a unifying figure during some of the country’s most difficult periods.

Royal observers described Harald as down-to-earth, respected and widely loved, with some referring to him as the “grandfather” of the nation and the “People’s king” – a title that had also been used for his father, King Olav V.

Harald was particularly visible during times of national crisis. Following the 2011 bomb and gun attacks in Oslo and on the island of Utøya, he urged Norwegians to stand together and not “let fear take over”.

His reign also saw the monarchy become more open about its finances and the health of members of the royal family.

Ole-Jørgen Schulsrud-Hansen, historian and TV2 royal correspondent, told the BBC that the Norwegian monarchy became more egalitarian and transparent under Harald.

Tove Taalesen, royal correspondent for Nettavisen, described Harald as “one of us”, while Caroline Vagle, royal expert for Se og Hør magazine, said he had “always been very close to the people”.

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Despite his advancing age and health problems, Harald continued to take part in public duties. He welcomed Norway’s national football team at the palace after its return from the US, where it reached the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time.

The final years of his reign were also marked by difficulties within the royal family, including scrutiny surrounding his daughter-in-law Mette-Marit’s association with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the conviction of her son, Marius Borg Høiby, for rape.

Harald is survived by Queen Sonja, whom he was married to for almost 58 years, their daughter Princess Märtha Louise, their son, the new King Haakon, and six grandchildren.

Born on 21 February 1937 at the Skaugum estate near Oslo, Harald became king following the death of his father, King Olav V, in 1991.

(BBC News)