Tens of thousands mourn King Harald V in Oslo as Norway enters a new royal era

Tens of thousands mourn King Harald V in Oslo as Norway enters a new royal era 1 of 5 | Mourners gather in the pouring rain to watch as King Harald V’s remains arrive to the Royal Palace in Oslo, Norway, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. (Heiko Junge/NTB via AP) 2 of 5 | Mourners gather in the pouring rain to watch as King Harald V’s remains arrive to the Royal Palace in Oslo, Norway, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. (Heiko Junge/NTB via AP) 3 of 5 | The coffin of Norway’s King Harald V is driven in a cortege from the chapel at the National Hospital through Oslo and on to the Palace, Oslo, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. (Javad Parsa/NTB via AP) 4 of 5 | King Harald V’s bier in Oslo, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. The bier with King Harald will be driven in a cortege from the chapel at the National Hospital through Oslo and on to the Royal Palace. (Ole Berg-Rusten/Pool photo via AP) 5 of 5 | People line up waiting King Harald V’s bier to pass at Queen’s Park, in Oslo, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. The bier with King Harald will be driven in a cortege from the chapel at the National Hospital through Oslo and on to the Royal Palace. (Javad ParsaPool photo via AP) Updated 1:19 PM MESZ, August 29, 2026 Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Oslo, Norway (AP) — Tens of thousands of mourners paid their respects to Norway’s King Harald V on Saturday, placing flowers and condolence cards outside the Royal Palace in Oslo a day after the monarch died at 89. A sea of colorful flowers covered Slottsplassen, the square in front of the palace, as a steady stream of Norwegians filed past. A palace gardener removed some bouquets on the south side of the palace to keep pathways clear, Norwegian broadcaster NRK reported. Palace workers also collected cards soaked after a nightly downpour and dried them to preserve the mourners’ messages for posterity, NRK reported. Across the country, churches and city halls opened specially on Saturday so people could light candles, write down their thoughts about the deceased king in condolence books. The coffin arrived at the Royal Palace Friday evening from the National Hospital in Oslo where Harald died. “It’s special, intimate, and lovely. I’m placing my right hand on my chest in gratitude to him and the royal family,” Roni Ervik, 46, told NRK as he paid his respects. He said he was also paying tribute to the late king on behalf of his family, who are from western Norway. Harald V died Friday morning and his 53-year-old son, Crown Prince Haakon, became King Haakon VIII. Norway’s crown prince becomes King Haakon VIII after his father’s death 5 MIN READ Norway’s King Harald V dies at 89 and his son becomes King Haakon VIII 5 MIN READ 51 The health of Norway’s King Harald deteriorated over the weekend but he is stable now 5 MIN READ 51 Haakon adopted the motto “All for Norway,” which dates back to his great-grandfather. His wife became Queen Mette-Marit, while his oldest child, Ingrid Alexandra, became crown princess and heir to the throne. Haakon is well acquainted with his royal obligations. As his father aged and his health declined in recent years, he stepped in as the country’s regent on several occasions. Later Saturday, a choir was expected to sing in the Royal Palace Square. The new king was also scheduled to hold audiences with the speaker of Norway’s parliament, the chief justice of the Supreme Court and the presiding bishop of the Lutheran Church of Norway, with Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra also expected to attend, NRK reported. Haakon is expected to address the people of Norway in his first speech as king either later Saturday or in the coming days. His tasks in the near future will include shoring up support for the monarchy following controversies over his wife’s past contacts with deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his stepson’s rape conviction. A date for the funeral has not been set, but the country is officially in a state of mourning and some people decided to postpone celebrations such as weddings and baptisms until after the mourning period has passed, NRK reported. Norway’s monarchy has old roots, tracing its origins to King Harald Fairhair in the ninth century. When Norway regained its independence from Sweden in 1905, three-quarters of voters in a national plebiscite approved restoring the monarchy. Today, the role is largely symbolic as power lies with an elected parliament, but the country’s royal family retains celebrity and a role in promoting the wealthy nation around the world.