King Harald V laid to rest in stone vessel at Akershus
The Royal Court of Norway has published photographs of the final resting place of King Harald V of Norway. The images show his stone sarcophagus, a decorated stone coffin, inside the Royal Mausoleum, the burial chamber, at Akershus Castle in Oslo. King Harald died on 28 August. He was 89. Hello! Magazine
His state funeral, a public funeral held with full state honours, took place on 9 September. Norway observed 13 days of national mourning, which ended with that ceremony. Tens of thousands of people lined the streets as Norway bid farewell to King Harald. The Guardian
Royal representatives from across Europe attended, alongside other royal families, heads of state and political figures. Buckingham Palace announced that Prince William, the Prince of Wales, would attend the funeral in Oslo. Prince William represented Britain among the foreign guests. BBC
After the public service, the coffin was taken in procession to Akershus Castle Church. There a private ceremony was held for family and royal guests. After that private ceremony on 9 September 2026, his bier was lowered into the Royal Mausoleum below. Royal Court of Norway
On King Harald's death, the Norwegian throne passed to his son, King Haakon. King Haakon's daughter, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, is now heir to the throne. The Court confirmed the succession as the funeral arrangements were made.
The sarcophagus itself was commissioned in 2024, two years before the King's death. It was designed by the firm Snøhetta and architect Kjetil Trædal Thorsen. It cost an estimated 20 million NOK (£1.6 million). The sum covers a single bespoke commission, not a wider building project.
It is cut from Sunnmøre olivine stone. It is shaped as a vessel, with a rounded bottom and a protective hull inspired by King Harald's relationship with the sea. The curved form is unusual among the straight-sided coffins in the Mausoleum.
The lid carries the crown, orb, sceptre and sword, the emblems of Norwegian kingship, inlaid with peridot, a green gemstone. It bears the inscription 'Harald V Norges Konge. 21 February 1937 - 28 August 2026'. The letters are cut from brass in Futura typeface, a plain sans-serif lettering chosen for clarity.
His sarcophagus now stands alongside those of King Olav and Crown Princess Märtha and King Haakon VII and Queen Maud. The Mausoleum thus holds the married pairs from the two previous reigns beside King Harald. The photographs released this week show the four stone monuments together in the low, vaulted chamber.
