Prince William is set to travel to Oslo on Wednesday to attend the funeral of King Harald V of Norway, according to an announcement from Buckingham Palace. The Prince of Wales will be representing his father, King Charles, at the service.
Princess Anne will also be present, attending in a personal capacity as she serves as the godmother to Norway’s new monarch, King Haakon VIII. Her participation highlights the close familial ties between the British and Norwegian royal houses.
King Harald, who passed away last month at the age of 89, reigned for 35 years and was widely celebrated as a modernizing and popular figure. Large crowds are anticipated for the farewell on September 9, with thousands having already queued to pay their respects during his lying in state at the Royal Palace chapel.
The funeral procession will be followed by a service at Oslo Cathedral, attended by Queen Sonja, members of the Norwegian royal family, and other European royals. King Harald will subsequently be laid to rest in a private ceremony at the royal mausoleum within Akershus Fortress.
Good to see Anne there too. The godmother connection is such a sweet detail about the two families’ closeness.
I was at the palace yesterday! The queue was miles long. Norwegians really loved King Harald.
Thirty-five years is a remarkable reign. It will be interesting to see how William handles representing the King now.
Is this really necessary? Just send a wreath. Sending the heir apparent feels like unnecessary spending right now.