At a glance…
- King Harald V of Norway, who died aged 89 on August 28. He reigned for 35 years.
- European royals and dignitaries arrived in Oslo to attend his state funeral.
Many royal houses and world leaders were among the thousands who gathered for the state funeral of King Harald V of Norway on September 9 in Oslo.
King Harald was 89 years old when he passed away on August 28 at the National Hospital. The Norwegian royal family website has gone dark as it prepares for its new monarch, King Haakon VIII.
The funeral began at 1pm local time (9pm AEST). However, the day started with a private ceremony at the Royal Palace, attended by his closest relatives.
A ceremonial procession carried King Harald’s coffin to Oslo Cathedral. After the funeral, King Harald made his final journey to Akershus Castle Church, accompanied by a smaller procession. Here, a private ceremony was held, including only the royal family, members of other European royal houses, guests and representatives of Norway’s official institutions.
King Harald was laid to rest alongside his family, including his parents King Olav V and Crown Princess Martha, and his grandparents King Haakon VII and Queen Maud.
Who attended King Harald V of Norway’s state funeral?
Somewhat controversially, Queen Mette-Marit’s son, Marius Borg Høiby, received a stay of house arrest and was allowed to attend his step-grandfather’s funeral. He was recently found guilty of two counts of rape and sentenced to four years in prison.
Among the first to confirm their presence at the state funeral were King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark, who postponed a state visit in Belgium to attend. King Frederik’s mother, Queen Margrethe, was not in attendance as she was admitted to hospital in recent days.
The Scandinavian royal houses have particularly close ties. King Harald’s grandfather, King Haakon VII, was born Prince Carl of Denmark, the second son of King Frederik VIII and Louise of Sweden, before he was elected as Norway’s first independent monarch.
“Your father meant a great deal to my mother and both of us. With his warm and dry sense of humour and unwavering calm, Uncle Harald made others feel comfortable and at ease in his presence. He was an extraordinary man, with a twinkle in his eye and a big heart,” a public letter signed by Denmark’s King and Queen read, addressed to Norway’s new King Haakon VIII.
“The bonds between Denmark and Norway are strong. For generations, our families and our countries have been closely tied. Your father will stand as a symbol of that which binds us together.”
Heir to the British throne, Prince William and his aunt, the Princess Royal, attended King Harald’s funeral. According to reports, it is not unusual for a Head of State to not attend the funeral of a fellow Head of State. However, King Charles did pay tribute to King Harald, his cousin, after hearing of his death, praising his “unwavering dedication” to the Norwegian people.
Other leaders attended including Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and Ireland’s President (Uachtarán na hÉireann) Catherine Connolly.
The royals who attended King Harald’s funeral:
Queen Mary of Denmark
Australian-born Queen Mary of Denmark attended the funeral with her husband, King Frederik, and their son, Crown Prince Christian.
Prince William, Prince of Wales
Representing his father, King Charles III, was Prince William.
Princess Anne, the Princess Royal
A representative member of the British Royal Family, Princess Anne had another connection to the funerary proceedings. She is the godmother to the new monarch, King Haakon VIII.
Queen Silvia of Sweden
Queen Silvia, wife of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden (who also attended), is connected via marriage to King Harald. He and Carl were second cousins.
The Scandinavian royal families are particularly intertwined. Harald’s mother, Märtha, was the sister of Queen Astrid of Belgium and was closely related to the Swedish royal line.
Princess Sofia, Duchess of Värmland and Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, Duke of Värmland
Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland (born 1979) is the only son of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden. He is currently fourth in line to the Swedish throne, behind his sister Crown Princess Victoria and her children.
Princess Madeleine of Sweden, Duchess of Hälsingland and Gästrikland and Christopher O’Neill
Madeleine is King Harald V’s first cousin once removed. Her father, King Carl XVI Gustaf, is a first cousin once removed of Harald through the Scandinavian royal families.
Queen Máxima and King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands
Willem-Alexander and Harald are distant relatives. Willem-Alexander is a first cousin once removed of King Harald V through their shared descent from King Christian IX of Denmark, whose descendants married into most of Europe’s royal houses.
Princess Amalia and Princess Beatrix of The Netherlands
Princess Catharina-Amalia (born 2003) is the eldest daughter of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands and the heir to the Dutch throne. Princess Beatrix (born 1938) is the former Queen of the Netherlands and Willem-Alexander’s mother.
King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium
King Philippe and King Harald V are first cousins once removed: Harald’s mother, Märtha, was the sister of Philippe’s grandmother, Astrid.
Fumihito, Crown Prince of Japan and Kiko, Crown Princess of Japan
Fumihito, Crown Prince of Japan, better known as Prince Akishino, is the younger brother of Emperor Naruhito and the heir presumptive to the Japanese throne.
Queen Rania and Abdullah II of Jordan
King Abdullah II (born 1962) has been King of Jordan since 1999. He is the eldest son of the late King Hussein and is a direct descendant of the Hashemite dynasty. He married Rania Al-Yassin on June 10, 1993, when he was still Prince Abdullah. She became Queen Rania when he became king in 1999.
Queen Anne-Marie and Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece
Queen Anne-Marie (born 1946) is the former Queen of Greece and the wife of the late King Constantine II, who died in 2023. She is also a sister of Denmark’s former Queen Margrethe II and therefore a member of the Danish royal family by birth.
Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece (born 1967) is her eldest son. He became head of the former Greek royal family following his father’s death in 2023.
Grand Duchess Stéphanie de Lannoy and Grand Duke Guillaume Jean Joseph Marie of Luxembourg
Grand Duke Guillaume Jean Joseph Marie (born 1981) is the reigning Grand Duke of Luxembourg. He became Grand Duke on 3 October 2025, following the abdication of his father, Grand Duke Henri. He married Stéphanie de Lannoy in 2012, when she became Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg.
Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein
Hereditary Prince Alois, 58, is the eldest son of Prince Hans-Adam II, the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein. He has served as regent since 2004, carrying out most of his father’s constitutional duties, although Hans-Adam II remains the sovereign.
Hereditary Princess Sophie of Liechtenstein
Hereditary Princess Sophie, 58, is the wife of Hereditary Prince Alois. Born Sophie, Duchess in Bavaria, she is a descendant of King Ludwig III of Bavaria.
Crown Princess Katherine of Serbia
Crown Princess Katherine of Serbia is the American-born wife of Crown Prince Alexander of Serbia, head of the former Serbian royal family.
Queen Letizia and King Felipe VI of Spain
King Felipe VI, 58, became king in 2014, following the abdication of his father, King Juan Carlos I. He is the only son of Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía. He married Queen Letizia in 2004. Felipe and Harald were distant relatives through European royal ancestry.
Princess Charlene of Monaco and Prince Albert II of Monaco
Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco are the reigning princely couple of Monaco. Albert paid tribute to Harald after his death, recalling their friendship and shared interests including sport and environmental causes
