William to Represent Charles at King Harald's Funeral in Oslo

Charles to miss ‘dear cousin’ King Harald’s funeral with William to represent Royals. King Harald’s funeral will take place next week following his death at the age of 89 last month. Buckingham Palace has announced that the Prince of Wales will represent his father at the funeral of King Harald V of Norway next week.

William will be joined by the Princess Royal, who is attending in a private capacity as godmother to the new king, Haakon VIII. Norway has seen a profound outpouring of grief following the death of the monarch on 28 August at the age of 89. Harald - known for his warmth, humour and informal style - was hailed as an inclusive "people’s king" who modernised the Norwegian monarchy across a 35-year reign. His funeral is set to take place on 9 September at Oslo Cathedral, with mourners including his widow Queen Sonja.

In line with the precedent that the sovereign does not attend the funerals of foreign heads of state, William will represent his father at the poignant service. Charles offered a tribute to his "dear cousin" and "much-loved kinsman and friend" after news of Harald’s death was confirmed. Writing in a message of condolence, he commended Harald’s "unwavering dedication", adding that his "kindness, compassion and deep sense of duty echoed from across the sea and across the decades".

The late Queen Elizabeth II and King Harald were second cousins, sharing the same great-grandparents in King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. William previously stood in for his father in April last year at the funeral of Pope Francis in the Vatican. Pope Francis passed away at the age of 88 following a battle with pneumonia. During an official tour to Norway in 2018, William and the now-Princess of Wales attended a dinner at the Royal Palace with King Harald and Queen Sonja, where Harald described the visiting royals as "family" and commended their support of the late Queen.