Thousands gather in Oslo to mourn King Harald

Thousands of Norwegians gathered on the square in front of Oslo's Royal Palace to honor the late King Harald following the announcement of his death.

People of all ages came to pay their respects to the monarch, whom many remembered as a unifying figure and a "man of the people."

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He was a unifying king and a man of the people. He was one of us.

"He was a unifying king and a man of the people. He was one of us," said 20-year-old Johannes Wood Hegdal to Norwegian media outlet VG. Another mourner, 21-year-old Ashish Kumar Bhargava, described the loss as feeling like losing a part of oneself and a family member.

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It is like losing a part of yourself and a family member.

The Norwegian government has declared a period of national mourning. In solidarity, high-level football matches across Norway have been postponed for the next 48 hours, affecting games in the top men's and women's leagues, as well as lower divisions.

Bhargava also commented on the transition to the new King Haakon, urging patience and support for the new monarch and his family. "We must remember that he is first and foremost a man who has lost his father, and we must show love for him and his family," he told VG.

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We must remember that he is first and foremost a man who has lost his father, and we must show love for him and his family.