Prince William and Princess Anne were among the prominent royals attending King Harald V’s state funeral in Oslo on September 9, 2026, as Norway bid a final farewell to its beloved monarch of 35 years.
The Prince of Wales and the Princess Royal joined heads of state, European royalty, and thousands of mourners in the Norwegian capital to pay tribute to King Harald V, who died on August 28 at the age of 89 following a serious blood infection. William attended the ceremony representing his father, King Charles III, in keeping with longstanding royal protocol, while Princess Anne was present in a personal capacity as godmother to Norway’s new monarch, King Haakon VIII.
The state funeral, held at Oslo Cathedral, brought together an extraordinary gathering of international dignitaries and marked the end of 13 days of national mourning in Norway.
The state funeral for King Harald V took place on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, at Oslo Cathedral, with proceedings beginning with a solemn procession from the Royal Palace.
The late king had lain in state in the Palace Chapel for several days, where thousands of Norwegians filed past his coffin to pay their respects. On the day of the funeral, a 21-gun salute rang out over Oslo as the coffin left the Royal Palace. Thousands more lined the 1.5-kilometer route to Oslo Cathedral, with an estimated 200,000 people expected to try to catch a glimpse of the procession. The city center was closed to all traffic, and Norwegian flags flew at half-mast across the capital.
The funeral service at Oslo Cathedral began at 1:00 PM local time, following a minute of silence observed across Norway, marked by three strokes of the bells. The service included memorial addresses from the president of the Norwegian Parliament and the prime minister, as well as a candle-lighting ceremony involving representatives of different faiths.
Following the service, the coffin processed to Akershus Fortress for a private burial in Norway’s royal mausoleum.
Prince William attended the funeral as the official representative of his father, King Charles III.
In line with British royal protocol, the reigning monarch generally does not attend the state funerals of foreign heads of state or fellow monarchs. Instead, the duty falls to the heir apparent or another senior member of the royal family to represent the sovereign. Queen Elizabeth II adhered strictly to this rule throughout her 70-year reign, making only one exception.
Speculation that King Charles’s absence might be due to health concerns has been dismissed; his non-attendance is entirely consistent with established protocol. The King extended his “deepest and most heartfelt condolences” to the Norwegian Royal Family following the death of his “dear cousin.”
William was seen walking in the funeral procession alongside other international royalty, dressed in a black suit. His presence underscored the close ties between the British and Norwegian royal families.
Princess Anne attended the funeral in a personal and private capacity, as godmother to Norway’s new king, King Haakon VIII.
The 76-year-old Princess Royal has a longstanding connection to the Norwegian royal family. Her role as godmother to Haakon, who succeeded his father on August 28, made her presence at the ceremony particularly meaningful. She was pictured walking in the procession alongside William and other royal guests.
King Harald V was born on February 21, 1937, and ascended to the Norwegian throne on January 17, 1991, following the death of his father, King Olav V.
His reign of 35 years made him one of Europe’s longest-serving monarchs. He was known for his warmth, humor, and informal style, and was widely hailed as an inclusive “people’s king” who modernized the Norwegian monarchy. He made the monarchy more accessible and drew national attention for his speeches embracing Norway’s religious, ethnic, and sexual diversity.
Harald was also a skilled sailor, representing Norway at three Olympic Games. His personal life challenged royal convention—he and Sonja Haraldsen waited nine years for permission to marry before their wedding in 1968.
He is survived by Queen Sonja, their daughter Princess Märtha Louise, their son Haakon, and six grandchildren.
King Harald V died peacefully at Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet at 6:35 AM on August 28, 2026, at the age of 89.
He had been admitted to the hospital on August 17 after receiving cortisone treatment for hemolytic anemia, which caused fluid accumulation. While hospitalized, he developed a bacterial infection in his bloodstream and was treated with antibiotics. By August 27, his condition had become “very serious,” prompting Queen Sonja and Crown Prince Haakon to cancel their official engagements.
The Royal House of Norway announced his death with a statement saying, “It is with deep grief that we announce that His Majesty King Harald has passed away.” Members of the royal family visited him in his final hours as people gathered outside the Royal Palace in Oslo to pay their respects.
Upon his father’s death, Crown Prince Haakon immediately succeeded to the throne as King Haakon VIII, in accordance with Norway’s constitution.
The 53-year-old new king formally informed the government of his father’s death at an extraordinary Council of State held at the Royal Palace on August 28, taking the constitutional oath. He announced that he would reign as King Haakon VIII and continue the royal motto “Alt for Norge” (“All for Norway”), the same motto chosen by his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.
Haakon VIII was born on July 20, 1973, and is the second child and only son of Harald and Sonja. He became Crown Prince in 1991 following the death of his grandfather, King Olav V. He had served as regent on multiple occasions when his father was ill or abroad.
His eldest child, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, became Norway’s crown princess and heir to the throne upon his accession. The new king is married to Queen Mette-Marit, and they have two children together: Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus.
The newly crowned King Haakon VIII led the Norwegian royal family at the funeral, joined by his mother, Queen Sonja, the widowed queen, and his wife, Queen Mette-Marit. The late king’s daughter, Princess Märtha Louise, was also in attendance.
The royal family stood alongside other European royalty and international dignitaries at Oslo Cathedral. After the funeral, King Haakon VIII made a balcony appearance at the Royal Palace, continuing the tradition of royal acknowledgment of the public.
The funeral brought together an extraordinary gathering of European royalty and international leaders. Among those in attendance were:
Scandinavian Royals:
Other European Royals:
International Dignitaries:
The former Queen of Denmark, Margrethe II, who had been scheduled to attend, had to pull out after being taken to hospital earlier that week.
Both Prince William and Princess Anne have personal and historical connections to Norway that made their attendance particularly significant.
William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, carried out an official tour to Norway in 2018, during which they dined with King Harald and Queen Sonja at the Royal Palace. King Harald described them as “family” during that visit and praised their support of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The Norwegian sovereign had processed into the banquet hall arm-in-arm with a pregnant Catherine, with Queen Sonja and William following behind them. William and Catherine also spent time with the then-Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit during that visit.
Princess Anne’s connection to Norway is particularly personal: she is godmother to King Haakon VIII, Norway’s new monarch. This longstanding relationship explains her decision to attend the funeral in a personal and private capacity rather than as an official representative of the British Crown.
The state funeral proceeded according to a carefully planned ceremonial schedule:
King Harald V’s state funeral marked the end of a 35-year reign and the beginning of a new era for the Norwegian monarchy. Harald was widely admired for modernizing the institution and making it more accessible to the Norwegian people.
The international attendance, including Prince William and Princess Anne, reflected the deep respect for King Harald across Europe and the strong diplomatic and family ties between the British and Norwegian royal families. As King Charles III wrote in his tribute to Harald, the late king’s “kindness, compassion and deep sense of duty echoed from across the sea and across the decades.”
King Harald V’s legacy extends far beyond his 35-year reign. He was known for:
Harald was also the first Norwegian monarch born in over 600 years, following the union with Sweden. He is survived by his wife, Queen Sonja, two children, and six grandchildren.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| King | King Harald V of Norway |
| Country | Norway |
| Funeral | State funeral |
| Date | September 9, 2026 |
| Location | Oslo Cathedral and Akershus Fortress |
| Prince William’s Role | Represented King Charles III |
| Princess Anne’s Role | Attended personally as godmother to King Haakon VIII |
| Successor | King Haakon VIII |
| Reign Length | 35 years (1991-2026) |
| Age at Death | 89 |
1937 — Born on February 21.
1940 — Fled Norway with his family following the Nazi invasion.
1945 — Returned to Norway after the end of World War II.
1968 — Married Sonja Haraldsen after a nine-year courtship.
1991 — Ascended to the throne on January 17, following the death of his father, King Olav V.
2011 — Addressed the nation following the Utøya attacks, providing leadership in a time of national grief.
2016 — Gave a landmark speech embracing Norway’s diversity.
2024 — Received a permanent pacemaker.
2026 — Hospitalized on August 17 with hemolytic anemia; died on August 28 at age 89. His son succeeded him as King Haakon VIII.
September 9, 2026 — State funeral held at Oslo Cathedral, attended by Prince William, Princess Anne, and numerous international dignitaries.
King Harald V’s state funeral was held on September 9, 2026, in Oslo, Norway.
The funeral ceremony took place at Oslo Cathedral, following a procession from the Royal Palace. The late king was later laid to rest at Akershus Fortress.
Yes, Prince William attended the funeral as the official representative of his father, King Charles III.
William attended in accordance with British royal protocol, which generally prevents the reigning monarch from attending the state funerals of foreign heads of state. Instead, the heir apparent or another senior royal attends as the sovereign’s representative.
No, King Charles did not attend. His absence is in line with established royal protocol and is not due to health concerns.
Yes, Princess Anne attended the funeral in a personal capacity as godmother to Norway’s new king, Haakon VIII.
Princess Anne has a longstanding connection to the Norwegian royal family. She is godmother to King Haakon VIII, Norway’s new monarch, which is why she attended the funeral personally.
King Harald V was succeeded by his son, Crown Prince Haakon, who now reigns as King Haakon VIII.
King Harald V reigned for 35 years, from his accession on January 17, 1991, until his death on August 28, 2026.
King Harald V’s successor is his son, who now reigns as King Haakon VIII.
The funeral was attended by European royalty including Prince William, Princess Anne, King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark, King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of the Belgians, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, and King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain, among others.
The funeral marked the end of a 35-year reign and the transition to a new monarch, King Haakon VIII. It brought together international royalty and dignitaries to honor a widely admired king who modernized the Norwegian monarchy.