Prince William, the Prince of Wales, is set to attend the funeral of Norway’s late King Harald V in Oslo on Wednesday, September 9, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.
William will attend on behalf of his father, King Charles III, following the long-standing practice of monarchs generally not attending the funerals of other heads of state.
Princess Anne will also be present in a personal capacity. She has a close connection to Norway’s royal family and serves as godmother to the country’s new monarch, King Haakon VIII.
King Harald, who died last month at the age of 89, had spent 35 years on the Norwegian throne. He was widely regarded as a popular and approachable monarch who helped steer the institution through periods of social change.
Thousands of Norwegians have visited the Royal Palace Chapel in Oslo to pay their final respects as the late king lies in state.
The funeral is expected to draw large crowds. A procession will precede a service at Oslo Cathedral, attended by members of the Norwegian royal family and several European royals.
Following the public service, Harald will be laid to rest privately at the royal mausoleum within Akershus Fortress.
His successor, King Haakon VIII, paid an emotional tribute to his father following his death, thanking him for being a devoted parent. He also highlighted Harald’s commitment to a Norway founded on justice, equality and the rule of law.
King Charles, in his own tribute, described Harald as a cousin who served Norway with dedication and praised his warmth and humility during decades of national change.
Haakon’s accession comes as Norway’s royal household faces a number of controversies. His wife, Queen Mette-Marit, recently faced scrutiny over her past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and apologised publicly over the relationship.
Her son, Marius Borg Høiby, was convicted of rape and other offences in June and sentenced to four years in prison. He is appealing the conviction.
While William travels to Norway for the funeral, King Charles is expected to remain in Scotland. The monarch recently met French President Emmanuel Macron in London and is due to host Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham at Balmoral as part of the traditional annual visit by the prime minister to the monarch.
