Norway’s King Harald V died today at 89 at a hospital in Oslo. Europe’s oldest monarch Harald became king in 1991 after the death of his father, King Olav V, and was widely popular for modernising the monarchy. He spent part of his childhood in exile in the United States after Nazi Germany invaded Norway during World War II. His son, Crown Prince Haakon, succeeds him as king.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed grief over the passing away of King Harald V of Norway. The Prime Minister recalled his meeting with King Harald V during his visit to Norway earlier this year. In a social media post, Mr Modi said that he was deeply touched by his warmth and profound sense of service to the nation. He also conveyed condolences to the Royal Family and the people of Norway.