The Funeral of King Harald V. This Is What the Monarch’s Final Journey Through Oslo Will Look Like

King Harald’s coffin had been lying in state in the palace chapel since Tuesday. Tens of thousands of Norwegians passed by it to bid a final farewell to the monarch, who had been King of Norway for 35 years. The monarch’s final journey will begin on Wednesday. At noon, the procession will leave the Royal Palace for Oslo Cathedral, where the funeral ceremony will begin an hour later.

Before the coffin is taken out, the king’s closest family members will spend time in the palace chapel. When the coffin leaves the palace at noon, a mourning salute of 21 shots fired at 30-second intervals will begin at Norwegian Armed Forces (Forsvaret) salute stations across the country. The procession will then set off. King Haakon, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, Prince Sverre Magnus and Princess Märtha Louise will walk behind the coffin.<br /><br />Queen Mette-Marit and Queen Sonja will follow them in the royal A-2 <span class="highlight id_59376">car<\/span>. The procession will also include foreign members of royal families, heads of state, prime ministers, and representatives of the Norwegian authorities and the royal court. The entire procession will move at a pace of 60 steps per minute. The coffin will be carried on a gun carriage. Along the entire route from the palace to the cathedral, and then towards Akershus Fortress, a guard of honour of 1,900 soldiers will be formed.

The funeral at Oslo Cathedral will begin at 1 p.m. Shortly beforehand, church bells across the country will ring three times, after which Norwegians will observe a minute of silence for the king. Trains and public transport will also come to a halt during this time. The ceremony will follow the funeral liturgy of the Church of Norway. Farewell speeches will be delivered by parliamentary speaker Masud Gharakhani and Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.<br /><br />After the service, four F-35 fighter jets will fly over the cathedral. The aircraft will perform a “missing man” formation, in which one plane breaks away from the others and climbs upward, symbolising the departure of the deceased. The coffin will then be transported to Akershus Castle Church. Following a private ceremony, it will be laid to rest in the Royal Mausoleum beside the sarcophagi of King Harald’s parents and grandparents.

After King Haakon VIII leaves the castle church, flags on public buildings will be raised from half-mast. A double royal salute will also begin, while church bells throughout the country will ring for an hour. From around 4:30 p.m., the public will once again have access to the square in front of the palace, and 15 minutes later the royal family will appear on the balcony.