King Harald V of Norway has died aged 89 following a brief hospital stay, prompting widespread public mourning and the accession of his son, Haakon VIII. Thousands of people gathered outside Oslo’s Royal Palace to leave flowers and Norwegian flags, while King Haakon addressed the nation for the first time as monarch. The death ends Harald’s long reign and places Norway’s royal family under renewed public attention during a period of transition.

The palace said Harald’s health had deteriorated after an infection while he was being treated for haemolytic anaemia; he died peacefully at Oslo University Hospital on Friday morning. Haakon, 53, succeeds immediately, with his daughter Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 22, becoming second in line to the throne; if she succeeds, she would be Norway’s first female monarch in more than 600 years. King Charles III, Harald’s cousin, sent condolences, while the new king’s family also faces scrutiny connected to past controversies involving Queen Mette-Marit and her son Marius Borg Høiby.