Harald V (Norwegian Harald V) - King of Norway since January 17, 1991. He ascended the throne after the death of his father, Olaf V. He comes from the Glucksburg dynasty. The first king of Norway with the name "Harald" from the beginning of the XII century, since the time of Harald IV.
Place of Birth. Education. Harald was born at the Skaugum residence in Asker on 21 February 1937 to Crown Prince Olaf (later King Olaf V) and Martha of Sweden, becoming the first prince born in Norway since 1370. He is the third child in the family (the elder sisters are princesses Ragnhild and Astrid). He is a second cousin of Elizabeth II, Queen of Great Britain. In 1940, the royal family left Norway after the German invasion and lived in Washington (Harald's grandfather, Haakon VII, and father, Crown Prince Olaf, spent the war in London, heading the government in exile). In 1945, the prince returned to Norway and began to study at the University of Oslo (since 1955) and at the military academy. From 1960 he studied at Oxford.
Ascension to the throne. From the time King Olav V fell ill in the spring of 1990 and during his recovery, the Regent Crown Prince chaired the Council of State and assumed some of King Olav's other responsibilities. King Harald ascended the throne following the death of his father, King Olav V, on 17 January 1991. He is the head of the Norwegian Protestant Church. Commander-in-Chief of the Norwegian Armed Forces, holds the ranks of full general and admiral.
In 2015, he became the first reigning monarch in the world to visit Antarctica, including Dronning Maud Land.
Hobbies. He is fond of sailing and has repeatedly participated (like his father) in the World Championships (gold medal as part of the team - 1987), Europe and the Olympic Games (1964, 1968 and 1972). In 1964, he carried the Norwegian flag at the Tokyo Olympics. Unlike his father Olaf V, who became an Olympic champion in 1928 in Amsterdam, Harald did not rise above 8th place at the Olympic Games, but he achieved success at the World and European Championships. In 2005, already being king (two months after heart surgery), he won with his team at the European competitions in Sweden at the age of 68.
Health. In 2003-2004 and 2005, the king was seriously ill, underwent surgery to cure cancer and cardiovascular diseases (he underwent coronary artery bypass grafting); both times Crown Prince Haakon acted as regent.
Family. In 1968, he married the non-noblewoman Sonia Haraldsen, has two children from her: Princess Martha Louise and Crown Prince Haakon, heir to the throne.
02/19/2021