Oslo, Norway – A massive public ceremony is set for Wednesday as King Harald V will be laid to rest after 30 years on the throne. The funeral will begin with a foot procession from the Royal Palace to Oslo Cathedral at 1200 local time (1000 GMT), followed by a church service around 1300 (1100 GMT). A nationwide minute of silence will precede the rites.
International dignitaries and royal family members
Guests include Britain’s Prince William and Princess Anne, Japan’s Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko, Spain’s King Felipe, Queen Letizia and Queen Sofia, Sweden’s royal family, and Denmark’s King Frederik and Queen Mary, along with other heads of state invited to the event.
Queen Mette‑Marit and the royal household
Queen Mette‑Marit, 53, is expected to attend, traveling by car with her mother‑in‑law, Queen Sonja, 89, who is still recovering from a lung transplant performed in June. Their son, Marius Borg Hoiby, will also be present despite being under house arrest and wearing an ankle monitor after a conviction for rape and domestic violence; he is currently appealing the sentence.
Funeral proceedings and national mourning
After the cathedral service, a smaller procession will move the coffin to the royal crypt at Akershus Fortress, where it will be placed in a sarcophagus beside those of King Harald’s parents. When Crown Prince Haakon emerges from the crypt, the official mourning period will end and flags will be raised to full‑mast.
Norwegian police say securing the funeral is the largest operation in the force’s history, with hundreds of thousands of citizens expected to line the streets of central Oslo. School children have been permitted to skip classes to attend the ceremony.
Public sentiment
Norwegians have already paid tribute by leaving flowers, candles and flags outside the Royal Palace and by filing past the coffin in the royal chapel. A recent Norstat poll for broadcaster NRK, conducted on September 1, found that 72 % of Norwegians continue to support the monarchy, while 20 % favor a republic or another form of government.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
