OSLO, Norway – King Harald V, Europe’s oldest monarch and a beloved figure who reigned for 35 years, was laid to rest in the Norwegian capital on Wednesday, in a state funeral that drew tens of thousands of mourners and a dazzling array of global royalty and world leaders.
On a bright September day, under the watch of a massive security operation, Norway said its final farewell to the monarch who died on August 28 at the age of 89 following a serious blood infection. From the break of dawn, crowds of more than 200,000 people began to gather along the 1.5-kilometer route from the Royal Palace to Oslo Cathedral, many arriving hours early to secure a spot to pay their respects to the man they called the nation’s “grandfather”.
A Solemn Procession
The funeral proceedings officially began at midday (10:00 GMT) when the king’s coffin, draped in the red Norwegian royal standard, was carried from the Palace Chapel where he had lain in state. Placed on a gun carriage and escorted by 1,900 members of all three branches of the Norwegian armed forces, the solemn procession wound its way through the heart of Oslo. Flags flew at half-mast across the city center, which was closed to all traffic. A 21-gun salute rang out over the capital, marking the start of the final journey for the modernizing king.
At the head of the procession walked the new monarch, King Haakon VIII, alongside other senior royals. They were followed by the late king’s widow, Queen Sonja, and the new queen, Mette-Marit, who travelled by car. The new king was flanked by the monarchs of Sweden and Denmark, a powerful symbol of Nordic unity not seen at the previous royal funeral in 1991.
A Nation at a Standstill
At 1:00 p.m. local time (11:00 GMT), the funeral service commenced within the hallowed walls of Oslo Cathedral. As the service began, Norway came to a halt for a nationwide minute of silence, marked by the chiming of church bells across the country—three strokes at the beginning and three at the end.
Inside the cathedral, Parliament President Masud Gharahkhani and Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store delivered memorial addresses. Gharahkhani remembered the king’s down-to-earth nature, recalling his famous motto and his 2008 New Year’s address in which he said: “I wish we would stop using the term ‘the weakest in society.’ In reality, some of these people are among the strongest of us all”. The service also included a multi-faith candle-lighting ceremony.
A Gathering of Global Dignitaries
The funeral was one of the largest gatherings of European royalty in recent memory. The congregation included:
· Royalty: King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden; King Frederik X and Queen Mary of Denmark; King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain; King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands; King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium.
· British Delegation: The Prince of Wales represented his father, King Charles III, while Princess Anne, who is godmother to King Haakon VIII, attended in a private capacity.
· World Leaders: Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was among the political leaders from more than 20 countries in attendance. Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Finland’s President Alexander Stubb were also present.
Gravferdsseremonien til kong Harald V i Oslo domkirke onsdag.
Foto: Stian Lysberg Solum / POOL / NTB
The Final Resting Place
Following the cathedral service, the procession continued to the nearby Akershus Fortress. There, in a private ceremony attended only by the immediate royal family and closest invited guests, King Harald V’s coffin was lowered into the royal crypt of the Palace Chapel.
To mark the official conclusion of the burial and the end of the 13-day national mourning period, Norwegian flags across Oslo were raised from half-mast to the top of their poles as a final royal salute was fired. Church bells across the nation then rang for an hour.
The immense security operation involved nearly 3,000 police officers and 3,500 soldiers, described by authorities as “one of the largest operations” in the country’s history. Harald V was succeeded immediately upon his death by his 53-year-old son, King Haakon VIII.
