Oslo bids final farewell to King Harald V as European royal families attend ceremony

Norway held a farewell ceremony today for King Harald V, who died at the age of 89 after 35 years on the throne.

From the early hours of the day, large numbers of citizens gathered near Oslo Cathedral to honor the late monarch, while the funeral ceremony took place in the capital.

The coffin was carried in a procession of around 1.5 kilometers, which began at the Royal Palace and ended at the cathedral. It will then be taken to Akershus Fortress, where a private ceremony will be held and the burial will take place in the Royal Mausoleum.

Members of European royal families, as well as state delegations, are attending the funeral ceremony. Among those present are the Prince of Wales, William; Princess Anne; King Frederik X and Queen Mary of Denmark; and King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden.

The Netherlands is represented by King Willem-Alexander, Queen Maxima, Princess Amalia and former Queen Beatrix. Pavlos De Gres is also in Oslo, while Greece is represented by President Konstantinos Tasoulas.

Representatives from Albania, Germany, Lithuania, Moldova, Estonia, Canada, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Finland, Iceland, Georgia, Poland, Ireland and Hungary are also among the guests.

A day after Harald V’s death, his son, the new King Haakon VIII, remembered his father as a good father, a loving grandfather and a devoted husband to Queen Sonja.

Harald V and Queen Sonja would have marked their 58th wedding anniversary just one day after his death.

The new king said that his father had remained faithful throughout his life to his values and responsibilities, serving as an important figure for the family and the country.

Following the ceremony in Oslo, a private burial ceremony will be held at the Royal Mausoleum of Akershus Fortress.