STORY: Norwegians gathered outside the Royal Palace in Oslo on Saturday (August 29) to pay their respects following the king's death.

Visitors brought flowers and national flags, leaving tributes near the palace while the Royal banner fluttered at the entrance.

Europe's oldest monarch, who emerged from the shadow of his well-loved, extrovert father to become a reformer during more than three decades on the throne, died at the age of 89.

The new king is expected to take the oath in front of parliament on Tuesday, when he will swear to defend Norway's constitution and laws. Flags flew at half-mast throughout the country as Norwegians mourned their beloved monarch.

At a later point, Norwegians will be able to pay their respects in front of his coffin inside the royal chapel.

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STORY: King Haakon VIII of Norway on Saturday (August 29) paid homage to his late father as "such a good dad" in his first address to the nation since becoming sovereign, his voice briefly filling with emotion when evoking his widowed mother Queen Sonja.

King Harald, who emerged from the shadow of his own well-loved, extrovert father to become a reformer during more than three decades on the throne, died on Friday at the age of 89.

His son Haakon, dressed in a black suit, white shirt and black tie, praised Harald as a warm family man in a recorded televised speech at the palace.

He noted that Saturday should have been the celebration of the 58th wedding anniversary of Harald and Queen Sonja, who survives him.

"Congratulations on your wedding anniversary, dear Mummy," Haakon said, his voice appearing briefly overtaken by emotion.

Haakon stressed he would do things his own way, like his father did before him, and reiterated the foundations of Norway as a constitutional monarchy, embodied by the oath he will take in parliament on Tuesday to protect the country's constitution and laws.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: OSLO, NORWAY (AUGUST 29, 2026) (NRK - Access all)

1. DRONE SHOT OF NORWAY ROYAL PALACE / PEOPLE WALKING TOWARDS PALACE

2. CROWD GATHERED IN FRONT OF PALACE

3. NORWAY ROYAL BANNER WAVING AT PALACE ENTRANCE

4. CROWD IN FRONT OF PALACE

5. PEOPLE STANDING AROUND STATUE NEAR PALACE

6. DRONE SHOT OF NORWAY ROYAL PALACE / PEOPLE WALKING TOWARDS PALACE

7. PEOPLE LAYING FLOWERS AND NORWEGIAN FLAGS BY PALACE

8. NORWAY ROYAL BANNER WAVING

9. CROWD IN FRONT OF PALACE

10. PEOPLE WALKING BY NORWEGIAN FLAG

11. CROWD IN FRONT OF PALACE

12. PEOPLE STANDING AROUND STATUE NEAR PALACE

13. DRONE SHOT OF NORWAY ROYAL PALACE / PEOPLE AROUND PALACE

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SHOWS: OSLO, NORWAY (AUGUST 29, 2026) (NRK – Access all)

1. EXTERIOR OF ROYAL PALACE

2. (SOUNDBITE) (Norwegian) NORWAY’S KING HAAKON, SAYING:

“Dear all. Yesterday (Friday) morning at 6:35 a.m., His Majesty King Harald V - my father, whom I loved so dearly - passed away. We are grieving. Yet, it brings comfort to see that so many are mourning alongside us. It has been deeply moving to experience and witness the Palace Square fill with people, flowers, messages and candles. A thousand thanks.

My dear father. Thank you for being such a wonderful dad to Maertha (Haakon’s sister) and me. You were a source of warmth and security; you were also a gentle and humorous grandfather, a loving and thoughtful husband, a generous father-in-law and a brother and uncle whom everyone loved being around. You were the head of the family. Together with my mother, you embraced and united us all with a natural authority, one you may not have even been fully aware of yourself. Above all, you were a person who always stood firm by your values and commitments. You supported and cared for us all. It makes me proud to reflect on everything you endured and everything you stood up for; I will miss him. I will miss his laughter and his gentle way of engaging with people and situations. My father always put people at ease around him. He was a good listener, especially when meeting children and young people, for whom he held a special place in his heart. His large, warm king’s hands would gently reach out to both young and old who needed that extra touch of reassurance. He met everyone with respect and generosity and never made distinctions between people.”

3. KING HAAKON SPEAKING

4. (SOUNDBITE) (Norwegian) NORWAY’S KING HAAKON, SAYING:

“He wept with us after we had lost so many at Utoeya and in the government quarters. He united us by articulating who we, as Norwegians, are”.

5. KING HAAKON SPEAKING

6. (SOUNDBITE) (Norwegian) NORWAY’S KING HAAKON, SAYING:

“It was a great strength for him to have my mother, Queen Sonja, as a life partner with whom to share his calling. She helped ensure that, together, they became a strong royal couple who complemented each other well. I know how much she meant to King Harald, and how she helped him stand so steadfast in his life’s work, the work they shared. Today marks 58 years since they married. Happy wedding anniversary, dear Mom.”

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Norwegian) NORWAY’S KING HAAKON, SAYING:

“Now that my father has passed away, a major task awaits me. Within the family, he constantly reminded us that each person must do things in their own way, find their own style and be themselves. He succeeded his father, King Olav, who in turn had succeeded his father, King Haakon. Now it is my turn. I am deeply grateful to have my family around me and for the tremendous support Queen Mette-Marit and our children provide. I also wish to thank my mother and sister for the strength they share, even as they themselves are in the midst of grieving the loss of a beloved husband and father. Our family has experienced the importance of standing together in order to remain steadfast both within ourselves and for one another even during difficult times.”

8. KING HAAKON SPEAKING

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Norwegian) NORWAY’S KING HAAKON, SAYING:

“Our unity is a great strength for the work we are to do for Norway. Following King Harald’s long and eventful reign it is now that we will move forward together into a new era. Queen Mette-Marit and I wish to be present and attentive. The queen, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra and I will always strive to understand the life situations of different people. (AUDIO INAUDIBLE) No one who lives in this country knows what we will face together, but what we do know is that we will stand by one another through both good days and difficult ones.”

10. KING HAAKON SPEAKING

11. (SOUNDBITE) (Norwegian) NORWAY’S KING HAAKON, SAYING:

“Today, we are a family in mourning and a people in mourning. We thank King Harald for all he was and all he did for Norway, for everyone in our country. With God’s help and the support of the people, I look forward to the great task that lies ahead. And I pray that we all unite around the age-old wish: May God protect our country.

12. EXTERIOR OF ROYAL PALACE