Kongefamilien rørt til tårer
Slottsplassen ble fylt opp på få minutter. Folkehavet jublet da kongefamilien viste seg.
On Wednesday afternoon, after the removal of barriers from the Palace Square, people rushed towards the Palace. A half-hour later, the royal family appeared on the balcony. They were greeted with applause, Norwegian flags, and cheers from the harbor crowd. First, King Haakon and Queen Mette-Marit stepped onto the balcony; then, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus followed.
Between 25,000 and 30,000 people gathered on the Palace Square when they emerged onto the royal balcony, according to the police. The crowd's jubilation could be heard as far away as Karl Johan gate. King Harald slept peacefully at Rikshospitalet on August 28th. On Wednesday, foreign monarchs, heads of state, and top politicians from across the globe arrived in Oslo to pay tribute to the beloved monarch.
By 5 PM, many of them had begun to leave the Palace. British Prince William and Princess Anne were among the first royals to depart the Palace. The Swedish royal family, including Princess Charlene and Prince Albert of Monaco, are among the royals believed to be on their way home on Wednesday evening. After a grand funeral procession through Oslo, King Harald arrived at his final resting place on Wednesday afternoon.
Thousands of Norwegians lined the streets to follow the funeral. At one point, over 220,000 people were in central Oslo, according to the police. King Harald's coffin was carried to Oslo Cathedral in a grand procession from the Palace. Nearly 900 guests attended the solemn ceremony to bid farewell to the king. King Harald's coffin was then carried to Slottskirken on Akershus Fortress.
A private memorial service for the family and royal guests was held there. King Harald will be laid to rest in the crypt beneath Slottskirken, beside his parents. Oslo Castle has advertised details and images of the highly anticipated sarcophagus for a week. It has yet to be shown to the public. When King Haakon and Queen Mette-Marit left Oslo Cathedral just before 4 PM, double royal salutes were fired.
Simultaneously, flags were raised to the top of every building across the country, marking the end of King Harald's funeral.
Written by urgent.news from E24 Norway's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
