OSLO, Norway – In a somber ceremony that marked the formal transition of Norway’s monarchy, the coffin of the late King Harald V traveled from the Royal Palace’s Red Salon to the palace chapel on Monday, drawing the nation’s grief into a quiet, shared public ritual. The event also marked Queen Mette-Marit’s first official public appearance since ascending to her new title, following the passing of her husband’s father Friday at the age of 89.
Immediately after Harald’s death, Crown Prince Haakon, 53, ascended to the throne as King Haakon VIII, completing a constitutional line of succession that has placed Princess Ingrid Alexandra, Haakon VIII’s eldest child, as the new crown princess and official heir to the Norwegian throne. Mette-Marit, Haakon’s wife, assumed the role of Norway’s queen consort alongside her husband’s accession.
On Monday, Mette-Marit walked hand-in-hand with Queen Sonja, Harald V’s widow, behind the royal casket as it processed through the palace grounds to the chapel. The appearance marks a notable milestone for Mette-Marit, who has stepped back from most public duties after undergoing a life-saving lung transplant in June. She was first diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable progressive condition that scars lung tissue and impairs respiratory function, back in 2018.
King Haakon VIII is scheduled to take his formal oath of office to Norway’s constitution on Tuesday, a procedural step that will formalize his authority as the nation’s new head of state. The new monarch faces pressing early challenges: he must work to shore up public confidence in the Norwegian monarchy, which has been rocked by recent controversies. These include scrutiny over past connections between Mette-Marit and the deceased convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as well as a rape conviction secured against Mette-Marit’s son, Haakon’s stepson.
Norway has been in an official state of national mourning since Harald V’s death. Over the weekend, thousands of Norwegians and international visitors gathered outside the Royal Palace in central Oslo to lay flowers, handwrite sympathy cards, and light candles in tribute to the late king, who reigned for decades across the Nordic nation. The coffin remained in the palace’s Red Salon through the weekend before Monday’s procession, according to public broadcaster NRK.
Beginning Tuesday, the general public will be permitted to enter the royal chapel to pay their final respects to Harald V before his funeral, which is officially scheduled for September 9, the royal administration confirmed.