RoyMob

The Norwegian Royal House

The royal family greeted the crowd from the Palace balcony

The royal family greeted the crowd from the Palace balcony

Photo: Naina Helén Jåma / VG

When the barriers were removed at around 4.20pm, people ran towards the Palace and the empty Palace Square filled up within minutes. At 4.48pm the royal family came out on the balcony. The Palace says photographs of King Harald's sarcophagus will not be released for another week.

The Palace Square stood empty while the funeral was under way. When the barriers were removed at around 4.20pm, people ran towards the Palace and the square filled up within minutes. Half an hour later the royal family came out on the balcony, to cheers from the crowd.

King Haakon salutes from the Palace balcony together with Queen Mette-Marit, Queen Sonja, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus, with the Norwegian flag at the top of the pole The royal family greeted the crowd from the Palace balcony. Photo: Naina Helén Jåma / VG

• Running towards the Palace

Police removed the barriers on the Palace Square at around 4.20pm. People immediately headed for the Palace, some at a run across the gravel, Norwegian flags in hand.

Three people run across the gravel of the Palace Square towards the Palace, one holding a Norwegian flag, with the sea of flowers and the crowd behind People ran towards the Palace when the barriers were removed. Photo: Naina Helén Jåma / VG

• Filled up within minutes

The empty square filled up within minutes. The crowd gathered densely in front of the Palace, around the sea of flowers by the statue of Karl Johan.

Aerial view of the Palace Square full of people, with the sea of flowers around the statue of Karl Johan and Karl Johans gate in the background The Palace Square filled up within a few minutes. Photo: Håkon Mosvold Larsen / NTB A dense crowd on the Palace Square, one person holding up a phone to film The public waited for the royal family to appear. Photo: Annemor Larsen / VG

• The royal family on the balcony

At 4.48pm the royal family came out on the Palace balcony, and the crowd cheered. King Haakon, Queen Mette-Marit, Queen Sonja, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus waved to those gathered below.

The Palace balcony seen from the side with the Norwegian flag flying at the top of the pole and the royal family standing on the balcony behind The flag flew at full mast while the royal family stood on the balcony. Photo: Jørgen Braastad / VG

Flags were raised to full mast across the country when the King and Queen left the castle church at Akershus Fortress shortly before 4pm, at the same time as a double royal salute was fired. That marked the end of King Harald's funeral.

• The sarcophagus will not be seen for a week

In the crypt beneath the castle church, King Harald will rest in a sarcophagus beside his parents.

The Palace has said it will release further details and photographs of the sarcophagus in a week's time. It has not yet been shown to the public.

• Nearly 900 guests in the cathedral

Nearly 900 guests were gathered for the service in Oslo Cathedral. Foreign royals, heads of state and senior politicians from around the world came to Oslo to take part.

King Harald died peacefully at Rikshospitalet on 28 August. King Haakon followed his father all the way to the end, from the cathedral and on to Akershus.

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