Queen Sonja visits Royal Chapel

The Royal Court releases touching photos of Queen Sonja visiting her late husband’s coffin ahead of ceremonies in Oslo tomorrow. 

King Harald V has been lying in state for a week since being transferred in a solemn procession through the palace on 31 August. Many members of the public have had their opportunity to bid their late King a final farewell, most emotional at the sight of the coffin with the royal regalia, including the Royal Crown and Royal Sword.

Photo: The Royal Court

On Tuesday morning, the day before King Harald’s state funeral, the royal court shared emotional photos of a widowed Queen Sonja visiting King Harald’s coffin in the Royal Chapel. Queen Sonja’s wreath has a ribbon attached with the phrase “Takk for et godt liv”, which translates to “Thank you for a good life”.

King Harald and Queen Sonja were married for 57 years. Harald died one day short of what would have been the couple’s 58th wedding anniversary. The two were in love for nine years before they married, but convention at the time, along with a staunch King Olav, did not allow the Crown Prince to wed a “commoner” who would one day become Queen of Norway.

Harald issued an ultimatum: he would remain unmarried unless he were granted permission to marry the woman he loved, effectively ending the Norwegian monarchy, as Harald was the only son of the reigning King. The two were finally married in August 1968 at Oslo Cathedral and were married for 57 years, 11 months and 30 days before his death on 28 August, 2026.