Queen Rania of Jordan will travel to Oslo for King Harald V’s funeral after confirming her attendance at the last minute. She will join her husband, King Abdullah II, and members of Europe’s royal families for the final farewell to the Norwegian monarch, who reigned for 35 years.
The state funeral at Oslo Cathedral will bring together reigning royals and heads of state from around the world. The scale of the gathering has prompted the largest security operation in Norway’s history, as the country prepares to honor Harald and support its new monarch, King Haakon VIII.
Queen Rania’s Unexpected Trip to Oslo
Members of Jordan’s royal family were confirmed as guests only a few days ago, but one name was conspicuously missing from the list: Queen Rania. The Royal Hashemite Court has now announced that she will attend, adding another prominent royal figure to an already extraordinary gathering in Oslo.
© GTRESRania will join several of Europe’s queens, along with heads of state and members of royal families from across the continent, for the final farewell to Harald. The late king leaves behind a remarkable legacy after nearly four decades on the Norwegian throne.
The funeral proceedings will begin on September 9 at around 1 p.m., when a procession carrying the king’s coffin will make its way from the Royal Palace to Oslo Cathedral.
For Abdullah and Rania, the trip is about more than royal protocol. The Hashemite and Norwegian royal families have shared a close relationship for years. Their friendship was on display in March 2020, when Harald and Queen Sonja traveled to Jordan at the invitation of King Abdullah. The visit underscored the warmth and mutual respect between the two royal households.
© Samir Hussein/WireImageIn Oslo, Abdullah and Rania will join a distinguished group of European royals, including King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain, who will attend with Queen Sofía; King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark; and Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco, among others. The number of royals, dignitaries and heads of state expected in the capital has led Norwegian authorities to mount an unprecedented security operation.
Tomorrow, Norway will say its final farewell to Harald V
A military procession will leave the Royal Palace in Oslo carrying the king’s coffin to the cathedral. Police officers, the Armed Forces band, the King’s Guard honor company, and the head of the Royal Court will accompany the cortege. Harald’s family will follow the coffin, with members of other royal families behind them.
© AFP via Getty ImagesThe procession will move through the heart of Oslo in solemn silence, broken only by the measured cadence of the military escort.
At 1 p.m., the king’s coffin will arrive at Oslo Cathedral for the funeral service. A minute of silence will then be observed inside the cathedral and across Norway as the royal family, visiting monarchs and heads of state come together for the country’s final farewell to its longtime king.
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