Prince William will represent his father, King Charles III, at the funeral of Norway's King Harald V, who passed away on August 28 at the age of 89. The funeral is scheduled for Wednesday, September 9, at Oslo Cathedral.
King Harald, a cousin of King Charles III, died following a hospital admission for hemolytic anemia. He had reigned for 35 years. The funeral service will commence at 1 p.m. and will be led by Olav Fykse Tveit, president of the Church of Norway. Mourners will include Harald's widow, Queen Sonja.
Buckingham Palace confirmed Prince William's attendance, adhering to state protocol where British monarchs typically send a family member to represent them at the funerals of other heads of state. Prince William previously represented King Charles at the funeral of Pope Francis in April 2025. He will be joined at the Oslo service by Anne, Princess Royal, who will attend in a personal capacity as the godmother of Norway's new king, Haakon VIII.
King Charles, currently undergoing treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer, released a statement mourning his "dear cousin" King Harald. The two royals shared great-great-grandparents Edward VII and Alexandra of Denmark. "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," King Charles stated. He extended "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."
King Harald was succeeded by his son, Haakon VIII, who has declared a period of national mourning in Norway until October 9. Thousands of mourners gathered in Oslo to pay their respects, leaving flowers and messages of condolence outside the Royal Palace. Flags were flown at half-mast, and portraits of the late king were displayed publicly. Churches and city halls were opened for candle lighting and condolence books.
Other international royals expected to attend include representatives from the Danish, Belgian, Monaco, Spanish, and Japanese royal families. King Philippe and Queen Mathilde will represent Belgium, with Philippe being Harald's first cousin. Prince Albert of Monaco is also expected to attend. The Spanish Royal family will be represented by King Felipe, Queen Letizia, and Queen Sofia, while Japan will send Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko.
King Haakon VIII's ascension has also brought attention to the Norwegian monarchy's recent challenges. His wife, Queen Mette-Marit, missed his swearing-in ceremony due to complications from a lung transplant. Furthermore, Mette-Marit's son, Marius Borg Høiby, was convicted in June on two counts of rape and sentenced to four years in prison. Another development involves King Harald and Queen Sonja's eldest daughter, Princess Martha Louise, and her husband, Durek Verrett, who are preparing for a second reality television show. Princess Martha Louise relinquished her royal role in November 2022.