Tears in the cathedral: the King's coffin is on its way to the mausoleum

September 9, 2026

Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum / NTB

The funeral service for King Harald V has ended. Queen Sonja, Queen Mette-Marit, Princess Märtha Louise and Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra wiped away tears during the Prime Minister's eulogy. Crown Princess Victoria read the Prayer of Saint Francis in Swedish, and four F-35 jets flew over the cathedral.

The funeral service for King Harald V in Oslo Cathedral has ended. During Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre's eulogy, Queen Sonja, Queen Mette-Marit, Princess Märtha Louise and Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra all wiped away tears. The coffin is now on its way to Akershus Castle Church.

Queen Sonja, King Haakon in full dress uniform, Queen Mette-Marit in a wide-brimmed hat wiping her eyes, Princess Märtha Louise and Prince Sverre Magnus seated in the pew

The royal family in the cathedral. Queen Mette-Marit wipes her eyes. Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum / NTB

• Tears during the eulogy

The Norwegian royal family sat to the right of the coffin inside the church. Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett sat in the second row, behind Queen Sonja, the King and Queen and their children.

When we cheered, he cheered with us, with laughter and a glint in his eye, Støre said. After 22 July, when grief struck, he grieved with us.

Finally the Prime Minister turned to Queen Sonja: I say this on behalf of us all, what a queen. The Queen's lips could be read replying thank you so much.

Close-up of Queen Sonja in a mourning veil and pearls beside King Haakon in full dress uniform with orders

Queen Sonja and King Haakon during the service. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB

• Ingrid Alexandra sang along

Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra sang along to the refrain of Abide with me, performed by the artist Hillari Alison Conlu with the choir. She also placed a comforting hand on the shoulder of her younger brother, Prince Sverre Magnus.

Prime Minister Støre and Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg also sang along. Støre took off his glasses to wipe away tears with the back of his hand.

• Jørgen Hattemaker in the cathedral

Åge Aleksandersen, Tuva Syvertsen and Andreas Aase performed Alf Prøysen's Jørgen Hattemaker. The sun shines on you, so the shadow falls on me, but the grass is green for everyone, they sang.

I do not think there are many royal houses in Europe where a song like that would be played at a royal funeral, says VG's political editor Frøy Gudbrandsen.

• Victoria read the prayer, as she did in 2001

Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden read the Prayer of Saint Francis in Swedish. She also read it at the wedding of the then Crown Prince and Crown Princess in 2001, on that occasion also in Oslo Cathedral.

For it is in giving that we receive, in pardoning that we are pardoned, in losing our life that we win it. It is through death that we rise to eternal life, she read.

• The wreaths in the church

By the steps to the pulpit stood a wreath shaped like a sailing boat, with a message from King Harald's sailing friends.

The wreath from Denmark's Queen Margrethe read Daisy, the nickname used by family, close friends and European royals. Queen Margrethe was unable to attend the funeral after being admitted to Rigshospitalet on Sunday.

Princess Astrid thanked her brother for everything they had shared. The royal yacht Norge sent a final greeting, and the Storting thanked the King on behalf of the Norwegian people.

The wreath from Princess Märtha Louise, Durek Verrett and her children Maud Angelica, Leah Isadora and Emma Tallulah carried the words Thank you for everything, dear father, grandfather and father-in-law. Also in the church was the wreath from King Haakon, Queen Mette-Marit, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, Prince Sverre Magnus and Marius Borg Høiby.

• Silent streets and F-35s over the cathedral

Outside the cathedral the crowds followed the service through loudspeakers. The soldiers stood in mourning position, and people held one another.

The streets of Oslo were completely empty, except along the route the coffin will take to Akershus. When the minute's silence was observed, people stopped where they stood in the street, VG's reporters say.

After the service the royal family greeted Presiding Bishop Olav Fykse Tveit outside the church, before four F-35 fighter jets flew over the cathedral in a missing man formation.

King Haakon in full dress uniform shakes hands outside the cathedral, with Queen Sonja and Queen Mette-Marit beside him

The royal family greeted the ministers outside the church. Photo: Mattis Sandblad / VG Four F-35 fighter jets fly over central Oslo in formation, with a Norwegian flag at half mast on a building below

Four F-35 fighter jets fly over central Oslo in formation, with a Norwegian flag at half mast on a building below

Four F-35 fighter jets flew over the cathedral in a missing man formation. Photo: Paul S. Amundsen / NTB

• On to the mausoleum

King Haakon follows the coffin from Oslo Cathedral to Akershus Castle Church. A private memorial will be held there for the family and the royal guests, ending with the coffin being lowered into the Royal Mausoleum.

The coffin will be placed in King Harald's sarcophagus, to the left of the two sarcophagi already in the mausoleum, which hold his parents and his grandparents.

Guardsmen carry the coffin draped in the royal standard out of Oslo Cathedral, with King Haakon and foreign royals standing behind

The coffin is carried out of Oslo Cathedral. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB

Prince Sverre Magnus, Princess Märtha Louise in a mourning veil and Durek Verrett walk between cars outside the church

Prince Sverre Magnus, Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett after the service. Photo: Mattis Sandblad / VG