Prince William joins thousands of mourners as he represents Charles at King of Norway’s state funeral in Oslo

PRINCE William is filling in for his dad at the King of Norway’s funeral. King Harald V, who is the King’s second cousin once removed, is being laid to rest at Oslo Cathedral. Prince William is filling in for his dad at the King of Norway’s funeral Credit: Getty Prince William and Princess Anne in the funeral procession of Norway’s King Harald in Oslo Credit: Reuters A procession is starting at the Royal Palace in the capital, before moving east towards Oslo Cathedral – where Harald married Queen Sonja in 1968 Credit: Getty The casket of late King Harald V of Norway is transferred amid an honour guard during a royal procession from the Royal Palace Chapel to the Cathedral in Oslo Credit: AFP The Prince of Wales is attending in place of Charles, alongside Anne – who is the godmother of the new King of Norway, Haakon VIII. Under royal precedent, the the King doesn’t attend funerals of other heads of state. Sign up for the Royals newsletter Thank you! A procession is starting at the Royal Palace in the capital, before moving east towards Oslo Cathedral – where Harald married Queen Sonja in 1968. The state service will be followed by a private burial in Norway’s royal mausoleum, beneath the castle church. The Norwegian royal family are leading the procession as thousands of people line the streets. William and Kate carried out an official tour to Norway in 2018, and have spent time with Prince Haakon and Princess Mette-Marit, now the new King and Queen. King Harald V, who is the King’s second cousin once removed, is being laid to rest at Oslo Cathedral Credit: AFP Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy walks behind the coffin carrying King Harald Credit: AP Harald died on August 28 at the age of 89. He was Europe’s oldest living monarch and had been on the throne since 1991 but was put on royal “sick leave” after falling ill with a blood disorder. The late Queen and King Harald were second cousins, and shared the same great-grandparents, King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. Most read in Royals It comes after the fourth anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s death yesterday. Meanwhile, Harry and Meghan are said to have taken issue with the wording of a bombshell letter from His Majesty which reaffirmed that they are no longer working members of the Royal Family. Sources say the couple would have preferred to be described as “public figures” rather than the King’s description of their position as “akin to private citizens”. Following his cousin’s death, King Charles paid an emotional tribute. King Charles pictured with Norway’s King Harald Credit: AFP Norway’s King Harald V died at the age of 89 Credit: AFP In a statement released by Buckingham Palace, the King said: “It is with the most profound sadness that my wife and I have learned of the death of my dear cousin, King Harald V of Norway. “For 35 years, King Harald served his people with unwavering dedication, guiding Norway through times of great change with warmth and humility. “As Norway mourns the loss of so towering a figure, my whole family join in remembering a much-loved kinsman and friend whose kindness, compassion and deep sense of duty echoed from across the sea and across the decades. “The United Kingdom and Norway share particularly close historical and family ties, with Britain one of the first countries to recognise Norwegian independence and establish diplomatic relations in 1905. Queen Elizabeth II poses with King Harald at the Royal Palace in Oslo in May, 2001 Credit: Reuters The King with Queen Sonja in May, 2023 Credit: Getty “These special bonds were even further strengthened during the dreadful trials of the Second World War and helped to bind our two countries together. “The Queen and I extend our deepest and most heartfelt condolences to Queen Sonja and all her family, as Britain shares in Norway’s grief at this time of such heartbreaking loss.” He signed the message: “Charles R.” King Harald had been treated with cortisone for a rare blood condition called haemolytic anaemia. It causes the number of red blood cells in the body to be reduced, and leads to fatigue and shortness of breath. Before his death King Harald was still technically in the line of succession to the British Royal Family. King Harald seen using two crutches in March, 2026, as he walks alongside King Philippe of Belgium on an official state visit Credit: AFP From left to right: King Harald, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Sonja and Prince Philip at a state banquet at Holyrood Castle, Edinburgh in 1994 Credit: Reuters He was the great-grandson of Edward VII and his godparents included Queen Mary and her son George VI – who were the late Queen Elizabeth’s grandmother and father. King Harald had been in and out of hospital several times in recent years. Earlier this year, he was taken in for urgent medical care in Tenerife after falling ill on holiday. He was previously hospitalised in 2024 for an infection while on holiday in Malaysia, where he received a temporary pacemaker. He was later transferred to Norway where a permanent device was implanted. King Harald’s reign was credited as an era of modernisation and reform for Norway. He had been married to Queen Sonja for almost 60 years with the royal couple making it their mission to connect more with both the public and the media. The couple shared two children, Princess Märtha Louise and new King Haakon. Crown Prince Haakon is now the King of Norway Credit: Getty Queen Elizabeth with King Harald during a state visit to Edinburgh in 1994 Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd The late ruler was just three years old when Germany invaded Norway in World War Two. All of the royals were forced to flee the country as Harald and his two sisters, Princesses Ragnhild and Astrid, were taken to Sweden. They were later given political asylum in the United States where they stayed for five years until it was safe to return. In the years before he became king, Harald was a budding athlete and even a multi-time Olympian. He was a skilled sailor and won numerous international regattas, including the World Championships in sailing in 1987. Comment now