The King of Norway died at the age of 89 on Friday.

🔸The Royal Palace of Norway, which had previously reported that his condition had worsened due to a type of illness—anemia, announced his death on Friday morning.

🔸Harald V was the oldest reigning king in Europe who had been on the throne since 1991. In the final years of his life, he suffered from increasing health problems, but he resolutely refused to step down, unlike many other kings in other European countries.

🔸Despite his limited powers, he was considered a unifying and inspiring figure for unity in Norway.

🔸One such case was when a neo-Nazi named Anders Breivik, in two attacks in the summer of 2011, took the lives of 77 people, including 69 teenagers—an event that marked the worst massacre in Norway since World War II.

🔸At the time, Harald said: “I firmly believe that freedom is stronger than fear. I firmly believe in democracy and an open Norwegian society.”

🔸The Norwegian king also reflected the values prevailing in this prosperous Scandinavian country. In his speech on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of his reign in 2016, he said: “Norwegians believe in God, Allah, the world, and nothing.”

🔸Read the full report on the Radio Farda website.