STATE FUNERAL of HM King Harald V (TO BE UPDATED)

The State Funeral of His Late Majesty King Harald V of Norway takes place on Wednesday, 9th September 2026, twelve days after Europe's oldest reigning Monarch's death at the age of 89. The funeral service, set to be attended by over 20 Heads of State (including 8 Sovereign Monarchs) & foreign Royalty begins at 13:00, at The Cathedral of Oslo, presided over by The Preses of The Bishops' Conference & assisted by The Bishop of Oslo. A Nationwide minute of silence will be held at the beginning of the service, after the funeral procession, starting 12:00, will transport the late King's coffin on a gun carriage from The Royal Palace, followed by The Royal Family & foreign dignitaries on foot. King Harald V will be laid to rest at around 14:40 after a private service at The Royal Mausoleum of Askerhus Fortress's Church, underneath a new sarcophagus, next to those of his parents & paternal grandparents (previous kings). King Harald is lying in state at The Royal Chapel of Oslo's Royal Palace from Tuesday 1 to Tuesday 8 September, after having been moved there from The Royal Palace on August 31. The National Mourning in Norway will end upon the King's burial, while Court mourning will last for another month.

Following the death of King Harald V at 06:35'am on 28 August 2026, His late Majesty's body was placed to a coffin & transported from Rigshospitalitet (Oslo University Hospital) to The Royal Palace in a hearse procession, that Friday evening, at 18:30. The entire Royal Family, including his widow, Queen Sonja, son new King Haakon VIII, daughter-in-law Queen Mette-Marit, daughter Princess Märtha Louise, and five grandchildren arrived at the palace to pay their last respects. While King Harald's coffin lay open at the Red Drawing Room, no photograph of the deceased Monarch was taken, unlike in the death of his two predecessors, Olav V (1991) & Haakon VII (1957). Countless of floral tributes, candles, drawings & flags filled the Square outside The Royal palace of Oslo, as a royal flag lay hung at half mast from the Palace's Balcony, with a black ribbon attached. On Sunday, August 30, memorial masses across the country took place for King Harald, with King Haakon, Crown Princess Ingrid, Queen Sonja & Prince Sverre Magnus attending the service in Asker Church at 11:00am. Queen Mette-Marit, who is still recovering following a lung transplant, watched a series of tributes outside their Royal Residence in Skaugum Estate, Asker.

On Monday, 31 August 2026, at 16:00, the late King's coffin, sealed & drapped into the Norwegian Royal Standard, was pulled on a wheeled bier by his children, King Haakon VIII & Princess Märtha Louise, grandchildren Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, Prince Sverre Magnus, Maud Angelica Behn, Leah Isadora Behn & Emma Tallulah Behn, and step-grandson, Marius Borg Høiby in a procession through palace rooms, leading to The Banqueting Hall. Queen Sonja & Queen Mette-Marit followed behind holding hands, in this solemn procession through The Yellow Saloon, Hall of Mirrors, Dining Room, Small & Big Banqueting Hall. Leading was The Lord Chamberlain, carrying the Royal Crown, followed by The Head of The Royal Secretariat with The Sword of State, while other courtiers carried His late Majesty's most important Norwegian, Danish, Swedish and British Orders on cushions behind the procession. Palace Staff lined in honour and followed the procession once it passed. From the Great Banqueting Hall the coffin was handed over to court officials, transported to The Royal Chapel, placed on a velvet Catafalque with Royal Regalia on its top & royal orders on the footing; a short service held.

King Harald V's lying-in-state began Tuesday, 1 September (2026) from 2:00 to 6:00pm, and continued for the next week (2 to 8 September) from 10:00am to 6:00pm daily. Clear instructions were given to all those wishing to file past the coffin of the late King reigned for 35 years, be they either state officials or ordinary people alike. Everyone stood in a queue (lasting up to four hours) before security check, could drop their bags underneath umbrellas outside The Royal Chapel, could not take pictures and enter with big bags, trolleys or animals apart from service dogs. Members of the government, Storting (Parliament) and Supreme Court also paid their respects, as did Princess Astrid, the 94-year-old surviving sister of King Harald, who was pictured on a wheelchair bidding her younger brother farewell, and watching the countless tributes from the window of the Royal Palace to the square outside. Their Majesties The King & Queen with their children & Queen Sonja also watched the tributes on the night of August 31. Earlier in the same evening, Their Majesties, joined by the widowed Queen & Princess Märtha went out of the palace to lay a flower alongside other tributes to King Harald & watch-listen to their warm embracing.

In the days leading up to the funeral, due to the increased number of crowds who wouldn't make it on time to file past the late King, His Majesty's lying in state was extended on Saturday (5/09), Sunday (6/09) & Monday (7/09) until 11:00pm, while on the last day (Tuesday, 8/09/2026) people will be able to pay their last respects to the deceased King of Norway from 10:00am until 19:00. Condolence Books are also open both online and in person, with those on the digital page of the official site of The Royal House of Norway available for a month, before they will be saved in PDF and archived.

As King Harald V's Funeral plans went ahead, foreign heads of state and government began confirming their attendance on Wednesday, September 9 at Oslo's Cathedral. Among the expected Royal attendees are The Kings & Queens of: Denmark, Sweden, Spain, The Netherlands & Belgium, as well as Monarchs from Jordan, Luxembourg & Monaco, and Heirs from Japan, The United Kingdom and Liechtenstein. Queen Margrethe of Denmark, 86, had to pull out her planned attendance after hospitalization for a blood clot on the hip & dehydration for a week, on Sunday September 6 (2026). The Sovereign Monarchs & Royalty will join the Funeral Procession (12:00), Service (13:00), Committal (~14:40) & reception at The Royal Palace (~16:00) after the end of the burial. While flags will be risen to full-staff again after 15:20 and a 21 gun-salute firing & hour-long bell-ringing will signify the end of the National Mourning in Norway, the Royal Court will remain in mourning until October 9. During this period royal appearances and activities will be limited to only the most necessary while The Royal Court's staff will be reorganized, to adapt to a different agenda into the new Reign.

UPDATE WILL BE MADE FOLLOWING THE CONCLUSION OF THE STATE FUNERAL.

Videos:

Sources:

https://royalcentral.co.uk/royal-news/king-harald-funeral-218952/

https://www.kongehuset.no/presse/pressemeldinger/kong-haralds-bare-til-slottskapellet

https://royalcentral.co.uk/europe/norway/king-haakon-church-service-218948/

https://www.kongehuset.no/presse/pressemeldinger/kong-harald-vs-gravferd

https://apnews.com/article/norway-royals-king-harald-death-memorial-service-d116f36cfcc496a1680ef03d5389399d

https://www.kongehuset.no/presse/pressemeldinger/hoffsorg-fram-til-en-maned-etter-kong-haralds-gravferd

https://royalcentral.co.uk/europe/norways-royal-family-to-step-back-from-public-life-until-october-218993/

https://www.kongehuset.no/presse/pressemeldinger/slik-blir-kong-harald-vs-gravferd

https://royalcentral.co.uk/royal-news/queen-margrethe-hospitalised-219016/

ALL FOR NORWAY: King Haakon VIII ascends the Throne

 

Following the death of his father, King Harald V, at 6:35'am on Friday, 28 August 2026; Haakon, Crown Prince and Regent, succeeded the Norwegian throne immediately. The new King assumed the regnal name of Haakon VIII and retained the royal motto 'Alt for Norge' (everything for Norway) used by the previous three generations of Kings from his Royal House. The new King swore his oath of Allegiance to the Norwegian Constitution before The Parliament (Storting) in a solemn enthronement session on Tuesday, 1 September 2026. He was accompanied by his daughter, Ingrid Alexandra, who signed her oath as Norway's first Crown Princess in her own right later that day. Her mother, Queen Mette-Marit, King Haakon's wife of 25 years, had to pull out last moment from the ceremony, due to complications of her health, following a recent, life-saving lung transplant in June. Haakon VIII honoured his recently deceased father in his inaugural address to the nation on August 29, praising his lifelong service to Norway and desire to keep the family united, while outlining his own regnal goals and congratulating his widowed mother, Queen Sonja, on what would have been her & Harald V's 58th wedding anniversary, on that day.

Norway entered a new era as news of King Harald's death broke in the morning of Friday, August 28. The Royal Flag on top of Oslo's Palace was lowered to half-mast, only to be raised after the new Monarch, King Haakon, arrived. Accompanied by his firstborn child, now Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 22, the 53-year-old Sovereign hosted his cabinet at The Palace for an extraordinary Council of State, to formally inform them of his accession to the throne. Dressed in his formal uniform, and deprived of sleep (after spending the previous night by his father's deathbed), His Majesty greeted and received condolences from each of his ministers, and announced that his regnal name will be Haakon VIII, and his motto will remain the same, used since the reign of his great-grandfather, Haakon VII (r. 1905-1957): Alt for Norge. The first official portrait of the new King was released shortly afterwards; while a Royal Standard Flag, lowered at half-mast with a black ribbon attached, was hung horizontally, from The Palace's balcony.

King Haakon VIII addressed the nation for the first time on Saturday, August 29, in a pre-recorded speech, broadcasted on Norwegian state TV at 19:00. The King commemorated his late father as a "good listener" who "represented Norway and Norwegians with pride and joy", "met everyone with respect and generosity", and "had an extra room in his heart" for children and young people. He thanked him for being a warm and caring father, a loved patriarch who brought everyone together with a natural authority, and in particular remarked the strength he was getting in his life's work by his beloved wife, Queen Sonja, whose would have been 58th wedding anniversary he mentioned with a breaking voice. After refering how much The Norwegian society has changed to the positive through the lifetime and reign of Harald V, The King also mentioned his and (new) Queen Mette-Marit's goal "to be present and listen", and their joint goal with Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra in 'trying to understand' different people's life situations. In unpredictable times, The King redefined his dynastic motto "Everything for Norway" as fighting for everyone's right to free lives, contributing positively to the world as a nation, and willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for Norway's freedom and Independence when its peace is at stake; before finishing his speech with an old prayer: "May God preserve our country". A portrait of the late King Harald V was on the desk, while previous Kings, Olav V & Haakon VII were also mentioned.

The Constitutional Oath of HM King Haakon VIII was set for Tuesday, 1 September 2026, four days after his accession to the throne. He is the tenth tenth Norwegian Monarch to take this oath, since Norway signed its Constitution, on 17 May 1814. Only three Kings before him, Oscar II, Haakon VII & Harald V swore their oath at The Parliament Chamber, which Haakon VIII repeated in a special session of The Storting (Norwegian Parliament) at 1:00pm. The ceremony of swearing The King's allegiance to The Constitution is considered a backbone of Independent Norway; ensuring that The Monarch will respect the Constitution, his obligations and limits according to it, and separation of powers. Especially after Coronations of The King of Norway was abolished in 1908, Constitutional Oath became the leading Enthronement event, alongside Benediction from The Church of Norway (usually held at Nidaros Cathedral, several months after accession). The King was accompanied by HRH The Crown Princess, Queen Sonja & Prince Sverre Magnus (his younger child). The Queen was also due to attend, but had to pull out last moment, due to complications of her health (following a recent lung transplant).

His Majesty, dressed in his naval uniform and wearing all of his insignia from Norway, greeted & saluted the Palace guards before being driven off The Royal Palace in an open-top limousine. Following was a limousine with The King's children and mother. Queen Sonja (who is no longer styled "Her Majesty" by The Royal House) and her grandson, took their seats in the chamber's front line, while the King and Crown Princess Ingrid stood next to The Thrones opposite to the Speaker's seat. During the short & poignant ceremony, screened on real time from Eidsvolls (outside the Parliament) The Speaker of Storting, Masud Gharakhani, read out the official death announcement of King Harald V & succession of the throne.Then he bowed & handed the new King his own Oath of Allegiance to The Constitution, which His Majesty red aloud: "I promise, and swear, that I will govern the Kingdom of Norway in Accordance with its Constitution and Laws; so help me God, the Almighty and Omniscient".

Following his oficial oath, The King briefly addressed The President of  Storting, expressing the hope that the good relationship his three predecessors had with the Parliament is retained, also placing himself & The Queen in disposal to carry out their constitutional role and public service, as the dynastic motto (Alt for Norge) goes. The Storting's Speaker bowed again, as he took back the written texts from The King's hands, and from his seat delivered an address in remembrance of King Harald V - for whom a minute of silence was observed - and then formally endorsing the new King Haakon VIII & Queen Mette-Marit. On his Conclusion the chamber joined in silence-breaking exclamation of 'God Save The King' (Gud Bevare Konge!) and in singing The Royal Anthem (Kongesangen). The newly sworn in King bowed to the Chamber, and left it accompanied by his daughter, who later the same day signed her own constitutional oath as heiress apparent at The Royal Palace. Ingrid Alexandra, who studied at The University of Sydney since last year, and currently continues as an exchange at the University of Oslo, is the first female heir to The Norwegian throne in modern history (succession law changed in 1990).

Haakon VIII, the fourth King of Sovereign Norway from The House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg Glücksburg since 1905; was born on 20 July 1973, and remained before his older sister, Princess Märtha Louise in the succession line, when absolute primogeniture was adopted (1990) not retrospectively. The only son of then-Crown Prince Harald & Crown Princess Sonja, Prince Haakon Magnus received a public education in Oslo, and served in The Royal Norwegian Navy, graduating (1995) from The Naval Academy. Following the death of his grandfather, King Olav V, on 17 January 1991, Haakon became Crown Prince at age 17. Unlike his father & grandfather, he choose University of California, instead of Oxford; receiving a BA in political science (1999). He further attended The University of Oslo, Foreign Ministry's civil service courses, and obtained a MA in London School of Economics in development & international trade. Haakon married Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby, a single mother of one, on 25 August 2001, after an eight-month controversial engagement. They had two children: Ingrid Alexandra (*2004) & Sverre Magnus (*2005). King Haakon is a fan of sports (like windsurfing), music festivals & nature.

Having served as Regent on multiple occasions in the 2000s and 2020s, the then Crown Prince Haakon knew the heavy weight of preserving The Crown's good image & popularity. The past few months have been demanding for the Norwegian Royal Family, since the then Crown Princess, diagnosed with life threatening pulmonary fibriosis in 2018, was revealed to have had a close relationship to the late US sex offender & child abuser Jeffrey Epstein, after first charges against him had been verdicted. Mette-Marit admitted her lack of judgment and apologised to The King & Queen for the damage this could bring to The Monarchy. Moreover, her extramarrital son, Marius Borg Høiby was found guilty of 34 out of 40 criminal charges against him, including rape, assault & drug possession, and sentensed to four years in prison in June, only days before his mother underwent a successful lung transplant (with recuperation period expected to last for about a year). Thus, Norwegian Monarchy's popularity had dropped to ~60% earlier this year (from over 70% before), with about half of the population not supporting Mette-Marit as (future) Queen. After succeeding the throne, Haakon has big shoes to fill, together with his family.

Videos:

Sources:

https://apnews.com/article/norway-king-haakon-mette-marit-3827c13443c66df288a541a9804263f0

https://royalcentral.co.uk/royal-news/the-first-portrait-of-a-new-king-haakon-viiis-reign-begins-with-sombre-duty-218920/

https://www.stortinget.no/en/In-English/About-the-Storting/News-archive/Front-page-news/2025-2026/king-haakon-to-take-the-oath-of-allegiance-before-the-storting-on-1st-september

https://royalcentral.co.uk/features/haakon-king-norway-179385/

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgy79wmv4jo

https://royalcentral.co.uk/royal-news/king-haakon-speech-218940/

https://www.dw.com/en/norways-new-king-haakon-viii-takes-oath-in-parliament/a-78606923

https://royalcentral.co.uk/royal-news/queen-mette-marit-218962/

https://www.newsinenglish.no/2026/09/01/king-haakon-viii-sworn-in-as-support-for-norways-monarchy-rises-again/

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp841114eg6o

https://royalcentral.co.uk/europe/norway/queen-mette-marit-the-controversial-new-consort-of-norway-the-cinderella-whose-fairytale-came-to-a-close-218862/

https://apnews.com/article/norway-king-haakon-oath-allegiance-constitution-harald-0c4e5de3b7bcc7069af52500e34ec86c

https://royalcentral.co.uk/europe/norway/for-the-first-time-in-its-history-norway-has-a-crown-princess-as-22-year-old-student-becomes-heir-to-the-throne-218832/

https://www.newsinenglish.no/2026/02/22/troubled-king-remains-popular/

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/sep/01/norways-new-king-haakon-viii-swears-oath-of-allegiance-with-daughter-at-his-side