Norway bids farewell to the 'Patriarch of the Nation'

The funeral procession for King Harald V, affectionately known as the “Grandfather of the Nation,” began in Norway. The king, who enjoyed widespread popularity in the country before a series of scandals marred the final years of his reign, was laid to rest in a ceremony attended by members of royal families and prominent foreign dignitaries.

The farewell rites for the late monarch, who died on August 28 at the age of 89, began with a minute of silence observed across the country.

Only two individuals participated in the motorcade: Harald’s widow, Queen Sonja, 89, and the new Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who is currently recovering from a lung transplant surgery performed in June.