Norway bids final farewell to King Harald V in grand state funeral
By Trizer Lijondo, September 10, 2026Norway on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, bid a final farewell to King Harald V in a grand state funeral that brought Oslo to a standstill as thousands of mourners gathered to honour the monarch who ruled the country for more than three decades.
King Harald, who died aged 89 on August 28, was honoured with a ceremonial procession from the Royal Palace to Oslo Cathedral, where the funeral service was held from 1pm.
The occasion marked the end of 13 days of national mourning, with tens of thousands of people lining the streets of Oslo to watch the coffin pass. Many stood in silence while others waved Norwegian flags, laid flowers and paid tribute to a king widely remembered for his approachable and inclusive style.
Royals among key attendees
The funeral attracted members of royal families and senior political leaders from across Europe and beyond.
Among those who attended were Britain’s Prince William, Japan’s Crown Prince Fumihito, King Frederik X of Denmark, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and King Felipe VI of Spain.
European political leaders also attended, including German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The United States was represented by Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker.
Norway’s new King Haakon VIII led the royal family during the procession, while Queen Sonja and Queen Mette-Marit also attended. Mette-Marit, who is recovering from a recent lung transplant, travelled to the cathedral by car alongside Queen Sonja.
Final farewell
The coffin left the Royal Palace at noon, accompanied by members of the Norwegian royal family, visiting royals and national dignitaries. Around 3,500 military personnel participated in the day’s ceremonies, with about 1,900 soldiers lining the procession route through Oslo.
A nationwide moment of silence was observed during the cathedral service, while church bells and military honours formed part of the farewell. The ceremony included memorial addresses from Norway’s political leadership and music performed by the Oslo Cathedral Choir.
After the service, the coffin was taken to Akershus Fortress, where a private family ceremony was held before King Harald was laid to rest in the royal crypt alongside his parents.
The funeral ended with church bells ringing across Norway for an hour and flags that had flown at half-mast being raised again. King Haakon, Queen Mette-Marit and other members of the royal family later appeared on the Royal Palace balcony, marking the formal end of the national mourning period.
According to Reuters, the farewell reflected the strong public affection for King Harald, with hundreds of thousands of Norwegians having already left flowers, candles and flags in his memory before the funeral.