On Wednesday, September 9, Norway will bid farewell to King Harald V. The ceremonies will begin at noon at the Royal Palace, where the king’s coffin will be carried in a solemn procession to Oslo Cathedral. A nationwide minute of silence, church bells and a gun salute will mark the day across the country.
King Harald V’s coffin will leave the Royal Palace at noon. The procession will make its way to Oslo Cathedral, where the funeral service will begin at 1 p.m.
Members of the Norwegian royal family, government officials and invited foreign guests — including members of royal families, heads of state and prime ministers — will attend the ceremonies.
A minute of silence across Norway
The start of the service at the cathedral will have special significance. A nationwide minute of silence will be observed, marked by three tolls of church bells at the beginning and end.
During the service, the president of the Storting and the prime minister of Norway will deliver memorial addresses. Representatives of different faiths and worldviews will also take part in a symbolic candle-lighting ceremony.
The musical program will be led by cathedral cantor Marcus André Berg, together with the Oslo Cathedral Choir.
The service will be presided over by Olav Fykse Tveit, preses of the Norwegian Bishops’ Conference. The bishop of Oslo, Sunniva Gylver, will also take part.
The royal family and foreign guests
The king’s closest family members and friends will attend the service at the cathedral. Norway is also expecting a large international delegation.
The procession from the Royal Palace will include Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, Prince Sverre Magnus, Princess Märtha Louise and Queen Sonja.
After the funeral, the coffin will be taken to Akershus Fortress
After the service at the cathedral, the procession will continue to the Castle Church at Akershus Fortress. A private ceremony will be held there, attended by members of the royal family and invited foreign guests.
Those attending will also include the president of the Storting, the prime minister, the chief justice of the Supreme Court, and the presidents of Iceland and Finland.
King Harald V’s coffin will then be laid to rest in the crypt of the Castle Church, alongside the sarcophagi of King Haakon, Queen Maud, King Olav and Crown Princess Märtha.
Gun salute and church bells across the country
After the private ceremony, the king and queen will step into the courtyard of Akershus Fortress.
Another symbolic moment will follow: Flags flying at half-staff will be raised to full height, followed by a double gun salute.
At the same time, church bells across Norway will ring for one hour.
The royal family to appear on the palace balcony
After returning to the Royal Palace, King Haakon, Queen Sonja, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus will appear on the palace balcony.
The time of their appearance has not yet been announced.
At the end of the day, Their Majesties will host a reception at the palace for representatives of the Norwegian authorities, foreign heads of state, members of royal families and members of the royal family.
What will the funeral procession look like?
The procession leaving the Royal Palace for Oslo Cathedral will be led by mounted police. It will be followed by, among others, the Royal Guard Band, the Norwegian Armed Forces Staff Band, a color guard and a guard of honor.
King Harald V’s coffin will be carried on a gun carriage, escorted by soldiers from the Royal Adjutant’s Office.
Members of the royal family, foreign guests, representatives of the Norwegian authorities, the Supreme Court, the Sámi Parliament, the state administration, the City of Oslo, the Royal Court and the Armed Forces will follow.
The procession will once again be brought to a close by mounted police.
On September 9, Oslo will become the setting for a nation’s farewell to a monarch who, for more than three decades, was a symbol of modern Norway.