Prince William will represent his father, King Charles III, at the funeral of King Harald V of Norway on September 9, 2026, in Oslo [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]. King Harald, who died on August 28 at age 89 after a 35-year reign, was widely regarded as a popular "people's king" who modernized the Norwegian monarchy [1, 2, 4, 5, 7].
The funeral service will be held at Oslo Cathedral and followed by a private burial at the royal mausoleum in Akershus Fortress [1, 2, 4, 5]. Thousands have paid respects during King Harald’s lying in state at the Royal Palace chapel in Oslo [1].
Princess Anne will attend the funeral in a personal capacity as godmother to Norway’s new King Haakon VIII [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]. King Haakon said, "Thank you for being such a good dad" in tribute to his late father [1].
King Charles III, 77, is undergoing treatment for an undisclosed cancer but remains active [3, 6, 7, 8]. According to royal protocol, the reigning British monarch typically does not attend funerals of other heads of state; instead the heir apparent attends, explaining Prince William’s role [1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8].
King Charles III and King Harald V were second cousins, both descended from King Edward VII of the UK [1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]. King Charles said of Harald, "He served his people with unwavering dedication, guiding Norway through times of great change with warmth and humility" and noted that "Harald’s kindness, compassion and deep sense of duty echoed from across the sea and across the decades" [1, 2].
Prince William previously represented King Charles III at the funeral of Pope Francis in April 2025 [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]. The upcoming funeral in Oslo will also include members of the Norwegian royal family alongside the British royals [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8].
