Manchester City forward Erling Haaland has honoured the late King Harald V of Norway in a heartfelt social media message.The Norwegian striker wrote: “Rest in peace, King Harald. Thank you for everything you meant to Norway. It was an honour to meet you”.The 89-year-old monarch died peacefully at Oslo’s national hospital on Friday morning at 06:35 local time, which was 04:35 GMT.Harald had been receiving care at Oslo University Hospital for over a week after being diagnosed with haemolytic anaemia, a rare blood disorder in which red blood cells are destroyed more rapidly than the body can produce them.Manchester City forward Erling Haaland has honoured the late King Harald V of Norway in a heartfelt social media message. | GETTYHis condition had worsened to what the royal household described as “extremely serious” on Thursday morning.King Charles, in a joint statement with Queen Camilla, mourned the loss of his Norwegian relative. “It is with the most profound sadness that my wife and I have learned of the death of my dear cousin, King Harald V of Norway,” the British monarch said.Charles praised Harald’s three-and-a-half decades on the throne, saying he “served his people with unwavering dedication, guiding Norway through times of great change with warmth and humility.”The statement demonstrated the longstanding relationship between Britain and Norway, with Charles noting that the UK was one of the first nations to recognise Norwegian sovereignty and establish diplomatic relations in 1905, bonds he said were “even further strengthened during the dreadful trials of the Second World War.”The 89-year-old monarch died peacefully at Oslo’s national hospital on Friday morning at 06:35 local time, which was 04:35 GMT. | GETTYThe King and Queen offered their “deepest and most heartfelt condolences” to Queen Sonja and the rest of the Norwegian royal family.Queen Sonja and Crown Prince Haakon, aged 53, abandoned all official duties to be at the King’s bedside as his health deteriorated.Other family members, among them Crown Princess Mette-Marit, her son Marius Borg Høiby, and Harald’s sister Princess Astrid, also hurried to the hospital.Outside the royal residence in Oslo, crowds began assembling in Palace Square, placing floral tributes as news of the King’s critical state spread across the capital.Cortisone therapy given in the preceding weeks had proved unable to reverse his decline.Despite years of mounting health difficulties, including a pacemaker fitted in 2024 after falling ill during a visit to Malaysia, Harald had steadfastly refused to consider abdication.”I stick by what I’ve always said, that I swore an oath to the Storting (Norwegian Parliament) and it is for life,” he once stated.Crown Prince Haakon, who had been acting as regent during his father’s extended medical absence, is now expected to ascend to the Norwegian throne.Harald had reigned since 1991 and was the oldest serving head of state in Europe, with his son taking on an ever-greater share of royal duties as the King’s health waned.Earlier this year, in February, Harald had been hospitalised in Tenerife suffering from infection and dehydration while on holiday with Queen Sonja.This week, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre scrapped a scheduled visit to Germany, where a meeting with Chancellor Friedrich Merz had been planned for Thursday.