OSLO – Norway is preparing to say a final goodbye to King Harald V on Wednesday, as royals, heads of state and dignitaries from Europe and beyond gather to honor a monarch whose 35-year reign left a lasting mark on the country.
Harald, who died on Aug. 28 at the age of 89, had been Europe’s oldest reigning monarch. Widely credited with helping modernize Norway’s royal family, he remained on the throne despite a recent trend among older European monarchs to step aside. His son has since ascended as King Haakon VIII and last week formally swore allegiance to Norway’s constitution before parliament.
Wednesday’s funeral proceedings will begin with Harald’s coffin being carried in procession from the royal palace to Oslo Cathedral. King Haakon, senior members of the Norwegian royal family, foreign guests, parliamentary representatives and other officials are expected to follow the cortege.
In the days leading up to the service, mourners lined up for hours to pay their respects as Harald lay in state inside the chapel at the royal palace in Oslo. Over the weekend, the wait to pass the coffin stretched to as long as seven hours.
Authorities are expecting large crowds across the Norwegian capital for the funeral. Central Oslo will be closed to vehicles and electric scooters, while police have advised the public not to bring bicycles, umbrellas or sharp objects. Large public screens have also been installed so mourners can watch the ceremony as it unfolds.
Among the guests expected to attend are the monarchs of Sweden, Denmark, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium and Jordan. The heir to the British throne, Prince William, is also expected, as is Crown Prince Akishino of Japan. Presidents from a range of European countries will join them.
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A minute’s silence will be held across Norway at the start of the funeral ceremony. Eulogies will be delivered by Norway’s parliament speaker and prime minister, and there will be a candle-lighting ceremony with representatives of different faiths.
After the funeral, Harald’s coffin will be taken in a procession to the palace chapel at Akershus Castle, where the late king’s ancestors are buried. After a private ceremony for the Norwegian royals, who will be joined by some of the foreign guests and senior Norwegian officials, it will be lowered into the crypt.
Norway’s monarchy traces its origins to King Harald Fairhair in the ninth century. When Norway regained its independence from Sweden in 1905, three-quarters of voters in a national plebiscite approved restoring the monarchy.
Today, the throne’s role is largely symbolic and power lies with the elected government and parliament, but the Norwegian royal family retains a role in promoting the wealthy Scandinavian nation around the world.
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