Prince William to represent King Charles at funeral of King Harald of Norway
Buckingham Palace has also revealed that Prince William will be joined by his aunt, Princess Anne at the funeral in Oslo next week
The Prince of Wales is to represent his father, King Charles, at the funeral of King Harald V of Norway next week.
Listen to this article
Buckingham Palace has also revealed that Prince William will be joined by his aunt, Princess Anne, who will attend in a private and personal capacity as godmother of Norway's new king, Haakon VIII.
Norway has seen a wave of mourning following the death of King Harald, who died on August 28 at the age of 89 after a 35-year reign.
The monarch was known for his warmth, humour and informal style, and was often described as an inclusive “people’s king”.
He was also recognised as a moderniser who made the Norwegian royal household more open to the public.
Harald approved renovations to Oslo's Royal Palace and opened parts of it to the public during his reign.
Read more: King Harald of Norway dies at the age of 89 after three decades on the throne
Read more: Who is the new monarch in Norway and what is the line of succession?
The monarch died in a hospital in Oslo, where he had been receiving treatment for a rare blood condition.
In the 24 hours before his death, members of the Norwegian royal family visited him, while crowds gathered outside the palace to lay flowers.
His funeral will take place at Oslo Cathedral on September 9, with mourners expected to include his widow, Queen Sonja.
Prince William has been given the responsibility of representing his father in keeping with the precedent that the sovereign does not attend the funerals of other heads of state.
As the future King, William will instead represent Charles and pay his respects at the service.
It comes after William represented his father at the funeral of Pope Francis in the Vatican in April last year.
King Charles paid tribute to his “dear cousin” and “much-loved kinsman and friend” following Harald's death.
In a message of condolence, he praised Harald's “unwavering dedication” and said his “kindness, compassion and deep sense of duty” had echoed “across the sea and across the decades”.
The late Queen Elizabeth II and King Harald were second cousins, sharing the same great-grandparents, King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.
Prince William and the Princess of Wales carried out an official tour of Norway in 2018, where they dined with King Harald and Queen Sonja at the Royal Palace.
During the visit, Harald described William and Kate as “family” and praised their support of the late Queen.
The Norwegian sovereign processed into the banquet hall arm in arm with a pregnant Kate, with the gesture mirrored by Queen Sonja and William, who walked behind them.
William and Kate also spent time with then-Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who are now Norway's King and Queen, including a visit to the ski slopes.