Norway bids farewell to 'the people's grandfather' King Harald V

Huge crowds turned out to bid farewell to King Harald V of Norway, who died after 35 years on the throne spent championing national unity.

According to Euronews and other outlets, tens of thousands of people gathered in the Norwegian capital of Oslo on Wednesday (local time) for the state funeral of Harald V. The ceremony came 12 days after the king died Aug. 28 at age 89.

The funeral began with a 21-gun salute as Harald V's coffin left the Royal Palace and was carried along Oslo's main avenue to the Lutheran cathedral. Members of the Norwegian royal family followed the procession, including King Haakon VIII, who succeeded his father, and Haakon's eldest daughter, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra.

European royals and political leaders also attended the funeral. Prince William of the United Kingdom and King Felipe VI of Spain and his wife joined royals from Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Monaco in paying their respects. Heads of state including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier also attended.

When the procession reached the cathedral, the funeral began with a minute of silence observed nationwide. In his eulogy, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store remembered Harald V, saying, "He struck a balance between dignity and simplicity, and he made Norway a greater nation." Store added, "He spoke of a Norwegian 'we' in which everyone looked out for one another."

After a candle-lighting ceremony involving representatives of various faiths, Harald V's coffin was taken to the royal chapel at Akershus Fortress, a medieval site near Oslo. Following a private ceremony for the royal family, the coffin was laid to rest in the underground crypt where members of the royal family are buried.

Harald V was beloved in Norway for his efforts to modernize the monarchy and his inclusive approach to public life. His down-to-earth and warm personality made him approachable to ordinary citizens, earning him the nickname "the people's grandfather."

Following news of his death, flowers, Norwegian flags and notes of condolence piled up outside the Royal Palace. At the chapel where his body lay in state, which was open to the public, mourners waited in line for as long as seven hours at one point to pay their final respects.

Police estimated that 48,000 people packed central Oslo for the funeral that day. Schools across the country allowed students to skip class so they could attend. Norwegian police said in a briefing that the security operation mounted for the event was the largest in the history of Norway's police force.