Harald V’s Farewell Under Tight Security

King Harald V of Norway will be laid to rest on Wednesday, marking the culmination of 13 days of national mourning following his death at the age of 89. A procession on foot from the Royal Palace to Oslo Cathedral will be followed by a church service beginning with a nationwide minute of silence.

Members of royal families from Europe and beyond will attend, including Britain’s Prince William, Spain’s King Felipe and Denmark’s King Frederik.

The funeral comes at a difficult time for the Norwegian monarchy. Queen Mette-Marit is expected to attend but will travel by car as she continues to recover from a lung transplant in June. Her son, Marius Borg Høiby, will also attend despite being under house arrest after his conviction for rape and domestic violence, which he is appealing. His role as a pall-bearer during the earlier transfer of Harald’s coffin to the royal chapel drew criticism in Norway and abroad.

After the service, a smaller procession will accompany Harald’s coffin to the royal crypt at Akershus Fortress, where it will be placed in a sarcophagus alongside those of his parents. The period of national mourning will formally end when King Haakon VIII emerges from the crypt.

Norwegian police have described security for the funeral as the largest planned operation in the force’s history. Harald V remained highly popular, and a poll published on 1 September found that 72% of Norwegians support the monarchy.

(Reuters, max)