Buckingham Palace has confirmed that the Prince of Wales will represent King Charles at the funeral of Norway’s King Harald V, which is scheduled for 9 September at Oslo Cathedral. Following the established precedent that a sovereign does not attend the funerals of other heads of state, the duty to pay respects on behalf of the British monarch has fallen to William, the heir to the throne.
The Prince of Wales will be accompanied by his aunt, the Princess Royal. She will attend the service in a private and personal capacity, holding the role of godmother to the new Norwegian monarch, King Haakon VIII.
Norway has been in a period of national mourning since the death of King Harald V, who passed away on 28 August at the age of 89. The late monarch, widely celebrated as an inclusive “people’s king,” was credited with modernizing the Norwegian monarchy throughout his 35-year reign. The funeral service will be attended by mourners including his widow, Queen Sonja, who is now the queen mother.
King Charles previously shared a heartfelt tribute to his “dear cousin” and “much-loved kinsman and friend” following the announcement of Harald’s death. In a formal message of condolence, the King praised Harald’s “unwavering dedication” and his “kindness, compassion and deep sense of duty echoed from across the sea and across the decades.” The late Queen Elizabeth II and King Harald were second cousins, sharing the same great-grandparents, King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.
This is not the first time the Prince of Wales has performed such a duty; in April of last year, he represented his father at the funeral of Pope Francis in the Vatican. The Prince and the now Princess of Wales also maintain strong ties to the Norwegian royal family, having conducted an official tour of Norway in 2018. During that visit, they dined at the Royal Palace, where King Harald praised them as “family.” The visit included shared time on the ski slopes with the then Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who have since ascended to the throne.
