נורבגיה נפרדת מהמלך הארלד החמישי כשאלפים מתאספים להלוויה

10:08

נורבגיה מתכוננת להיפרד מהמלך הארלד החמישי, whose funeral is being held Wednesday in Oslo following his death on August 28 at the age of 89. The monarch, who ruled the country since 1991, is being remembered for his unifying role and his strong popularity among Norwegians despite controversies that affected the royal family during the later years of his reign.

The funeral is expected to bring together members of several European royal families and senior international figures, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Britain's Prince William, the Spanish royal couple, the presidents of Germany and Finland, and the prime ministers of France and Thailand.

The funeral procession is scheduled to leave the Royal Palace at midday before carrying the king's coffin through central Oslo to Oslo Cathedral. The religious ceremony will begin at 1 p.m., accompanied by a nationwide minute of silence.

King Harald's successor, Crown Prince Haakon, who has now become King Haakon VIII, is expected to walk behind the procession alongside visiting royals, heads of state and political leaders. Queen Sonja, Harald's widow, and the new queen, Mette-Marit, who is recovering from a lung transplant performed in June, are expected to follow by car.

Marius Borg Høiby, Mette-Marit’s son, has also been granted permission to attend the funeral while under house arrest pending an appeal following his conviction in June on several offenses, including rape and assault.

Security measures surrounding the ceremony have been significantly reinforced. Norwegian authorities have deployed nearly 3,000 police officers and around 3,500 military personnel, describing the operation as one of the largest security deployments in the country's history. Temporary restrictions have also been imposed on air traffic across large parts of eastern Norway.

Following the religious service, four F-35 fighter jets are expected to fly over Oslo Cathedral in tribute to the late monarch. His coffin will then be transported to Akershus Castle before being placed in the royal mausoleum alongside the remains of his parents and grandparents.

Church bells will ring across Norway for an hour after the burial, while national flags will be raised again to mark the conclusion of the funeral ceremonies.

Harald had enjoyed broad public support throughout much of his reign and became the longest-serving reigning monarch in Europe before his death. In recent days, thousands of Norwegians have gathered outside the Royal Palace to leave flowers, candles and messages of remembrance.

A recent opinion poll conducted after his death indicated that 72% of Norwegians supported maintaining the monarchy, an increase from an earlier survey conducted in May.

Despite the king's popularity, Norway's royal family has faced several controversies in recent years. These have included scrutiny surrounding Mette-Marit and her past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as well as legal proceedings involving her son.

Harald's funeral therefore marks both the end of a long royal era and the beginning of a new chapter for the Norwegian monarchy under King Haakon VIII.