Norway Mourns as King Harald Is Laid to Rest

Norway held the funeral of King Harald V on Wednesday, marking the end of 13 days of national mourning following his death at the age of 89. Large crowds gathered in Oslo as a procession carried his coffin from the royal palace to Oslo Cathedral, accompanied by cannon fire from Akershus Fortress and a nationwide minute of silence.

The funeral was attended by members of European and Asian royal families, including Britain’s Prince William and Princess Anne, Spain’s King Felipe and Queen Letizia, and Denmark’s King Frederik and Queen Mary. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy also joined the procession, while the United States was represented by Under-Secretary of State Allison Hooker. Queen Sonja and Norway’s new Queen Mette-Marit also attended despite Mette-Marit’s recent health complications.

Harald, who ruled Norway for more than three decades, remained a widely respected and popular monarch known for his inclusive approach. Hundreds of thousands of Norwegians had paid tribute by leaving flowers, candles and flags outside the Royal Palace. Following the funeral, his coffin was taken to the royal crypt at Akershus Fortress, where it was placed alongside those of his parents, formally ending the national mourning period.

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