Norway bids farewell to King Harald V, ‘grandfather’ of the nation
OSLO, Sept 10 — Norway observed a nationwide minute of silence yesterday at the funeral of King Harald V, a modern...
King Harald V of Norway passed away on August 28, 2026 at the age of 89, leaving behind a legacy as a modern and unifying figure. His funeral was held in Oslo, with a nationwide minute of silence observed across the country. Foreign dignitaries, including Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky and Britain’s Prince William, attended the service at the Lutheran cathedral.
The king's casket, draped in Norway's red royal banner, was transported in an artillery carriage, followed by dignitaries on foot and thousands of spectators lining the streets. Only the queen and the new queen, who recently underwent a lung transplant, followed the procession in a car. Harald, the longest-reigning monarch in Europe until his death, was highly popular among Norwegians, who dubbed him "the grandfather of the nation."
Support for the monarchy increased to 72% in the weeks following his death, up from 60% in February, during which the royal family faced several scandals.
Written by urgent.news from Malay Mail's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
