Norway’s King Harald passed away on August 28th. The Norwegian royal family gave everyone notice that the end was near, and people came out to honor Harald in his final days. Harald’s son is now King Haakon, and he took his oath last week alongside his daughter, the new crown princess. Haakon will not have a coronation, so the “big event” is Harald’s funeral. The funeral will draw heads of state and world leaders. People have wondered this whole time if King Charles would come and pay his respects to Harald, his second cousin. Turns out, not so much. But Charles did manage to convince his work-shy heir to show up.
The Prince of Wales will attend the funeral of King Harald V of Norway on Wednesday in Oslo, Buckingham Palace has announced. Also going to the funeral, in a personal capacity, is Princess Anne, who is godmother to Norway’s new monarch, King Haakon VIII.
The late King Harald, a popular, modernising figure who had been on the Norwegian throne for 35 years, died last month at the age of 89.
Royal sources say Prince William’s attendance, representing his father King Charles, follows the convention that the monarch does not usually go to the funeral of another head of state.
Large crowds are expected for the farewell to King Harald on 9 September, with a funeral procession to be followed by a service at Oslo Cathedral.
Thousands have queued to pay their respects to the late king, during his lying in state in the chapel of the Royal Palace in the Norwegian capital.
At the funeral, alongside Prince William, will be the widowed Queen Sonja, members of the Norwegian royal family including new King Haakon VIII, and other European royals. The service will be followed by a private burial in Norway’s royal mausoleum in the Akershus Fortress.
This is sort of significant because William isn’t big on attending funerals either. He skipped Jimmy Carter’s funeral, he skipped his own godfather’s memorial service in Windsor, and he came close to skipping Pope Francis’s funeral last year. With the pope’s funeral, William apparently tried to skip because Aston Villa was playing that week. I’m not joking. Many have already theorized that William agreed to go to Harald’s funeral simply because the Sussex family has returned to the UK. As in, William is suddenly very eager to look busy and important. Speaking of, why isn’t Kate going too?
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In answer to the question of Kate not going, I believe that the 9th is the kids first day back to school and we all know that someone has do the school run. I wonder if there will be photos of George’s first day at Eton?
Yes it’s George start day at Eton tomorrow so both parents will be there for that.
After all, it has long since come to light that the children have been living in the boarding facility for years, and the whole “escorting” routine has been a fiction for a long time. In fact, it always was—because whenever they actually *did* need escorting, it was the security guards who did it, never the parents. Besides, students arrive at the boarding facility early, so they were already there before the school year began.
Kate isn’t going because William doesn’t want her there.
What boarding facility? You mean the Wales kids have been boarding at their current school?
Let’s be honest: it’d be very rude if anyone with a lesser rank would be going. That’s his job. But the relatively delay in announcing his appearance in the funeral (others have confirmed their presence almost from the announcement of the funeral) makes me think that there were definitely discussions and rage but, alas, he couldn’t avoid it and he reluctantly accepted.
I like to think Anne had a few choice words for him. She will not only honor Harald, but double as a babysitter for Bone Idle.
I was thinking the same thing! If anyone can get him off his behind to increase his work.numbers and lay off his brother, it would be Anne! Her no nonsense ways may get through to this lazy bum.
I could be wrong about this. I did not google before hand, so please feel free to correct me
I believe Britain doesn’t send a reigning monarch to another monarch’s funeral. Traditionally. I’m not 100% sure — they sure asf expected all the other European monarch’s and RF’s at Liz’s funeral
And I *think* Princess Anne is King Haakon’s godmother
Although the Princess of Wales is not joining her husband, Prince William will not be the sole member of the House of Windsor in attendance. Princess Anne will attend in a private capacity: she is godmother to Norway’s new monarch, King Haakon VIII.
And you are right about the convention about reigning monarchs not attending another monarchs funeral.
You’re correct on both points, Hannah.
And I DO think the only reason that Pegs is going is because of the Sussexes. Oh, I’m sure he still tried to get out of it, just out of habit, but the thought of Harry being out that day, and getting front page pics? WAY too much for him to let happen (although we all know if Harry goes outside even just to check which way the wind is breezing that morning, a drone shot will cover every front page on Salty Isle).
It’s not just about rank. If rank was the only criteria, sure. Charles has cancer. It’s totally appropriate and necessary for dim willy to go. Nothing is simply rank. Willy should go because he’s next in line. When other Euro royals have been at important occasions willy never is. He really doesn’t care. it’s also appropriate that Anne goes as she has a relationship with the former king.
These people are just paladin weird! The monarch doesn’t go to there monarchy’s funerals? Let me guess… protocol. The Brits actually think they can impose their rules onto other countries when, in fact, they just look self-absorbed and weird. I do hope Meghan and the kids keep their distance from these obnoxious narcissists.
By contrast, at least 12 reigning monarchs attended QEII’s funeral.
It sounds like the kind of egotistical nonsense that might have been passed down from Queen Victoria. She loved that “Grandmother of Europe” label and believed that it was beneath her to show any sort of deference to her children/grandchildren (I mean, her government allegedly offered her the “Empress of India” title at least partly because she was salty over her eldest daughter, as German Empress, outranking her). But you can kinda see the logic in that protocol back in those days, when the British Empire, and thus the monarchy, was genuinely a force to be reckoned with. Now, it just comes across as yet another case of them clinging to that past glory and insisting that they’re still above everybody else.
Dollar bet William had his arm twisted to go to Harald’s funeral; and he should of attended Jimmy Carter’s funeral. Instead they sent Edward for that. Kate has no excuse not to go the funeral; Eton is the 8th, the funeral is the 9th.
Oh, but Kate (and maybe Carole) will have to “help George settle in”. All with a Royal photographer in tow to record this historic moment! Nothing would surprise me.
William is meant to go in terms of precedence given charles isn’t in the greatest health. I believed W would not go because, well, lazy. I suspect the sussexes put a rocket up him. After all, he didn’t go to the Spencer uncle in law funeral and Harry flew over for it, then the lie was put out. so this is just a game to him. I’m one of his soon to be subjects and he is a lazy loser. TBG Hes going back to the pre 1800?? of not seen royals who do what they want. I truly believe that’s what willy wants,
British monarchs don’t attend funerals of foreign dignitaries. Charles was never going to this funeral.
Why do you think Charles didn’t go? He’s not known to be lazy.
Waity isn’t going because they need to send an adult to supervise Willy and Ann is the adult assigned to hold Willy’s hand for this field trip. I also believe Willy is only attending because the Sussex’s are now in the same country and may pop up anytime to steal that precious thunder the leftovers think they have.
I bet money almost every other monarch couple will be in attendance, and some will bring their heirs also. The European royal houses understand what paying respect means. Chatles having cancer is not an excuse. He does plenty of other events.
If Harry is wasn’t back in the UK, Princess Anne would have been the King’s representative at the funeral.