Norway's King Harald V laid to rest in state funeral

Heads of state from around the world came to Oslo to pay tribute to the late monarch.

A 21-gun salute rang out over Oslo on Wednesday afternoon as the coffin of Norway's King Harald V left the royal palace for the city's Lutheran cathedral.

Thousands of people lined the streets to say goodbye to the king.

The procession and funeral will bring an end to 13 days of national mourning following the death of the well-liked and down-to-earth monarch at the age of 89.

Who is attending the funeral?

The funeral is being attended by heads of state and government from all over the world. This includes the UK's Prince William and Princess Anne, Japan's Crown Prince Fumihito and his wife Princess Kiko, Spain's King Felipe and Queen Letizia, as well as fellow Scandinavian royals from Denmark and Sweden.

Other leaders such as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Germany's President Frank-Walter Steinmeier are also attending.

Harald's son King Haakon VIII will be there alongside his mother Queen Sonja and his wife, Queen Mette-Marit.

Controversially, Mette-Marit's son from a previous relationship is also expected to be at the funeral.

Marius Borg Hoiby's participation in an earlier part of the official mourning drew an outcry in Norway, as he was recently convicted of rape and domestic violence and is under house arrest.

Edited by: Wesley Rahn 

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