Norway Mourns King Harald V at State Funeral in Oslo

Norway held a solemn state funeral on Wednesday for King Harald V, who passed away on August 28 at the age of 89. The ceremony in Oslo Cathedral drew thousands of mourners to the streets and brought together foreign royals and global leaders to honor the late monarch's 35-year reign.

A 21-gun salute marked the start of the procession from the royal palace. The coffin, draped in the red Norwegian royal standard, was followed by the new King Haakon VIII and senior members of the royal family. Queen Sonja and Queen Mette-Marit followed in a car.

The service was attended by the monarchs of Sweden, Denmark, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Monaco, and Jordan, alongside Britain's Prince William and Japan's Crown Prince Akishino. Political leaders from over 20 countries, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, were also present.

During the ceremony, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre paid tribute, saying the king made solemn occasions human and grieved with the nation during times of tragedy. Parliament speaker Masud Gharahkhani remembered Harald as a king who was close to the people and unafraid to meet them in his rubber boots.

A minute of silence was observed as the funeral service began. After the ceremony, the coffin was taken to Akershus Fortress to be placed in the royal crypt. More than 46,000 people had paid their respects while the king lay in state at the palace. Harald's son, now King Haakon VIII, took an oath of allegiance to the constitution last week, succeeding his father immediately after his death.