One last walk: A nation’s tears as Harald’s coffin leaves The Palace for the very last time

Just months ago, in June, Mette-Marit underwent an emergency lung transplant at Oslo’s Rikshospitalet after her pulmonary fibrosis, diagnosed back in 2018, took a dramatic turn for the worse, as reported by Reuters and HOLA!. She was only discharged in July, and suffered post-operative complications as recently as 1 September, the very day her husband swore his oath before parliament, prompting King Haakon to personally drive her to hospital (Marie Claire).

That she appeared at all today, just three months after receiving «the gift of life» from an organ donor, left crowds and this reporter, reaching for the tissues.

Europe’s Royals and aWartime President walk behind

What a send-off it was. A staggering 31 foreign royals processed behind the King’s coffin, according to the Royal House, led by Sweden’s King Carl Gustaf, Crown Princess Victoria, who read a poem during the ceremony and Prince Daniel, alongside royalty from Denmark, Jordan, Monaco, the Netherlands, Belgium and Japan (VG).

And flying the flag for Britain: the Prince of Wales, walking with his aunt, the Princess Royal, godmother to the new Norwegian King (BBC).

But one guest stopped the crowds in their tracks: Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyj, spotted in the procession alongside Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nausėda and Germany’s Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, having arrived in Oslo with First Lady Olena Zelenska after telling Norway’s leaders: «Ukraine greatly appreciates all the support from the royal family and the entire Norwegian people» (The Kyiv Independent, NewsinEnglish.no).

And when he emerged from Oslo Cathedral after the service, the crowd erupted into spontaneous applause — a moment NRK described as powerful, with Foreign Ministry State Secretary Eivind Vad Petersson saying: «He comes from a country at war and under constant bombardment. This is an expression of the Norwegian people’s gratitude and of support for what the Ukrainian people are enduring». 

From the fjords to the front line, they all came for Harald.

The final Mile to Akershus

After the emotional service at Oslo Cathedral, opened by a minute’s silence marked by church bells across the whole country, the King’s coffin made its final journey to Akershus Fortress, where the Castle Chapel stood ready for a private family ceremony (NRK).

There, deep within the fortress walls, Norway’s great reformer was laid to rest in the royal crypt alongside his ancestors — ending a 35-year reign and 13 days of national mourning that brought a proud country to its knees, and then, slowly, to its feet again (AP News, Euronews).

Et enormt folkehav på Karl Johan og total stillhet. Sov godt, Deres Majestet, takk for alt. 🇳🇴

Our sources

• NRK — Kong Haralds båre er ført inn i Slottskirken (60 steps per minute, the “Sørgemarsj”, the queens in the cortege car, 53,000 mourners)
• NRK — Zelenskyj fikk applaus utenfor domkirken (spontaneous applause as Zelenskyj left the cathedral)
• VG — Kong Haralds gravferd i dag: Prosesjonen går mot Oslo domkirke (A-2 state car, 31 foreign royals, William and Anne, Zelenskyj)
• Reuters — Mette-Marit, Norway’s embattled new queen
• Reuters — With large crowds expected, Norway to lay King Harald to rest
• HOLA! — Mette-Marit is now Queen of Norway after her toughest year and lung transplant
• Marie Claire — Queen Mette-Marit Was Hospitalized After Missing King Haakon’s Swearing-In
• The Kyiv Independent — Zelensky, Norway’s Støre discuss air defence ahead of King Harald’s funeral
• NewsinEnglish.no — Zelensky also arrived in Oslo
• BBC News — Prince William to attend King Harald’s funeral in Norway
• AP News — Norway to bid final farewell to King Harald V
• Euronews — Norway bids farewell to King Harald V, ‘grandfather’ of the nation
• Yahoo/Hello! — King Frederik and Queen Mary forced to make major change to plans after tragic news