Norway Bids Farewell to King Harald V as World Leaders and Royals Gather in Oslo
- Prince William joined international royalty and political leaders in Oslo on Wednesday, Sept.
- A 21-gun salute echoed across Oslo as a funeral procession carried the late king's coffin from the royal palace to Oslo Cathedral, according to Associated Press reporting.
- Prince William attended the service representing the British monarchy, following royal convention where reigning monarchs typically do not attend funerals of other heads of state, according to BBC...
Prince William joined international royalty and political leaders in Oslo on Wednesday, Sept. 9, to attend the funeral of King Harald V of Norway, according to Buckingham Palace and Associated Press reports. Thousands of mourners lined the flags-decorated streets of the Norwegian capital to bid farewell to the 89-year-old monarch, who reigned for 35 years and was remembered as a down-to-earth, modernizing figure for the nation.
Funeral Procession and Service at Oslo Cathedral
A 21-gun salute echoed across Oslo as a funeral procession carried the late king’s coffin from the royal palace to Oslo Cathedral, according to Associated Press reporting. The coffin was draped with the red Norwegian royal standard, with the newly ascended King Haakon VIII and senior royals walking directly behind it. Harald’s widow, Queen Sonja, and Queen Mette-Marit followed in a car alongside Norwegian officials and foreign dignitaries. As the funeral service commenced, Norway observed a minute of silence, halting activity nationwide. Masud Gharahkhani, the speaker of Norway’s parliament, addressed the congregation during the service. According to Associated Press, Gharahkhani recalled that King Harald was close to the people and not afraid to meet them in his rubber boots, noting that the late monarch lived up to his motto of giving his all for Norway.
International Royalty and Dignitaries Gather in Oslo
Prince William attended the service representing the British monarchy, following royal convention where reigning monarchs typically do not attend funerals of other heads of state, according to BBC reports. Princess Anne also attended in a personal capacity, serving as godmother to the new King Haakon VIII. The gathering brought together representatives from more than 20 countries, including the monarchs of Sweden, Denmark, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Monaco, and Jordan, alongside Japan’s Crown Prince Akishino and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as reported by the Associated Press.
Public Mourning and Lying in State
Ahead of Wednesday’s service, more than 46,000 people waited in queues reaching up to seven hours over the weekend to file past King Harald’s coffin during its lying in state in the chapel of the Royal Palace, according to Associated Press figures. Downtown Oslo was closed to vehicles and electric scooters, while scores of churches, libraries, cultural centers, and city halls across the country streamed the proceedings on big screens provided by public broadcaster NRK. Following the cathedral service, the procession moved to the royal mausoleum in the Akershus Fortress. There, a private ceremony was held for the Norwegian royal family, select foreign guests, and senior officials before the coffin was lowered into the crypt.