Funeral of Norway’s King Harald V set for September 9

The funeral of Norway’s King Harald V will be held on Wednesday, September 9, at Oslo Cathedral, the Norwegian Royal Palace said.

The ceremony will begin at 1 p.m. local time.

The funeral service will be led by Olav Fykse Tveit, Presiding Bishop of the Church of Norway. Members of the Norwegian church and the late king’s family will also attend.

Further details about the funeral procession, the ceremony and its participants will be announced later, the palace said.

King Harald V died on August 28 at the age of 89. He had been hospitalised on August 17 after being diagnosed with hemolytic anaemia, a rare blood disorder.

Harald became king on January 17, 1991, following the death of his father, King Olav V. He reigned for more than 35 years and was Europe’s oldest reigning monarch.

Following his death, the Norwegian throne passed automatically to his son under the country’s Constitution. Crown Prince Haakon, 53, became King Haakon VIII and adopted the royal motto “All for Norway.”

His wife, Mette-Marit, became queen, while their eldest daughter, 22-year-old Princess Ingrid Alexandra, became heir to the throne.