Panorama

Norwegian King Haakon and Maria Mena Honor Late King Harald V

King Haakon VIII addressed the Norwegian people following the passing of his father, while singer Maria Mena paid tribute with a new song.

29 August 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

AI-generatedWritten by an AI system, editorially responsible — how we work

Archive photo: Norwegian King Haakon and Maria Mena Honor Late King Harald V — Archive photoPhoto: Jarvin · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

Norwegian King Haakon VIII delivered his first address to the nation on Saturday in memory of his late father, King Harald V. Harald passed away on Friday at the age of 89. In his speech, he thanked his father for the love and support he had given. Haakon referred to Harald as a good father who always held onto his values and beliefs.

The speech by King Haakon, which lasted nearly ten minutes, was broadcast live on Norwegian television. Haakon reminisced about memories of his father and expressed that he is ready for his role as the new head of state. He was visibly moved by the loss of his father, and his words served as a heartfelt tribute to Harald.

In addition to King Haakon's speech, Norwegian singer Maria Mena released a song in memory of King Harald. Mena shared her new song titled 'Slottsplass i himmelen' on Instagram. The song is intended as a tribute to the late king.

Maria Holand Tøsse, another Norwegian woman, learned of King Harald's passing just before she boarded a flight. Shortly thereafter, she took to a stage and delivered a musical tribute that touched her fellow countrymen.

The responses to the tributes for King Harald have been overwhelming, with many Norwegians expressing their condolences and sharing memories. The musical contributions are a way for the public to show their grief and respect for the late monarch.

King Harald was remembered as a figure who always stood by his country and fulfilled his obligations. His passing marks the end of an era for Norway, and his life is being honored in various ways.

This item was written by an AI system on the basis of the headlines and short teasers of the independently operating newsrooms named below. We disclose this under Art. 50(4), second subparagraph, of Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 (AI Act). Before publication we check origin and verifiability — anything that appears in only one place is not published — as well as language, substance and legally sensitive content. No separate substantive review of each individual item by a natural person takes place; we therefore do not rely on the exemption in Art. 50(4), second subparagraph, of the AI Act. Editorial responsibility for this publication rests with the person named in the imprint (§ 18 Abs. 2 MStV). Please report errors to [email protected] — we will correct or remove the item. Full reports are available from the sources listed.