NewzNorwegians gathered outside Oslo’s royal palace to pay their respects to King Harald, who died at the age of 89 after more than three decades on the throne NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 29— President William Ruto has sent a message of condolence to the Norwegian Royal Family following the reported death of King Harald V of Norway. In a statement issued on Saturday, President Ruto conveyed his condolences to Queen Sonja, the Royal Family, the Government and people of Norway on behalf of the Government and people of Kenya, his family and himself.
Ruto described King Harald V as an exceptional monarch whose life was defined by duty, dignity, humility and unwavering devotion to his people. “King Harald leaves behind an extraordinary legacy spanning more than 35 years on the Norwegian throne,” Ruto said. The President noted that the late monarch’s life mirrored Norway’s transformation from a young Prince whose family experienced exile during the Second World War to a sovereign who presided over the country’s consolidation as one of the world’s most prosperous and stable societies.
He said King Harald remained a symbol of continuity, national unity, constitutional duty and public service through periods of profound social and global change. According to Ruto, the monarch’s reign reflected Norway’s commitment to democracy, good governance, human rights, peace, sustainable development and international solidarity. Ruto said King Harald’s passing was particularly significant for Kenya, coming less than three months after his historic official visit to Norway on June 8 and 9, 2026.
The President noted that the visit was the first by a Kenyan Head of State to Norway. He recalled the hospitality extended to his delegation and his audience with Crown Prince Haakon at the Royal Palace. “I retain warm memories of the hospitality extended to my delegation and I, including my audience with the Crown Prince Haakon at the Royal Palace, and of the warmth and friendship that characterised our engagements with the Norwegian leadership and people,” Ruto said.
Ruto also praised King Harald’s contribution beyond Norway, saying the monarch championed an outward-looking Norway committed to dialogue, human dignity, international cooperation and multilateralism. He said the King’s life and reign helped reinforce Norway’s standing as a trusted partner committed to peace, a rules-based international order and a more just and sustainable world. The President extended his deepest sympathies to Queen Sonja, the Royal Family and the people of Norway duri…
Norway's new King Haakon VIII (centre) poses for a group photo during an extraordinary cabinet meeting at the Royal Palace in Oslo, Norway. (EPA Images pic)OSLO: Norway opened a new chapter in its history on Saturday under King Haakon VIII after the death of his father Harald, a unifying figure who was on the throne for 35 years.A national period of mourning was declared in the Scandinavian kingdom following the king's death on Friday at 6.35am (0435 GMT) at age 89.Hugging and laying flowers, thousands of people gathered in the capital, Oslo, on Friday to pay their respects.Haakon, 53, takes over a monarchy hailed for its modernity and modesty but which has been beset by a string of recent scandals."An era has ended. Long live the king," Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said in a speech shortly after meeting the new monarch."We will remember King Harald for his love for his people, for his humour and warmth, and for his unwavering faith in us."Well-wishers lined the streets to watch a motorcade bring Harald's casket from Oslo University Hospital to the royal palace on Friday evening.Haakon arrived at the palace earlier with his 22-year-old daughter Ingrid Alexandra – the new crown princess – to formally inform the government of his father's death.In a statement, Haakon thanked "the government and Norwegian people for their support and sympathy for the Royal Family at this time".Norway's parliament said the new monarch would take an oath of allegiance in its main chamber on Tuesday.The period of national mourning will last until Harald's funeral, the date of which is yet to be set.Haakon is not expected to be crowned – a practice abolished in 1908.But like his father and grandfather before him, he could choose to have his reign blessed during a ceremony at Trondheim Cathedral, where Norwegian kings were crowned between 1814 and 1906.'Like a grandfather'Harald, who was Europe's oldest reigning monarch, had been in hospital in Oslo since Aug 17, suffering from haemolytic anaemia, a condition caused by an abnormally rapid destruction of red blood cells that leads to fatigue and shortness of breath.Store said Harald, who ascended to the throne in 1991, was "a king of his time and for his time".He said Harald accompanied Norway through decades of enormous change during which the country "grew richer, we became more numerous, and…
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