St. Olaf mourns passing of King Harald V of Norway
St. Olaf College, which was founded by Norwegian immigrants and has maintained deep and enduring ties to Norway, is mourning the death of His Majesty King Harald V. He died on August 28 in Oslo at age 89.
“We extend our deepest condolences to Queen Sonja, the Royal Family, and the people of Norway,” says St. Olaf President Susan Rundell Singer. “Generations of Norwegian immigrants and their descendants shaped our college and campus community. King Harald understood the importance of this connection and heritage while also embracing a shared sense of responsibility for the future.”
Over the decades, King Harald V visited St. Olaf on three separate occasions. He first visited the college as Crown Prince in 1965. After acceding to the throne, he returned to campus in 1995 alongside Queen Sonja of Norway and was awarded an honorary doctorate. Their Majesties King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway visited St. Olaf again in 2011 as part of their official state visit to the United States. While on campus, Their Majesties toured the recently opened Tomson Hall, visited a Norwegian language class, and attended a Sammenkomst (gathering) held in their honor.
“One of the most touching photos of that visit is of His Majesty sitting in a desk in that Norwegian class, laughing heartily alongside our students. It underscored his appreciation for education and joy at the way the Norwegians who founded St. Olaf created a lasting appreciation for his country’s culture, language, and values. We will honor his memory by continuing to do this work,” Rundell Singer says.
“One of the most touching photos of that visit is of His Majesty sitting in a desk in that Norwegian class, laughing heartily alongside our students. It underscored his appreciation for education and joy at the way the Norwegians who founded St. Olaf created a lasting appreciation for his country’s culture, language, and values. We will honor his memory by continuing to do this work.”
— President Susan Rundell Singer
Professor of Norwegian and King Olav V Chair in Scandinavian-American Studies Kari Lie Dorer — who was teaching the class photographed during that visit — notes that in addition to visiting classes, King Harald has been a meaningful part of the college’s curriculum.
“I strive to do more than teach a language as a subject of study; I want students to understand the true value of a culture, its history, and how those elements have shaped a uniquely progressive society. One way the Norwegian Department does this is by integrating King Harald’s annual New Year’s Eve speeches, which set the tone for Norwegian social values from the top down,” she says. “This in itself is a culture shock for many American students, who are accustomed to political addresses centered on economics or legislative policy rather than human well-being. Over the years, his speeches have consistently prioritized empathy, mental health, and inclusivity, showing our students a striking contrast in what a nation can expect from its leaders.”
His Majesty King Harald V of Norway was born on February 21, 1937. The only son of Crown Prince Olav (the future King Olav V) and Crown Princess Märtha, he acceded to the throne when his father passed away in 1991. Like his father and grandfather, he adopted the motto Alt for Norge (“We give our all for Norway”).
He will be succeeded by his son, now known as His Majesty King Haakon VIII, who visited St. Olaf in October 2025 as a part of a weeklong trip to the United States to commemorate the 200th anniversary of organized Norwegian migration to North America. King Haakon VIII has already followed in his father’s footsteps and embraced Alt for Norge.
St. Olaf is one of few U.S. higher education institutions where students can study Norwegian to complete their foreign language requirement and also be able to further develop their knowledge of Norwegian language, literature, culture, and history. St. Olaf also hosts the Norwegian-American Historical Association (NAHA) and the office of the Oslo International Summer School (ISS) on campus. In addition to visits by Norwegian royalty, including a trip to campus by Her Majesty Queen Sonja in October 2022, St. Olaf also welcomed Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre to campus in September 2023.
“The frequent visits from the Norwegian royal family and parliament offer our students that same tangible connection, transforming classroom lessons into a firsthand experience of modern Norwegian culture,” Lie Dorer says. “Importantly, the impact extends far beyond ancestral pride: as an increasing number of our students come from non-Norwegian backgrounds, this bond offers them a vital lens into global citizenship, progressive governance, and shared human values, affirming both St. Olaf’s heritage and our future.”