Norwegians bid farewell today to King Harald V after a series of ceremonies that mark the culmination of 13 days of national mourning following his death at the age of 89. Immediately, Operation K (king in Norwegian is said «Konge»), a meticulous protocol designed by the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was activated, determining how all phases would unfold after the death. The so‑called ‘grandfather of Norway’ spent more than three decades on the throne, gradually stepping out of the shadow of his popular and charismatic father.
After the Norwegian royal family gathered in a moment of private prayer in the Royal Palace chapel, at noon there was the coffin’s exit from the Royal Palace with a 21‑gun salute. Thus began the procession on foot toward Oslo Cathedral. It was in this church where Harald married Queen Sonja on 29 August 1968.
King Haakon VIII and his family led the procession while a crowd of up to 200,000 people pressed along the streets. Alongside the sovereign and behind the mortal remains of Harald V marched Queen Mette-Marit, the heir princess Ingrid Alexandra, Queen Sonja, Prince Sverre Magnus, and Princess Märtha Louise. Marius Borg ultimately did not participate in the funeral cortege, but arrived at the cathedral accompanied by his cousins.
Alongside them, close to two thousand military personnel and representatives of the world’s principal royal houses accompanied the cortege. In total there were 16 kings, 21 princes and three grand dukes who wished to pay their respects at the farewell to the Norwegian monarch. Among them we saw Felipe VI in full gala navy uniform and Queen Letizia wearing a long-sleeved black dress.
The funeral at Oslo Cathedral
At one o’clock in the afternoon a emotional moment of silence nationwide, marked by the tolling of the Oslo Cathedral bells, took place. Inside the temple, all the guests gathered to celebrate the religious service in honor of King Harald. The guest list for the funeral is a veritable who’s who of European royalty. In addition to the kings of Spain, Prince William of England attended alongside Princess Anne and members of the Danish, Swedish, Dutch, Belgian, and Monegasque royal families.
The Norwegian royal family at Oslo Cathedral.
Among the numerous heads of government present at the funeral stood out the German Frank-Walter Steinmeier and the Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelensky. As for the United States, there was some controversy over the absence of Donald Trump, who was not represented by his vice president J.D. Vance, but by Allison M. Hooker, Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs.
Royal guards were responsible for lifting the coffin of King Harald up the steps of Oslo Cathedral. Both the Speaker of Parliament, Masud Gharakhani, and the Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, delivered commemorative speeches before the start of the liturgical service, presided over by Bishop Olav Fykse Tveit and the Oslo bishop Sunniva Gylver. Representatives of different religions and philosophies lit candles in the cathedral in memory of the deceased monarch.
The Tears of Mette-Marit
The organ and the Oslo Cathedral choir opened the service, with music playing a central role to proclaim the Easter consolation. One of the most moving moments during the mass, held in the Evangelical-Lutheran rite, was the address read by Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, godchild of the deceased monarch.
The sermon, jointly led by Olav Fykse Tveit and Sunniva Gylver, focused on recalling the life and career of Harald V and on comforting the royal family, particularly King Haakon VIII and his widow, Queen Sonja. She was seen very moved during the funeral procession under a black and strict mourning veil. In a crown of white roses beside the coffin, she dedicated to Harald a heartfelt personal message that read: “Thank you for a wonderful life.”
The Tears of Mette-Marit during the funeral.
One of the most striking images of the funeral so far has been the sight of Queen Mette-Marit drying her eyes beside the rest of the royal family, in front of King Harald’s coffin. The wife of King Haakon did not attend her husband’s inauguration ceremony last week due to “complications” after her recent lung transplant.
Towards the Akershus Fortress.
The funeral ceremony has concluded at Oslo Cathedral. After it, four F-35 fighter jets flew over the area in a missing-man formation. From there, the coffin of King Harald departed in a procession bound for the chapel of the palace at Akershus Fortress, accompanied by the royal cortege.
The Kings of Spain accompanying the coffin of King Harald.
In the fortress chapel, a private ceremony for family members will be held, to be attended by members of other countries’ royal families and other guests, such as the President of the Norwegian Parliament and the country’s Prime Minister. The iconic fortress sits in central Oslo and has dominated the city for more than 700 years.
The Royal Mausoleum, where the Norwegian monarchs lie buried, lies beneath the castle church, within the fortress grounds. King Harald will rest there alongside several members of the royal family, including his father, King Olav V; his mother, the crown princess Märtha; and his grandparents, King Haakon VII and Queen Maud.
The transfer of King Harald’s coffin toward Akershus.
The double sarcophagus designed for King Harald V and, in the future, for his wife Sonja, is a forward-looking funerary monument created by the renowned Norwegian architectural studio Snøhetta, responsible for iconic works such as the Oslo Opera House. The Norwegian kings began preparing their eternal rest in 2024 with a budget of about 2.7 million euros.
* News in development
