EXCLUSIVE: Prince Harry 'Frozen Out' as William Attends King Harald's Funeral
Prince William represented the royal family at King Harald's funeral.
Sept. 13 2026, Published 4:00 p.m. ET
Prince William represented the British royal family at the funeral of King Harald V of Norway in Oslo – with sources telling RadarOnline.com Prince Harry was purposefully left off the invite list to the high-profile royal gathering.
William walked behind Harald's coffin on Wednesday, September 9, as it was taken from the Royal Palace to Oslo Cathedral, accompanied by his aunt Princess Anne and foreign royals including King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain, as well as King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden and King Frederik X and Queen Mary of Denmark.
Prince Harry 'Frozen Out' as William Takes Center Stage
Prince William represented King Charles at the Norwegian monarch’s funeral.
A source familiar with the royal arrangements claimed: "William's attendance reflects the role he now occupies within the working monarchy. Harry remains outside that structure, and his absence from an occasion of this significance underlines just how different the brothers' positions have become. Harry was deliberately left off the invite list as organizers knew either King Charles or Prince William would be going."
William attended on behalf of his father, King Charles, 77, following the convention that a reigning monarch does not normally attend the funeral of another head of state.
Anne attended in a personal capacity because she is godmother to Norway's new monarch, King Haakon VIII.
A second insider said: "This was an important moment for the royal family to stand alongside Norway following the death of a hugely respected monarch. William's presence was both diplomatic and familial, while Harry was definitely not going to be part of the official British delegation, and therefore frozen out."
Prince William Leads Royal Tribute at King Harald's Funeral
The Royal Family attends the state funeral of King Harald V of Norway
Haakon walked directly behind his father's coffin, alongside his daughter, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, and other members of the Norwegian royal family.
Harald's widow, Queen Sonja, followed in a car wearing a black veil alongside Norway's new Queen Mette-Marit.
Thousands of mourners lined the streets of the Norwegian capital as Harald's coffin, covered by the red Norwegian royal standard and decorated with white flowers, made its way to the cathedral.
Harald died on August 28, aged 89, 11 days after being hospitalized in Oslo with a bacterial blood infection. He had been Norway's monarch for 35 years, taking the throne in 1991 following the death of his father, King Olav V.
King Harald's Legacy and Charles' Emotional Tribute
King Charles gave a heartfelt tribute for his King cousin after learning about his death.
Harald was regarded as a popular and modernizing monarch who helped reshape the Norwegian royal institution. He also broke with tradition by marrying Sonja, a commoner, in 1968 after a long courtship.
Charles was a second cousin once removed of Harald and paid tribute to his relative after his death was announced.
He said: "It is with the most profound sadness that my wife and I have learned of the death of my dear cousin, King Harald V of Norway. For 35 years, King Harald served his people with unwavering dedication, guiding Norway through times of great change with warmth and humility.
"The Queen and I extended our deepest and most heartfelt condolences to Queen Sonja and all her family, as Britain shares in Norway's grief at this time of such heartbreaking loss."
Prince Harry's Royal Status Leaves Him Out of Official Events
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Prince Harry was excluded from the royal funeral guest list.
A source close to the Sussexes claimed, "Harry's absence should not be interpreted as a lack of his respect for King Harald. His position within the royal family is simply different from William's, and the circumstances surrounding official state occasions have changed considerably since Harry stepped back from royal duties."
Harry and his wife Meghan Markle's return to the UK last month has now been met by a declaration from Charles noting that the pair are no longer working royals.
