The funeral

The funeral of King Harald V

Name: Funeral service for HM King Harald V of Norway
Start: 2026-09-09T13:00:00+02:00
Location: Oslo Cathedral

King Harald V died peacefully on Friday 28 August 2026 at Rikshospitalet in Oslo, aged 89, after 35 years as King of Norway. The funeral takes place on Wednesday 9 September at 13:00 in Oslo Cathedral. The Norwegian government has declared a national period of mourning, running from his death until the funeral has concluded. Below you will find the programme day by day, and what the mourning period involves.

Funeral: Wednesday 9 September; 13:00 — Oslo Cathedral
Lying in state: 1–8 September; The Palace Chapel — 10:00–18:00
One minute's silence: Wednesday 9 September; 13:00 — nationwide

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Day by day

From his death to the funeral.

Friday 28 August
His death
1. 06:35
  King Harald V dies peacefully
  The King dies at Rikshospitalet in Oslo, aged 89, after a long illness. He had been Norway’s head of state for 35 years.
2. His death is announced
  The Royal Court and the Office of the Prime Minister announce his death.
3. 11:30
  Extraordinary Council of State at the Palace
  The succession is formally confirmed. Crown Prince Haakon becomes King of Norway as Haakon VIII, continuing the motto "Alt for Norge" — "All for Norway". Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra becomes the first woman to stand first in line to the Norwegian throne.
4. The flags are lowered
  The flag on the Palace roof is lowered to half-mast, then raised again after the Council of State — the country has a new king. The mourning flag on the Palace balcony remains at half-mast.
5. 18:30
  The coffin is taken from Rikshospitalet to the Palace
  The coffin leaves Rikshospitalet just after 18:30 and arrives at the Palace at 19:10. It is placed in the Red Drawing Room, where the Royal Court and the government pay their respects at an open coffin, before it is carried on to the Palace Chapel, where it remains until the day of the funeral.
6. The Prime Minister addresses the nation
  Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre pays tribute to the King, and the government declares the national period of mourning.
Saturday 29 August
A nation in mourning
1. Flowers and candles at the Palace
  People gather in the Palace Square with flowers, candles and messages throughout the day.
2. 19:00
  King Haakon VIII addresses the nation
  The new King gives his first address to the nation, in memory of his father.
3. The Prime Minister meets the King
  Prime Minister Støre meets King Haakon VIII, and afterwards gives a statement to the press.
Sunday 30 August
Memorial services
1. 11:00
  Memorial service in Asker Church
  King Haakon VIII, Queen Sonja, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus attend.
2. Memorial services across the country
  Memorial services are held in churches throughout Norway, with tributes and prayers for the late King.
Tuesday 1 September
The oath of allegiance, and the Palace Chapel opens
1. 13:00
  King Haakon VIII takes the oath before the Storting
  The President of the Storting announces the succession, the King swears the oath required by the Constitution and gives a short address. The President then pays tribute to the late King and welcomes the new monarch. The ceremony is broadcast live.
2. 14:00
  The Palace Chapel opens for the lying in state
  The public may pay their respects at the coffin. Cadets from the Norwegian Armed Forces academies keep vigil, two on each side, throughout the period.
1–8 September
Lying in state in the Palace Chapel
1. Open to the public
  The Palace Chapel is open 14:00–18:00 on the first day, and thereafter 10:00–18:00 daily until 18:00 on the day before the funeral. Any changes are announced at kongehuset.no.
Wednesday 9 September
The day of the funeral
1. Funeral procession from the Palace
  The coffin is borne in a full procession from the Palace, down Karl Johans gate, to Oslo Cathedral. Soldiers from every branch of the armed forces line the route.
2. 13:00
  One minute's silence nationwide
  The silence begins and ends with three tolls of the bells from churches across the country.
3. 13:00
  Funeral service in Oslo Cathedral
  The service is led by Presiding Bishop Olav Fykse Tveit together with the Bishop of Oslo, Sunniva Gylver, with cathedral organist Marcus André Berg and the Oslo Cathedral Choir. Foreign royal houses and heads of state are expected to attend in large numbers.
4. Private ceremony in Akershus Castle Church
  After the service a smaller procession makes its way to Akershus Castle Church, where the funeral concludes in a private ceremony attended by the family, European royalty and a small number of official Norwegian representatives.
5. The King is laid to rest
  The coffin is placed in the Royal Mausoleum beneath Akershus Castle Church, where King Haakon VII, Queen Maud, King Olav V and Crown Princess Märtha already rest. King Harald is interred in a double sarcophagus made for him and Queen Sonja, designed by Snøhetta. Its design has not been made public, and at the Royal House’s request will not be shown until it is used.
6. The cortège returns to the Palace
  The royal family and guests return to the Palace, where the new King greets the crowd from the balcony.
7. The mourning flag is taken down
  The mourning flag on the Palace balcony remains at half-mast until the ceremony at Akershus has concluded and the coffin has been placed in the mausoleum.

The national period of mourning

The government’s guidance on how the mourning period is observed across the country.

Duration: From his death on 28 August until the funeral has concluded on 9 September.
Flags: Flags fly at half-mast from royal residences, government buildings and military installations throughout the period.
Public events: All purely social events are to be cancelled or postponed. Professional activities may go ahead, but should be given a dignified setting — for instance marked with a minute’s silence, a portrait of the King, or lit candles.
Church bells: Church bells ring across the country both on the day of his death and on the day of the funeral.
Government websites: Government websites have been switched to mourning mode for the period.
Court mourning: Court mourning is the official mourning period observed by the Royal House, and applies to the part of central government that deals with the Palace — principally the government and the ministries. At the Royal Court and in the armed forces, those in uniform wear a mourning band; members of the government and civil servants are not expected to do so.
Questions: Questions about local commemorations should be directed to the relevant County Governor’s office.

Sources and caveats

This programme has been checked against official announcements from regjeringen.no and kongehuset.no and against Norwegian news sources. Some details — among them the exact route of the procession and the guest list — have not yet been published in full, and times may be adjusted. The official programme is published at kongehuset.no. Please note that the sources listed below are in Norwegian.

Last updated 30 August 2026.