Norway holds state funeral for King Harald V

Norway observed a nationwide minute of silence on Wednesday at the funeral of King Harald V, a modern and unifying figure whose end of reign was tarnished by scandals.

His son and heir King Haakon VIII, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, Britain’s Prince William and other foreign dignitaries stood in silence in the halls of Oslo’s Lutheran cathedral in memory of the late monarch, who died on August 28 aged 89.

The funeral procession had left the royal palace an hour earlier, the king’s casket draped in Norway’s red royal banner and topped with white flowers.

Carried on an artillery carriage, the casket was transported along the city’s main avenue, followed by the dignitaries on foot as thousands of people lined the street to pay their respects.

“He was king for practically my whole life. I thought it was normal to come today, since I could,” said 37-year-old municipal employee Anders Aanerud.