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Norway’s King Harald V has died at 89, the palace announced Friday. Europe’s oldest monarch, Harald became king in 1991 after his father King Olav V’s death. He modernised Norway’s royal house, remained popular and chose not to abdicate despite his advancing age.

Stavanger: King Harald V of Norway, who went into exile in the United States as a child during the Nazi occupation of his homeland and refused a string of European noblewomen in order to marry his school sweetheart, has died. He was 89.

The palace announced his death Friday morning.

Harald was Europe's oldest monarch. The popular king modernised the royal house but refused to follow in the footsteps of other aging monarchs who have abdicated in recent times. His son now automatically becomes King Haakon VIII.

Like other royal houses in Europe, the Norwegian monarchs serve a largely symbolic role, enjoying celebrity status while real power in the democracy of 5.5 million rests with an elected parliament. Harald was crowned king after his British-born father, King Olav V, died in January 1991, and reigned during an oil-and-gas-driven economic boom in his country.