King Harald V's Life in Photos
When King Harald V was born in 1937 at the royal estate of Skaugum, he became the first prince born in Norway in 567 years. He spent the first three years of his life in Norway, but when German troops invaded Norway, the royals fled to Sweden, and then the U.S. They wouldn't return until 1945.
Then-Prince Harald attended school in Norway, then joined the Norwegian military. After, he studied at Oxford for two years. He got engaged to Sonja Haraldsen in 1968, and they married that same year. They have two children: Princess Märtha Louise, born 1971, and Prince Haakon, born 1973. Until 1990, the Norwegian constitution stipulated that only male heirs could inherit the throne, but now it is the eldest child, regardless of their gender. But it was not retroactive: Haakon remains the heir over his older sister, who recently gave up her royal duties. Harald acceded to the throne upon the death of his father, King Olav, in January 1991.
As he celebrates his 87th birthday, see the best photos of King Harald V throughout his life:
Circa 1937
Prince Olav and Princess Martha pose with their newborn, Prince Harald.
1939
A portrait of the royal family: Crown Prince Olav stands behind his daughters, Princess Ragnhild Alexandra (standing) and Princess Astrid Maud Ingeborg (in chair), while Crown Princess Martha holds Prince Harald.
1940
After the Nazi occupation of Norway, Princess Märtha and the three children, Princess Ragnhild, Princess Astrid, and Prince Harald went to the U.S., while Prince Olav stayed in London. Here, they are on the beach at their new home.
1940
Prince Harald seemed to enjoy the sandy beaches of Cape Cod. They stayed at the home of Frederic Schaefer, a wealthy Pittsburgh socialite.
1942
A snap of the young Norwegian royal while living in exile.
1944
They lived mainly outside Washington, D.C. In this photo, Prince Harald, who was about to turn 7, took advantage of heavy snowfall at their Maryland home.
1944
Prince Harald played with Franklin D. Roosevelt's Scottish terrier, Fala, at Laura Delano's home in Rhinebeck, New York.
1945
After the libration of Norway, they returned home. Here, Prince Harald (center) stands with his parents and grandfather King Haakon.
1946
Harald, 8, "is as keen a sportsman and athlete as his father, and a striking example to Norwegian youth," according to this caption of him at school sports event in Oslo.
1947
Harald skis on Skaugum Crown lands, in Oslo.
1948
At the 1948 Olympics, the Norwegian royal family traveled to the UK to watch. Here, they are disembarking from the royal yacht; Harald is second from right.
1950
Prince Harald reads with his father, King Olaf V.
1950
The 13-year-old prince poses as he skis.
1952
Three generations of monarchs: King Haakon VII, the future King Harald V, and King Olav V.
1955
Prince Harald (center, wearing grey jacket) joins his fellow high school students in cheering his own family as they pass the royal palace. The rest of the royal family was on the balcony watching the Norwegian Independence Day celebrations
1955
Queen Elizabeth visited Norway in 1955, and posed for a portrait the Norwegian royals. Harald stands right behind her, next to Prince Philip.
1956
Prince Harald participated in military training; here, he takes part in telegraphy lessons at the Officers School of the Army at Trandum.
1956
Pictured again at Trandum Military Camp, near Oslo. The original caption reads "The 19-year-old prince is serving as a dragoon in the Norwegian Cavalry. After 16 months, he'll become a sergeant and compete with untitled soldiers to enter the War Academy. The prince, youngest of King Haakon's three children, has not yet been granted royal funds, and his pay as a soldier is five Norwegian Crowns (about 65 cents) a day."
1957
The future king pictured at age 20.
1958
Harald, pictured ahead of his 21st birthday. "On reaching his 21st birthday, the Crown Prince will, according to Norwegian law, come of age to succeed to the throne and can take over the regency if the King is abroad or ill," the caption reads. "Like his father King Olav V, Crown Prince Harald received the training of an officer of the army. He is now a cadet at the Norwegian Military Academy."
1958
King Olav V and Prince Harald after the Olav was blessed in a special ceremony at the Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Norway.
1960
Harald, wearing his Norwegian army Lieutenant Gala uniform, ahead of his 23rd birthday.
1960
After military training, Harald studied at Oxford's Balliol college. Here, he's picutred with his father at Balliol.
1961
The Norwegian royal looking dapper.
1963
Another birthday portrait! Here, ahead of his 26th, Harald poses in front of Oslo Royal Palace's library.
1963
The young royal was a sought-after guest at many events. Here, he is pictured arriving at London Airport (later Heathrow Airport) for the wedding of Queen Elizabeth's cousin Princess Alexandra and Angus Ogilvy.
1964
He also attended the wedding of King Constantine and Princess Anne-Marie, in October 1964 in Athens, Greece. He's pictured here with Princess Tatiana Radziwiłł.
1964
Harald (second from left) poses with three Norwegian skaters who won the gold, silver, and bronze medals in the men's 5000m speed skating, at the Winter Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria.
1967
Harald at age 30, in another birthday portrait. Around this time, he represented Norway at the Olympics three times in yachting: in Tokyo in 1964, Mexico City in 1968, and Munich in 1972.
1968
He had been dating Sonja Haraldsen for nine years when they announced their engagement in 1968. They met in 1959 at a party hosted by their mutual friend.
1968
King Olav was hesitant to let his son marry a commoner, but finally agreed after Harald said he wouldn't marry if he couldn't marry Sonja. Here, they pose for photographers after the announcement of their engagement.
1968
Harald and Sonja Haraldsen greet the public from the balcony of the Royal Castle, following their engagement news. As the royal family's website notes, "The engagement between Miss Haraldsen and Crown Prince Harald triggered a debate regarding the future of the monarchy in Norway. There was far less resistance to the idea of the Crown Prince choosing a commoner to be his wife than many had feared. The Norwegian people immediately accepted Crown Princess Sonja as a member of the Royal Family."
1968
The two had a quick engagement, as they had already been dating for many years.
1968
Prince Harald married Sonja Haraldsen at Oslo Cathedral on August 29, 1968.
1968
A portrait of the just married couple. Sonja wedding gown was by Molstad, a Norwegian department store, and she did not wear a tiara.
1968
They waved to well-wishers after their wedding.
1969
After marriage, Sonja became Crown Princess Sonja. Here, they're pictured together in front of their home in Skaugum. (Check out Princess Sonja's Marimekko dress!)
1970
Prince Harald inspecting a yacht ahead of a competition.
1971
His eldest daughter, Princess Märtha Louise, was born in September 1971.
1972
Another sailing shot of Harald (left).
1973
Prince Harald, Princess Sonja, and their daughter Princess Märtha Louise, outside their home in Oslo. His son, Prince Haakon, was born this year.
1974
Prince Harald at the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club Newport after competing in a race.
1976
Harald and Sonja attended the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck in matching jackets.
1981
Prince Harald and his father, King Olav, welcomed Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip during their four day state visit to Norway.
1984
Harald pictured Princess Diana at a performance by the London City Ballet in Oslo.
1993
Harald succeeded to the Norwegian throne in 1991, upon the death of his father King Olav IV.
1993
A family shot: King Harald and Queen Sonia with their children Princess Märtha Louise and Prince Haakon.
1994
King Harald and Queen Elizabeth during his state visit to the UK. The two are second cousins!
1995
The Norwegian monarch attended a Danish royal wedding.
1997
King Harald and Queen Sonja had a joint 60th birthday celebration.
1997
King Harald and Queen Sonja visited China in 1997.
2000
In this family photo, King Harald (back right) poses with his new daughter-in-law, Princess Mette-Marit (back left), his daughter Princess Märtha Louise (back center), his wife Queen Sonja (in red, seated), and his son Prince Haakon (front, seated). On Haakon's lap is his stepson, Marius Borg Høiby.
2002
In 2001, Harald was made a Stranger Knight of the Order of the Garter (he was the 990th member). The following year at the annual Order of the Garter Ceremony in Windsor, he walked alongside Princess Anne.
2002
Here he is with his daughter, Princess Mätha Louise, on her wedding day to Ari Behn in Trondheim, Norway. (The two would later divorce in 2017.)
2003
Throughout his reign, King Harald kept competing in sailing competitions. Here, he's at Club Nautico in Palma de Mallorca.
2004
King Harald and Queen Sonja attended the Spanish royal wedding of then-Prince Felipe and Letiza Ortiz (the future King Felipe and Queen Letizia).
2006
Harald seems to be happiest while sailing.
2006
A proud grandfather: King Harald poses with his family during Christmas.
L-R: Princess Martha Louise with her children Maud Angelica (R) and Leah Isadora, Queen Sonja, King Harald, Marius Hoeiby, son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Crown Prince Haakon carrying daughter Princess Ingrid Alexandra, and Crown Princess Mette-Marit with son Prince Sverre Magnus.
2009
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Barack Obama and Michelle Obama are pictured with King Harald V and Queen Sonja at the Nobel Banquet in Oslo.
2010
Looking very patriotic, King Harald V attends the cross-country skiing on day 17 of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.
2010
Queen Sonja and King Harald of Norway attend the wedding of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden.
2011
It's not just the Olympics he is spotted at: King Harald and Queen Sonja were pictured at the Nordic World Ski Championships.
2011
The king is pictured the opening of the 156th Stortinget. Until 2012, according to the constitution, he was the formal head of the Church of Norway.
2016
Marking 25 years on the throne, King Harald gave a speech where he praised the nation's diversity, including "girls who love girls, boys who love boys and girls and boys who love each other."
2016
King Harlad with his family in Trondheim, Norway.
2017
To commemorate their 80th birthdays, Harald and Sonja had a large gala with royals from around Europe.
2018
Queen Elizabeth II and King Harald V, joint patrons of the Anglo-Norse Society, attend the centenary reception in London.
2018
During Prince William and Kate Middleton's visit to Norway, King Harald accompanied the then-Duchess of Cambridge to dinner at the Royal Palace.
2021
King Harald and his son, Prince Haakon. In 2020, the Norwegian had surgery to replace a heart valve, and has also been pictured on crutches in public.
2022
Norway's Princess Ingrid Alexandra (front C) poses for a family photo to celebrate her 18th birthday. She sits next to her grandfather, King Harald.
2022
King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway at Christiansborg palace for the gala diner to celebrate Queen Margrethe's golden jubilee.
2022
Harald, along with royals from around the world, attended the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
2023
This year, despite health issues, the king is still going to sporting events. Here, he watches the biathlon sprint in Holmenkollen.
2023
King Harald appeared with Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, Prince Sverre Magnus, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, and Queen Sonja for National Day celebrations.
2023
After he was hospitalized in May, he was well enough for a visit to Denmark, where Queen Margrethe warmly greeted him.
2023
The king, center, posed for a family photo. From L-R: Prince Haakon, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, Prince Sverre Magnus, King Harald V, Queen Sonja, Marit Tjessem (Princess Mette-Marit's mom) and Princess Mette-Marit.
2024
Following Queen Margrethe's abdication, King Harald said he had no plans to abdicate. "I stick by what I've always said, that I swore an oath to the Storting [parliament] and it is for life," he shared.
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