Harald V of Norway: Biography, Family, and Role as King

Harald V of Norway, born 21 February 1937 in Oslo, is the reigning King of Norway, having succeeded his father, Olav V, in 1991. As the first Norwegian-born monarch in more than six centuries, Harald’s childhood during World War II, education at Oxford and Oslo, and military training shaped his sense of duty and connection to the Norwegian people. He married Sonja Haraldsen in 1968, and their children—Crown Prince Haakon, Princess Märtha Louise, and Princess Astrid—form the next generation of the House of Glücksburg in Norway. This overview explains his constitutional powers, official duties, and enduring role as a symbol of national unity.