The Diplomat
King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, and Queen Sofía attended the state funeral in Oslo on Wednesday for King Harald V of Norway, who died on August 28 at the age of 89 after more than 35 years on the throne.
At the start of the program of events, the King and Queen and Queen Sofía traveled to the Royal Palace in Oslo, where they met with the authorities participating in the funeral procession. They then walked to Oslo Cathedral, joining the funeral procession along with other heads of state, while Queen Sofía traveled to the cathedral in a motorcade.
The coffin left the Royal Palace to begin the journey of just over a kilometer to the cathedral in the Norwegian capital. Upon leaving the palace, the coffin was draped with the royal flag. Following the coffin walked King Haakon VIII, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, her brother Prince Sverre Magnus, and Princess Märtha Louise, the new monarch’s older sister. Behind them were members of foreign royal families, including the King and Queen of Spain, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, accompanied by Crown Princess Catharina-Amalia, and King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden, along with their three children.
Also part of the procession were Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko of Japan, King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium, King Frederik X and Queen Mary of Denmark, and Prince William and Princess Anne of England, among others.
Among the heads of state and government participating in the funeral cortege were the presidents of Lithuania, Gitanas Nauseda; and of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky. Czech President Petr Pavel, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen were among those present.
Along the route, protected by some 1,900 military personnel and decorated with Norwegian flags every two meters, thousands of citizens lined the streets. The funeral ceremony began after the procession arrived at Oslo Cathedral. Following the service at Oslo Cathedral, the King and Queen, along with Queen Sofía, traveled to Akershus Castle for a private funeral service.
After the ceremony, the King and Queen departed for Spain from Oslo-Gardermoen Air Base, where they received a farewell greeting from the Spanish Ambassador to Norway, Alejandra del Río Novo. Queen Sofía then went to the Royal Palace in Oslo, where she was greeted by the King and Queen of Norway and later spoke with those attending the ceremony held in the Ministers’ Hall. Once this meeting was over, Queen Sofia began her return to Spain.