Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Tens of thousands of people across Norway lined up outside cathedrals and churches on Sunday for memorial services for King Harald V, who died on Friday at the age of 89. His son became King Haakon VIII immediately after his death, and the royal family and the country have been in official mourning since then.
Norway’s royal palace said on Sunday evening that Harald’s funeral will be held on Wednesday, September 9. Over the weekend, mourners laid flowers, wrote cards and lit candles outside the royal palace in Oslo, where the coffin arrived late on Friday from the hospital.
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At Oslo Cathedral, Dean Pl Kristian Balstad opened the funeral service by saying, “This Sunday is different. His Majesty King Harald is dead. A family has lost their spouse, father, grandfather, father-in-law,” public broadcaster NRK reported. The royal family attended a service at Asker Church, southwest of Oslo.
NRK also reported that some Norwegians chose to postpone celebrations such as weddings and baptisms until the mourning period ends.
On Saturday night, the new king paid tribute to Harald and spoke about the pain of losing his father. “I’m going to miss him. I’ll miss his laughter. His good-natured way of dealing with people and situations,” Haakon said in his first speech as king, which was broadcast live on public television.
Holding back tears, he said he would give everything for the country as its king. “That means – in the ultimate sense – being willing to risk everything, even one’s life, for Norway’s freedom and independence,” Haakon said. He adopted the motto “All for Norway”, which dates back to his great-grandfather. His wife became Queen Mette-Marit, while his eldest child, Ingrid Alexandra, became crown princess and heir to the throne.
Among his immediate tasks will be strengthening support for the monarchy after controversies linked to his wife’s past contacts with deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his stepson’s rape conviction. Norway’s monarchy traces its origins to King Harald Fairhair in the ninth century. After Norway regained independence from Sweden in 1905, three-quarters of voters backed restoring the monarchy in a national plebiscite. Today, the monarch’s role is largely symbolic, with power resting with an elected parliament, but the royal family continues to hold public attention and represent the country abroad as Norway mourns Harald ahead of his September 9 funeral.
With PTI Inputs
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
