Prince William to represent King Charles at King Harald of Norway's funeral

Prince William to represent King Charles at King Harald of Norway's funeral The Prince of Wales will represent his father at the funeral of King Harald V of Norway next week, Buckingham Palace has announced The Prince of Wales will represent his father at the funeral of King Harald V of Norway next week, Buckingham Palace has confirmed. William, heir to the throne, will be accompanied by his aunt the Princess Royal, who is attending in a private and personal capacity as godmother to the new monarch, Haakon VIII. Norway has witnessed an overwhelming wave of mourning for the beloved king, who passed away on 28 August aged 89. Harald – renowned for his warmth, humour and relaxed manner – has been celebrated as an inclusive "people's king" who brought the Norwegian monarchy into the modern era during his 35-year reign. His funeral is scheduled for 9 September at Oslo Cathedral, with attendees including his widow Queen Sonja. Following established protocol that the sovereign does not attend funerals of fellow heads of state, the responsibility falls to William, a future monarch, to represent his father and pay tribute at the moving ceremony. Charles offered a heartfelt tribute to his "dear cousin" and "much-loved kinsman and friend" following the announcement of Harald's death. In a message of sympathy, he commended Harald's "unwavering dedication" and noted 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, King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. In April last year, William represented his father at the funeral of Pope Francis at the Vatican. William and the now-Princess of Wales embarked on an official visit to Norway in 2018, sitting down to dinner with King Harald and Queen Sonja at the Royal Palace, where Harald referred to them as "family" and commended their dedication to the late Queen. The Norwegian monarch entered the banquet arm in arm with a pregnant Kate, who was expecting Prince Louis and dressed in a flowing Alexander McQueen gown, with William and Queen Sonja mirroring the gesture as they followed closely behind. The royal couple also hit the ski slopes alongside then-Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who have since ascended to become the new King and Queen of Norway.