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Pope Leo mourns death of Norway’s King Harald V

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August 28, 2026

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Pope Leo mourns death of Norway’s King Harald V

Pope Leo XIV sends his condolences to King Haakon VIII and the people of Norway for the death of King Harald V, and praises the late King’s decades of “devoted service” to the Scandinavian nation.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

King Harald V of Norway died at 6:35 a.m. on Friday at the Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, after being taken to the national hospital last week to treat a serious blood disorder.

Harald V reigned for more than 35 years, making him the longest-reigning Norwegian monarch since King Haakon VII.

The late King’s son, Crown Prince Haakon, has succeeded him as King Haakon VIII.

Pope’s prayers of eternal rest of the late King

Hours after the monarch’s death, Pope Leo sent a telegram to offer his condolences to King Haakon VIII for the death of his father.

The Pope said he was saddened to learn of the death of King Harald and sent “heartfelt condolences” to the new King, the members of the royal family and all the people of Norway.

“Mindful of his many years of devoted service to the realm, which I hope will continue to bear fruit,” Pope Leo said, “I offer the assurance of my prayers for the eternal rest of the late King.”

Finally, the Holy Father cordially invoked God’s blessings of consolation and peace upon the Norwegian people and all who mourn his loss.

‘He saw us, knew us, valued us’

Bishop Eric Varden of Trondheim and Apostolic Administrator of Tromsø likewise expressed his condolences, saying that today Harald V made this passage from physical death to life, saying that with “reverence and gratitude we commend him to God’s loving mercy.”

The Bishop said that King Harald “embodied the nation” in an “exemplary manner.”

“We were aware that he saw us, knew us, valued us,” he said, adding, “We knew his care, were embraced by the warmth he exuded. He gave us a magnificent example of dedication.”

Bishop Varden stressed that Harald “was so entirely our king, given to his people. No ego seemed to stand in the way. That brought him near to us in a wholly beneficent way.”