This is how King Harald's funeral will unfold on Wednesday
Photo: Cornelius Poppe / NTB
The Royal House has published the programme for King Harald V's funeral. The coffin will leave the Palace at 12 noon on Wednesday 9 September, the ceremony in Oslo Cathedral begins at 1pm, and the country will fall silent for one minute. Afterwards the coffin will be lowered into the crypt of Akershus Castle Church.
On Sunday the Royal House published the programme for the funeral of King Harald V. The coffin will leave the Royal Palace at 12 noon on Wednesday 9 September and be carried in procession to Oslo Cathedral.
The coffin lies in the Palace Chapel with the crown at the head and a guard of honour on either side. Photo: Cornelius Poppe / NTB
The coffin will be followed by King Haakon, Queen Mette-Marit, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, Queen Sonja, Prince Sverre Magnus and Princess Märtha Louise. Foreign royals, heads of state and prime ministers, representatives of official Norway and representatives of the Royal Court will also take part in the procession.
• The order of the procession
The procession from the Palace to the cathedral will move in a set order. First come the mounted police, the Guards' signal corps, the Staff Band of the Norwegian Armed Forces, the Guards' standard with mourning crape and its escort, a guard of honour from His Majesty The King's Guard, and the Lord Chamberlain.
Flags have flown at half mast along Karl Johans gate, the route the procession will follow. Photo: Hanna Johre / NTB
Then comes the coffin on a gun carriage, flanked by bearers from His Majesty The King's aides-de-camp. Behind the coffin walk the King, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, Prince Sverre Magnus and Princess Märtha Louise, while the Queen and Queen Sonja follow in the car A2.
Next follow foreign royals, the President of the Storting, the Prime Minister and the Chief Justice, visiting heads of state or their representatives, the government and the Secretary to the Government, the Presidium of the Storting, representatives of the Supreme Court, the President of the Sami Parliament and its plenary leader, the county governors and the Governor of Svalbard, the Mayor of Oslo, the leadership of the Royal Court and representatives of the Armed Forces leadership. Mounted police bring up the rear.
• The ceremony in Oslo Cathedral
The funeral ceremony begins in Oslo Cathedral at 1pm. It will be led by Presiding Bishop Olav Fykse Tveit and follow the Church of Norway's funeral order. The Bishop of Oslo, Sunniva Gylver, will also take part.
Oslo Cathedral, seen here during the memorial service on Sunday 30 August. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB
Music will play an important role in the ceremony. Cathedral organist Marcus André Berg will lead the church music together with the Oslo Cathedral Choir.
At the start of the ceremony there will be a minute's silence across the country, opened and closed by three strokes of the bell. The President of the Storting and the Prime Minister will give memorial addresses, and candles will be lit by representatives of different faiths and beliefs.
King Harald's family and close friends will be present. Official Norway will be represented in full, together with guests reflecting the breadth of the King's life and work. Royal guests and heads of state from a number of countries will also attend.
• A private ceremony at Akershus
After the funeral the coffin will be carried in procession to Akershus Castle Church, where a private ceremony will be held for the family and the royal guests. The President of the Storting, the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice and the presidents of Iceland and Finland will also be present.
The coffin will be lowered into the crypt of the castle church, where the two sarcophagi of King Haakon and Queen Maud and of King Olav and Crown Princess Märtha stand.
The white sarcophagus is that of King Haakon VII and Queen Maud. The dark green one on the right is King Olav V and Crown Princess Märtha. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB
• Royal salute and church bells
After the ceremony at Akershus Castle Church, the King and Queen will come out into the courtyard of Akershus Fortress. The flags that have flown at half mast will be raised to the top, and a double royal salute will be fired. At the same time church bells across the country will ring for an hour.
• Back to the Palace
The King, the Queen, the Crown Princess, Queen Sonja and Prince Sverre Magnus will then drive back to the Royal Palace along the same route the procession followed.
On their return, Norway's new King and Queen, the Crown Princess, Queen Sonja and Prince Sverre Magnus will appear on the Palace balcony. The time for this will be announced later.
The King and Queen will also host a reception at the Palace after the funeral ceremony, attended by representatives of official Norway, visiting heads of state, royals and the family.