The Prince of Wales will represent his father at the funeral of King Harald V of Norway next week, Buckingham Palace has announced. William, the heir to the throne, will be accompanied by his aunt, the Princess Royal, who will attend in a personal and private capacity as godmother to the new king, Haakon VIII. Norway has witnessed great grief for the much-loved monarch, who died on August 28 at the age of 89. Harald has been hailed as an inclusive “people’s king” who modernized the Norwegian monarchy during his 35-year reign. King Harald of Norway accompanies Princess Catherine, then Duchess of Cambridge, to a dinner at the Royal Palace in Oslo in February 2018. Photograph: Ntb Scanpix/Reuters His funeral will take place on September 9 at Oslo Cathedral, with mourners including his widow, Sonja, now Queen Mother. In accordance with the precedent that the sovereign does not attend the funerals of other chiefs As a member of the State, the duty of William, the future king, is to represent his father and pay his respects at the service. Charles paid a moving tribute to his “dear cousin” and “very dear relative and friend” after 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 resonated across the sea and across the decades.” Harald were second cousins. They shared the same great-grandparents, King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. The coffin of King Harald V is carried to the Oslo Palace Chapel by members of the royal family, including (front) Haakon VIII and Queen Mette-Marit. Photograph: Ole Berg-Rusten/EPA In April last year, William represented his father at Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican. William and the now-Princess of Wales took an official tour to Norway in 2018, dining with King Harald and Queen Sonja at the Royal Palace, where Harald described them as “family” and praised their support for the then-Queen. McQueen dress, with the gesture mirrored by Sonja and William, who were walking behind them. William and Kate also spent time hitting the ski slopes with then-Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit, now King and Queen.
