Norway mourns King Harald as crowds gather at royal palace
Flags were flying at half-mast throughout the country with portraits of the late king everywhere.
On Saturday, thousands of Norwegians gathered in front of the royal palace to bid farewell to King Harald. Many paid tribute to his sense of inclusiveness and tolerance, which he displayed throughout his three-decade reign. Europe's longest-serving monarch passed away on Friday at the age of 89. The funeral cortege moved from Oslo University Hospital to the palace later on Friday, with rain-soaked crowds lining the streets to watch.
Flags flew at half-mast throughout the country, and portraits of the late king adorned public spaces.
Following Harald's death, his eldest son, Crown Prince Haakon, automatically ascended to the throne. On Saturday, King Haakon VIII will deliver a televised address to the nation at 1900 local time (1700 GMT), and on Tuesday, he will swear an oath before parliament, pledging to uphold Norway's constitution and laws. No coronation will take place, as they were abolished by parliament in 1908.
The main avenue in central Oslo, Karl Johan, was crowded with Norwegians of all backgrounds, who gathered to honor the late king. Veselina Vitanova, a 43-year-old Bulgarian teacher, expressed her gratitude, saying Harald made her feel very Norwegian. Another resident, Mari Eidsvaag, 32, wore a T-shirt featuring a quote from a 2016 speech Harald delivered, in which he stated: "Norwegians are girls who love girls, boys who love boys, and girls and boys who love each other."
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