NewzOSLO, Norway (AFP) — Thousands of people gathered outside Norway's royal palace to pay their respects to King Harald, who died Friday aged 89 after a reign of three and a half decades. Harald's 53-year-old son immediately succeeded him on the throne, announcing he would reign under the name King Haakon VIII. Haakon takes over a monarchy long hailed for its modernity and modesty, but beset by a string of scandals in recent years.
The new king arrived at the palace 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 in this time". 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," he said. Europe's oldest reigning monarch, King Harald had been in hospital in Oslo since August 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", noting that he accompanied Norway through decades of enormous change during which the country "grew richer, we became more numerous, and we became more diverse".
The thousands of Norwegians who massed outside the palace in Oslo laid down mountains of flowers, cards, cuddly toys and Norwegian flags, and many hugged and held each other. "He was the king of the people," mourner Kristoffer Hamre told AFP. "King Harald has been such a good king, and I think most Norwegians really feel that they know him very well," said another, Andreas Engesvik.
The Government announced a period of national mourning until the king's funeral, the date of which is yet to be set. The palace lowered its flag to half-mast in the morning after Harald's death was announced, but it was raised again after Haakon arrived for the meeting with the government. Another flag on the royal balcony and those at other official buildings will remain at half-mast until after Harald's burial.
Like many mourners, Vigdis Haug, 65, said she valued Harald…
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