Norwegians Gather for Emotional Tributes to Departed King Harald V

POLICY WIRE — Oslo, Norway — Norwegians queued early Sunday outside cathedrals and churches nationwide to honor the late King Harald V, who passed away at 89.

Dean Pål Kristian Balstad remarked, This Sunday is unlike any other. His Majesty King Harald is no more. A family has lost their husband, father, grandfather, and father-in-law, as he commenced the funeral service at Oslo Cathedral, according to Norway’s public broadcaster NRK.

The royal family participated in a service at Asker Church, located southwest of Oslo. Since King Harald’s demise on Friday morning, tens of thousands of Norwegians have conveyed their sorrow by placing flowers, penning cards, and lighting candles in front of the royal palace in Oslo, where his coffin was brought late Friday from the hospital.

Although a funeral date has not been determined, the nation is in mourning, and some individuals have chosen to delay celebrations like weddings and baptisms until after the mourning period, NRK reported.

Later on Sunday, NRK disclosed that Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre informed the broadcaster that the burial would occur in “calendar week 37” — the week after next — but he did not specify a date.

Harald’s son, now King Haakon VIII, delivered a eulogy for Harald on Saturday night. He shared his anguish over the loss of his cherished father and vowed to govern the country with the same commitment.

I will miss him. I will miss his laughter, his kind-hearted approach to people and situations, Haakon stated in his inaugural speech as the new king, which was broadcast live on public television.

Struggling to contain his tears, he pledged to dedicate everything for the nation as its king. That means — in the ultimate sense — being prepared to risk everything, even one’s life, for Norway’s freedom and independence, Haakon declared.

The new king has adopted the motto “All for Norway,” a phrase that harks back to his great-grandfather. His wife has become Queen Mette-Marit, while his eldest child, Ingrid Alexandra, has been named crown princess and heir to the throne.

His immediate responsibilities will encompass bolstering support for the monarchy following controversies involving his wife’s past associations with the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his stepson’s rape conviction.

Norway’s monarchy has ancient roots, tracing its origins to King Harald Fairhair in the ninth century. When Norway regained its independence from Sweden in 1905, three-quarters of voters in a national referendum approved the restoration of the monarchy. Today, the role is largely ceremonial as power resides with an elected parliament, but the country’s royal family maintains celebrity status and a role in promoting the prosperous nation globally.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)