Prince William to Attend King Harald V's Sept. 9 Funeral in Oslo

Q: Why is King Charles skipping King Harald's funeral, and how will Princess Anne's historic 1973 connection impact the Oslo gathering?

King Charles is not attending because Buckingham Palace is following the long-standing convention that a reigning British monarch does not go to the funeral of another head of state. Instead, Prince William will represent him in Oslo, as he has done at other major international funerals. Charles’s absence is therefore procedural rather than personal, especially given that he publicly described Harald as a beloved cousin and praised his service. Princess Anne’s presence adds a more personal and historic dimension to the gathering. She is attending privately because she has been King Haakon VIII’s godmother since his christening in Oslo in September 1973. That link underlines the unusually close family ties between the British and Norwegian royal houses and is likely to make her attendance symbolically important for the new king as he mourns his father and begins his reign. Her 1973 connection also gives the funeral a stronger sense of continuity across generations of European royalty. Although Anne did not attend Haakon’s christening at the time because she was about to marry, she later attended his confirmation and has maintained a visible bond with him. In Oslo, that history will make her more than just another royal mourner: she will be present as both senior British royal and longstanding family figure to Norway’s new monarch. So the British delegation will combine official representation through William with personal family solidarity through Anne.

3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Sep 5

Buckingham Palace said Prince William will attend King Harald V's funeral in Oslo on Wednesday, representing King Charles at the service for Norway's late monarch.
Princess Anne will also go in a personal capacity; Charles is following the usual practice that a reigning monarch does not attend another head of state's funeral.
Thousands have already queued at the Royal Palace chapel to honor Harald, who died last month at 89 after 35 years on the throne, with large crowds expected for the procession and Oslo Cathedral service.
King Haakon VIII, Queen Sonja and other European royals are due at the funeral before a private burial at Akershus Fortress, as Norway's new king takes over amid recent royal-family scandals.