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Ulviyya Poladova

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The funeral ceremony for Norway’s King Harald, who died at the age of 89, will be held on September 5.

Following the ceremony, the monarch will be laid to rest in a new sarcophagus at Akershus Fortress in Oslo. The design of the sarcophagus is being kept secret and will only be revealed after it has been used.

Around 3,000 military personnel are expected to take part in the funeral, which is being organized by Norway’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Preparations for the military participation are being overseen by Brigadier General Gyda Ellefsplass Olssen, commandant of Akershus Fortress. She has held the position since 2024 and is the first woman to serve as commandant since the post was established in 1653.

Queen Sonja will also be buried in the same crypt in the future.

Two years ago, the Norwegian government allocated 20 million kroner for the construction of the new sarcophagus. The project was entrusted to the award-winning architectural firm Snøhetta and Professor Kjetil Trædal Thorsen.

During his lifetime, King Harald spoke about his future burial place with his characteristic sense of humor.

On the day of the monarch’s death, 21 artillery salutes were fired at Akershus Fortress at 30-second intervals. A ceremony of this kind had last been held in Norway in 1991.

Interestingly, the guns used for the salute were purchased from Sweden before the dissolution of the Swedish-Norwegian union in 1905. At the time, Norway acquired 146 guns from the Swedish state, which were considered modern for their era.