Prince William has joined hundreds of mourners at the funeral of King Harald of Norway in Oslo. The Prince of Wales, accompanied by his aunt Princess Anne, joined royals and heads of state from around the world to pay final respects to the monarch, who died last month at the age of 89.
William was seen walking in a procession with other royals from around the world behind the King's coffin. Last week, it was announced that William, who accompanied son Prince George to his first day at Eton College yesterday, would attend the funeral at Oslo Cathedral, representing his father at the service.
Why Prince Charles did not attend
In keeping with precedent, the sovereign does not attend funerals of other heads of state, so the duty fell to William. Anne is at the service in a private and personal capacity as she is the godmother of Norway's new king, Haakon VIII.
Other high-profile royals from around Europe at today's service include King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of the Belgians, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden and King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain. The former Queen of Denmark Margrethe II, 86, had also been scheduled to attend but had to pull out after being taken to hospital earlier this week.
Outpouring of grief for the 'people's king'
Norway has seen an outpouring of grief for the much-loved monarch Harald, who died on August 28 following a blood infection. Harald – who was known for his warmth, humour and informal style – had been hailed as an inclusive "people's king" who modernised the Norwegian monarchy during his 35-year reign.
Charles paid a touching tribute to his "dear cousin" and "much-loved kinsman and friend" after the news of Harald's death was announced. In a message of condolence, he praised Harald's "unwavering dedication" and his "kindness, compassion and deep sense of duty echoed from across the sea and across the decades". The late Queen Elizabeth II and King Harald were second cousins. They shared the same great-grandparents, King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.
William and Kate's 2018 tour of Norway
William and the now-Princess of Wales carried out an official tour to Norway in 2018, dining with King Harald and the now-widowed Queen Sonja at the Royal Palace, where Harald described them as "family" and praised their support of the late Queen. The Norwegian sovereign processed into the banquet hall arm in arm with pregnant Kate, who was expecting Prince Louis and wearing a flowing Alexander McQueen gown, with the gesture mirrored by his wife Queen Sonja and William who walked behind them.
William and Kate also spent time visiting the ski slopes with the then-Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit, now the new King and Queen. At his accession last month, King Haakon adopted the motto All For Norway, which dates back to his great-grandfather. His wife became Queen Mette-Marit, and his oldest child, Ingrid Alexandra, became crown princess and heir to the throne. His tasks in the near future will include shoring up support for the monarchy after controversies over his wife's past contacts with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. She also underwent a lung transplant in June after suffering from pulmonary fibrosis.
Controversy over Marius Borg Høiby's attendance
Meanwhile, there has been controversy after it was revealed that Marius Borg Høiby, the eldest son of Mette-Marit, and Haakon's stepson, has been allowed to leave house arrest to attend the funeral. In June, Marius was found guilty of two counts of rape among other offences, and sentenced to four years in prison, after continuing to deny the most serious charges. He is currently under house arrest at the royal estate of Skaugum while his legal team works to appeal the sentencing. He had been granted permission to leave house arrest under electronic monitoring as King Harald's health deteriorated - and has been to attend the funeral too.
