Prince William Walks Behind King Harald’s Coffin in Solemn Oslo Funeral Procession

Prince William joined members of the Norwegian Royal Family and royals from across the world in a solemn procession through Oslo on Wednesday as he represented King Charles III at the state funeral of King Harald V.

The Prince of Wales walked behind Harald’s coffin as it was carried from the Royal Palace to Oslo Cathedral, where the funeral service for Norway’s much-loved monarch took place.

The ceremonial procession began at noon and followed a route lined with thousands of mourners. Around 1,900 soldiers from Norway’s armed forces stood along the procession route, while crowds gathered behind barriers to pay their respects.

William walked alongside his aunt, the Princess Royal, as they joined a large group of foreign royals and dignitaries honouring the late King.

William joins royal procession

The Prince of Wales was among an international gathering that included King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden, King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan, Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco, and Japan’s Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky also attended, walking among political leaders two rows behind William.

At the front of the procession, directly behind the coffin, was Norway’s new King Haakon VIII, accompanied by Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra and other members of the Norwegian Royal Family.

Queen Sonja, Harald’s widow, wore a black veil and followed the procession by car alongside the new Queen Mette-Marit.

The coffin was draped in the red Norwegian royal standard and decorated with white flowers as it made its way through the capital.

The procession reached Oslo Cathedral for the funeral service at 1pm.

King Charles sends William to represent him

William’s presence carried particular significance because King Charles did not attend the funeral himself.

Under long-standing royal precedent, a reigning British monarch does not traditionally attend the funerals of other heads of state. Instead, William represented his father at the ceremony.

The Prince of Wales’ attendance was confirmed in the official Court Circular, which recorded that he represented the King at King Harald V’s state funeral in Oslo.

Princess Anne was also present, but attended in a personal capacity because she is the godmother of King Haakon.

The British and Norwegian royal families are closely connected. King Harald and the late Queen Elizabeth II were second cousins, sharing King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra as great-grandparents.

A farewell to a ‘people’s king’

King Harald died on August 28 at the age of 89, bringing an end to his 35-year reign. He had been Norway’s monarch since 1991 and was widely known for his warmth, humour and informal approach to royal life.

He was frequently described as a “people’s king” and played a significant role in modernising the Norwegian monarchy while maintaining a close relationship with the public.

King Charles paid tribute to his cousin following Harald’s death, describing him as a “dear cousin” and a “much-loved kinsman and friend”.

In his message of condolence, Charles praised Harald’s “unwavering dedication”, as well as his “kindness, compassion and deep sense of duty”.

Thousands gather to say goodbye

The funeral marked the culmination of Norway’s period of national mourning.

Thousands of people lined the streets of Oslo to watch the coffin pass, while more than 46,000 people had already visited the Palace Chapel in the days leading up to the funeral to pay their respects to the king.

The ceremonial farewell continued after the service, with Harald’s coffin taken toward Akershus Fortress, where he was laid to rest in the royal mausoleum alongside his parents. A flypast by F-35 fighter jets and military honours formed part of the final tribute.

For William, the solemn procession through Oslo represented both a formal duty on behalf of his father and a deeply personal royal connection, as Britain joined Norway in saying farewell to a monarch remembered for 35 years of service.