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.

Norway then observed a minute of silence to start the funeral service. 

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

"He struck a balance between being stately and being down-to-earth," Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said in his eulogy. "He made Norway greater. He spoke of a 'we' in Norway where everyone is there for each other."

After the ceremony, his casket was moved to its final resting place at the royal palace chapel. A private ceremony just for family followed.

Who attended the funeral?

The funeral was attended by heads of state and government from all over the world. They included 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. Indeed, flags were flown at half-mast in Berlin's government in honor of Harald, whose 35-year-reign made him well-known and respected across Europe.

Harald's son King Haakon VIII was be there alongside his family including 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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