The wreaths beside King Harald's coffin: "Thank you for a good life"
Photo: Cornelius Poppe / NTB
The first pictures from the Palace Chapel were released on Monday evening. Three wreaths stand beside the coffin: from Queen Sonja, from the royal family and from Princess Märtha Louise and her family. The transfer from the Red Drawing Room was filmed and shown publicly for the first time.
The first pictures from the Palace Chapel, where King Harald's coffin now rests, were released at 6.55pm on Monday evening. Three wreaths stand beside the coffin, and it is the text on their ribbons that says the most: the family's own farewell.
The coffin rests in the Palace Chapel with the crown at the head end and a guard of honour on each side. Photo: Cornelius Poppe / NTB
• "Thank you for a good life"
The wreath from Queen Sonja carries her own monogram, a crowned S, and five words: "Takk for et godt liv", thank you for a good life.
The wreath from Queen Sonja. Photo: Cornelius Poppe / NTB / POOL
The day after the King died, Saturday 29 August, the couple would have marked 58 years of marriage.
On the right-hand side of the coffin lies the wreath from the royal family. It says simply "Takk", thank you, followed by five first names: Haakon, Mette, Ingrid, Magnus and Marius.
The wreath from the royal family, signed Haakon, Mette, Ingrid, Magnus and Marius. Photo: Cornelius Poppe / NTB / POOL
The third wreath comes from Princess Märtha Louise and her family: "Thank you for everything, dear father, grandfather and father-in-law. We love you so much." Below it reads "Warm hugs from", followed by Märtha, Durek, Maud, Leah and Emma.
The wreath from Princess Märtha Louise and her family. Photo: Cornelius Poppe / NTB / POOL
• How the coffin rests
The coffin is draped in the royal standard and rests on a purple catafalque. The crown is placed at the head end, and the remaining regalia lie on the coffin itself: the sword of state, the sceptre and the orb.
In front of the coffin, King Harald's orders are displayed on cushions, the Norwegian, Danish, Swedish and British ones. Cadets from the Norwegian Armed Forces academies stand guard, two on each side, between tall silver candelabras and white flower hearts.
• Filmed for the first time
The transfer from the Red Drawing Room to the Palace Chapel took around ten minutes, and was the first time such a ceremony has been filmed and shown publicly. Inside the Palace it was completely silent. Outside, several hundred people stood watching.
King Haakon and Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra walked at the front of the coffin. Behind them came Prince Sverre Magnus and Princess Märtha Louise, then Maud Angelica Behn, Leah Behn, Emma Tallulah Behn and Marius Borg Høiby.
The family carried the coffin through several of the Palace rooms, among them the Mirror Hall and the Great Hall. There the adjutants took over and carried it the final stretch into the chapel.
Directly behind the coffin walked Queen Mette-Marit and Queen Sonja, hand in hand. The Queen supported her mother-in-law as her husband's coffin was carried past.
• Opens to the public on Tuesday
From 2pm on Tuesday 1 September the public may file past the coffin. The chapel stays open until 6pm on the day before the funeral, and from 2 September it is open from 10am to 6pm every day.
The funeral will be held in Oslo Cathedral at 1pm on Wednesday 9 September.
RoyMob will continue to follow the mourning ceremonies in the days ahead.