King Felipe VI led a sombre gathering of European royals arriving in Oslo ahead of King Harald V’s funeral.
Foreign royals have touched down in the Norwegian capital ahead of King Harald V’s state funeral, with guests seen arriving at Oslo’s Grand Hotel.
Spain's King Felipe and Queen Letizia were pictured on a bus after landing at Oslo Airport on September 8.
The Spanish King, dressed in a gray suit with a duffle bag in hand, was filmed waving at cameras as he entered his hotel.
Luxembourg’s former Grand Duke Henri, along with Princess Alexia of Greece and her husband Carlos Morales Quintana, was also seen getting off a bus at the hotel on Tuesday.
Japan’s Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko were also seen arriving at the hotel in a Mercedes-Benz.
TV 2 reported that a number of European royals took a shared bus to the Palace on Tuesday, among them Felipe, Letizia, Henri, the Serbian Crown Prince Couple, Prince Alois, Princess Alexia and Queen Anne-Marie.
The reason for the royals’ Palace visit has not been confirmed, though TV 2’s royal expert Ole-Jørgen Schulsrud-Hansen said it is not unusual for a reception to be held for visiting royals ahead of a funeral.
Royal Guests at King Harald V’s funeral
The Netherlands' King Willem-Alexander, Queen Maxima, Princess Beatrix and Princess Catharina-Amalia, as well as Prince William, Princess Anne, Denmark's King Frederik, Queen Mary, Crown Prince Christian, Princess Benedikte, and Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf, Queen Silvia, Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Carl Philip, Princess Sofia, Princess Madeleine and Princess Christina will be among the guests at Wednesday's funeral service.
King Harald’s state funeral is set for September 9 at Oslo Cathedral, with his coffin due to leave the Palace at noon before the service begins at 1 p.m.
Following the funeral, Harald’s coffin will be taken to the Palace Chapel at Akershus Fortress for a private family ceremony before being placed in the crypt.
Norway’s new King Haakon and Queen Mette-Marit will later host a reception for visiting royals at the Palace.
