Norway’s King Harald V will be laid to rest on Wednesday, bringing to a close 13 days of national mourning following his death at the age of 89.
Harald, a reformer who spent more than three decades on the throne, gradually stepped out of his popular and charismatic father’s shadow. He died as Norway’s royal family faced a series of challenges.
A procession on foot from the Royal Palace to Oslo Cathedral is scheduled to begin at 1200 local time (1000 GMT), followed by a church service at around 1300 (1100 GMT). The ceremony will open with a nationwide minute of silence.
Among those expected to attend are Britain’s Prince William and Princess Anne; Japan’s Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko; Spain’s King Felipe, Queen Letizia and Queen Sofia; Sweden’s royal family; and Denmark’s King Frederik and Queen Mary. Heads of state from around the world have also been invited.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrived in Oslo late Tuesday and met with Norway’s prime minister and other officials to discuss the ongoing war with Russia, officials from both countries said.
Queen Mette-Marit, 53, is expected to attend the funeral but will travel by car alongside Harald’s widow, Queen Sonja, 89, as she continues to recover from a lung transplant performed in June.
Last week, Mette-Marit was forced to cancel plans to attend her husband King Haakon VIII’s oath ceremony in parliament because of complications following her operation.
Her son, Marius Borg Hoiby, from a relationship before her marriage to Haakon, is also expected to attend despite being under house arrest and wearing an ankle monitor following his conviction for rape and domestic violence. He is appealing the sentence.
Hoiby was among the pallbearers who carried Harald’s coffin to the royal chapel, a decision that drew criticism from some quarters in Norway and abroad.
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Following Wednesday’s service, a smaller procession will accompany the coffin to the royal crypt at Akershus Fortress, overlooking Oslo harbour. Harald’s coffin will then be placed in a sarcophagus alongside those of his parents.
When Haakon emerges from the crypt, the national mourning period will formally come to an end. Flags that have flown at half-mast since Harald’s death will then be raised again.
Norwegian police said securing the funeral will be the largest planned operation in the force’s history, with large crowds expected in central Oslo. Schoolchildren will also be allowed to miss classes to attend the funeral.
Hundreds of thousands of Norwegians have paid tribute to Harald, leaving flowers, candles and flags outside the Royal Palace or filing past his coffin in the royal chapel.
Many mourners have praised Harald for his warmth and inclusive approach, while Haakon described him as a wonderful father in his “first address to the nation as sovereign.”
The monarchy remains broadly popular. According to a Norstat poll for broadcaster NRK published on September 1 — the first survey conducted since Harald’s death — 72% of Norwegians support the monarchy, while 20% favour a republic or another form of government.
